Church History

Church History

1880 - A few laymen in the Bailgate Church in the late 1880's felt that a new soiety should be formed in the Burton Road area which was rapidly developing. A place where all are welcome even if they can't afford a decent suit. A number of cottage and tent meetings were held. Regular meetings were established in 1891 in a publicans outbuildings. It is reported that they had no security of tenure, sat on benches without backs, there wasa mud floor and when it rained you needed an unbrella! The building was said to be 'hardly wholesome, certainly ugly and usually too full of people.

The 3 founding leaders were :

~ Mr James Johnson - Who held most of the local offices for many years.

~ Mr Benjamin Tuxford - A preacher for over 65 years and the leader of a very influential Young Men's Class, out of that class came 17 local preachers, 2 Ministers and a number of prominent workers in the Church.

~ Mr Charles Brown - Sunday School Superintendant for 57 years.

1904 - Clearly something had to be done about the building and on Wednesday 13th July 1904 the foundation stones were laid for a dual purpose building which is the present Church. Land was also purchased for building a hall in the future. The sun Shone and the chief speaker was Bishop Hoss DD of the Episcopal Church in the Southern States of America. The Superintendant of the Circuit Rev E J Brailsford was there together with Circuit Ministers and friends from local Churches. The foundation stone was laid by Mr Collingham, the Church was then opened on December 4th 1904. The present organ was installed, on the site of the first pulpit, by Cousins of Lincoln and the choir stalls moved in 1908/9.

1921 - After the First World War the need for a hall had become urgent with the development of the youth work and in 1921 a redundant war hut was purchased and erected on the spare land. This was seen at the time as a temporary measure but the depression and the number of people out of work left no possibility of a permanent building.

1954 - At the jubilee of the building in 1954 an appeal was launched to build a permanent school hall with modern kitchen and toilet facilities. The old hut was in a poor state with the roof leaking, the floor 'like a trampoline' and no proper kitchen facilities.

1963 - An opportunity came in 1963 when a Methodist firm of builders, Grayson and Son were contracted to build a hall with kitchen and toilet facilities. It was opened on Saturday 2nd November 1963 by Mrs J W Lawson. Mrs Lawson's late husband, a trustee, had persuasively encouraged the trustees and congregation to believe that a new hall was possible.

1972 - The hall was a great improvement but the Church needed upgrading and a step was taken in 1972 when the congregation turned round to face the other way, installing new communion furniture, pulpit, reading desk and lighting. These were designed by one of the younger members of the Church.

1984 - Further work was needed to create a Church Lounge, upgrade the heating system, rewire the electrics, re-voice the organ, carpet the Church and redecorate the property. The Community Enterprises Agency funded by the Manpower Services Commission undertook much of the work in 1983. The Church was rededicated on January 31st 1984 by the Superintenent Rev David Bannister with the Chairman of the District Rev Alan Davies the preacher. The Minister of the Church Rev Mark Wakelin and the previous Minister Rev Peter Robinson also took part.

2003 - New windows were installed in the main Church building, with a replacement from wooden to uPVC, a much needed improvement to the visual impact of the building, but in keeping with the original traditional design. Works started for us to conply with the DDA which comes into full force in Oct 2004, the entrance dip of the church was filled in in order to make access to the building easier. An architect was employed and an acessibility audit commissioned, drawings formed and the design for works to improve physical access into and arounf the building with new ecteriot ramps, wall and railings, internal changes adn a new accessible toilet.

2004 - Phase 2 of the DDA works completed with the installation of induction loops into the main hall and the lounge area. Plans are underway for a year full of activities to celebrate our Centenary.

Initially the congregation was known as the Bailgate Mission becoming the Burton Road Mission in 1897. Society status was granted in 1901 and the present name adopted in 1941.

The memebership has also varied over the years:

1911	1912	1920	1930	1940	1950	1960	1968	1978	1988	1995	2000	2003	2004
93	108	99	81	70	74	97	68	51	70	37	34	29	32

A young man recently candidated for the Presbyteral Ministry from the Church and he is now in his 2nd circuit. There are 3 fully accredited local preachers in current membership.

To date there have been 30 Ministers in pastoral charge:

1891	Rev Jonathan Chapple
1894	Rev Thomas Rae
1897	Rev Richard Middleton
1900	Rev G Heathcote Barker
1903	Rev Enoch Green
1906	Rev W R Griffin
1910	Rev H Graham Payn
1912	Rev H F Chaplin
1915	Rev A J Johnson
1921	Rev G W Appleby
1924	Rev J Henry Martin
1926	Rev Fred Clarke
1930	Rev Charles H Gee
1934	Rev T L Barlow Westerdale
1938	Rev W Edmund Thomas
1940	Rev Isaac Bond
1945	Rev T Bayles Naylor
1950	Rev J Stanley Garner
1956	Rev C Gordon Balhatchet
1960	Rev Alan H Grant
1961	Rev E Harry Palmer
1965	Rev Harold R Bowes
1972	Rev David Monkton
1977	Rev Peter W Robinson
1982	Rev Mark H Wakelin
1988	Rev Paul Shelton
1993	Rev Alan Barker
2001	Rev John Squares
2002	Rev Terry Nowell
2003 -	Rev Stephen Brown

This is the story of faithful people who for over 100 years have proclaimed the gospel to the people of the Burton Road area. May we continue to be faithful in the coming years.

SOURCES :

One Hundred Years 1836 - 1936. The Story of Wesley Chapel, Lincoln		WILFRED E SELBY
Methodism in The City of Lincoln		WILLIAM LEARY
Church Records		CHRIS JOHNSON; LEWIS FOX; GEOFF DICKINSON & MEMBERS & FRIENDS