BURY (BRUNSWICK) UNITED METHODIST CIRCUIT

CBU/1 Quarterly Meeting & Committee Minute Books (2) 1906 - 1949

CBU/2 Sectional Meeting Minute Books (2) 1907 - 1947

CBU/3 Preachers' Meeting Minute Books (2) 1886 - 1949

CBU/4 Circuit Stewards' Account Books (5) 1865 - 1949

CBU/5 Circuit Stewards Miscellaneous Correspondence (1) 1925 - 1929

CBU/6 Membership Registers (2) 1839 - 1949

CBU/7 Circuit Missionary Committee Minute Books (1) 1934 - 1949

CBU/8 Mission Treasurer's Account Books (2) 1837 - 1925

CBU/9 Service Plans (50) 1919 - 1932

<p>For records of the Ramsbottom United Methodist Circuit, see CRU. For records of individual churches within the circuit, see CBK (Brunswick, CHB (Heap Bridge), CLF (Limefield), CMP (Elton 'Mount Pleasant), CPH (Parkhills) and CWR (Warth). For records of the Bury (Union Street) Wesleyan Circuit, which include some items relating to the split of 1836, see CBW. For records of Bury and Heywood Methodist Circuit after 1949, see CBH.</p>

These records have been deposited by Bury & Heywood Methodist Circuit at various times up to 1996.

The Wesleyan Methodist Association was formed in 1836 following a split in Wesleyan Methodism. In Bury, large numbers left Union Street Church and the sunday school at Clerke Street to join the Association, erecting a new chapel (Brunswick) off Walmersley Road. Until 1839, this was part of the Rochdale Circuit, but subsequently became the centre of the newly created Bury Circuit; this originally included societies in Bolton and Ramsbottom (Hawkshaw Lane and Patmos) until these became separate circuits in 1847 and 1867 respectively.

In 1857 the WMA merged nationally with the Wesleyan Reformers to create the United Methodist Free Church, and in 1907, a further merger took place between the UMFC, the Methodist New Connexion, and the Bible Christians to form the United Methodist Church. As a result of this merger, the chapel at Heywood Street, formerly in the Rochdale New Connexion circuit was transferred to the Bury (Brunswick) Circuit.

Other chapels within the circuit included Heap Bridge (founded 1824), Limefield (1854/1870), Elton (also known as Wood Street or Mount Pleasant, 1858/1887), Parkhills (1883), Warth (or Bank Top, 1865/1870), and a smaller one at Birtle (Mount Tabor), which closed in 1921. There were also small societies at Higher Woodhill, Parker Street, Besses o'th'Barn and other places, which do not appear to have built permanent chapels.

From 1891 to 1897, the circuit was divided for financial purposes with Brunswick, Birtle, Woodhill, Limefield, Warth and Elton forming no.1 section, while Heap Bridge and Parhills remained separate. In 1898, this was altered so that Heap Bridge, Limefield, Warth and Elton formed a no.2 section leaving Parkhills separate. In 1907, a further reorganisation took place, making Heywood Street and Parkhills into a no.3 section. In effect, each section was responsible for the support of one of the circuit ministers. After Methodist Union, the circuit amalgamated with other local Methodist denominations to form the united Bury (now Bury and Heywood) Methodist Circuit in 1949.