Wesleyan Methodism at Kempston East

Kempston East Methodist Church October 2007

The origin of Methodism in Kempston is not known. An early associate of John Wesley's, William Delamotte, had visited Bedford in 1739 and probably helped to sow the first seeds of the new church. Wesley himself first visited the town in 1753 at the invitation of disillusioned Moravian William Parker and in later visits formed the first Bedford Methodist Society in what later became St.Paul's Methodist Church. It seems possible that Methodism spread to Kempston from this source.

It was usual for nonconformist meetings to register with the Quarter Sessions or the relevant Archdeaconry. The first such registration in Kempston was in 1799, with the archdeaconry, of the house and premises of John Burr [ABN1/1]. The dwelling house of Ann Burridge was registered in 1804 [ABN1/1] and the house of James Ames the next year [ABN1/1] whilst two years later the house of Samuel Favell was registered [ABN1/1]. It is quite possible that each of these registrations was for a Wesleyan Methodist meeting.

Kempston East Methodist church is the daughter church of Kempston West| and was built in 1904. The chapel is a large one, with seating for 500, designed by Gunton & Gunton of London and built by Samuel Foster of Kempston. Rooms for the Sunday School were added in 1934.

Interior of Kempston East Methodist Church 1904 [Z50/67/105]

Sources

- Z50/67/105: photograph of chapel interior: 1904;
- Z50/67/106: photograph of Band of Hope during a march: c.1904;
- MB2097-2099: trust account books: 1904-1966;
- MB2106-2114: Sick Benefit and Dividend Society minute books: 1910-1980;
- MB2102-2104: collection journals: 1914-1955;
- MB2105: Sunday School register: 1917-1921;
- UDKP653: plans for proposed schoolrooms: 1934;
- MB2100-2101: leader's meeting minute books: 1934-1963;
- X854/4 p.239: photograph of Mayor of Bedford and Kempston Urban District Council chairman with visiting Conference of Methodist Ministers at the chapel: 1938;
- MB1784: Circuit Schedule Book including Kempston East: 1949-1975;
- Z857/2/3: programme for Sunday School pantomime: 1953;
- X291/558/4: programme for play by Wesley Players: c.1969