CITY ROAD METHODIST CIRCUIT

City Road Circuit Records and Great Queen Street Circuit Records.

The records reflect the role of Wesley's Chapel as a national and international centre and the local activities of the Circuit's Churches. They do not contain Wesleyana: much of the material relating to the Wesleys has been transferred to John Rylands University Library, Deansgate, Manchester M3 3EH, or is at Wesley's House, 49 City Road, London EC1.

This list, following the Schedule of Methodist Documents, divides the records into those produced by the Circuit and those produced by local Churches. This additional deposit has been listed separately from the earlier accessions to reduce the possible confusion in changing reference numbers. For example, the series of Quarterly Meeting minute books, Trustees Meeting minute books and accounts, and Collection journals of Wesley's Chapel, City Road have not been deposited together and therefore individual records within series will appear in different lists: it is therefore necessary to use the cross references between N/M/41 and ACC/2330

<span class="wrapper"><p>The Public Record Office holds registers of burials 1779-1840 and a register of baptisms and births 1804-1837 from City Road Chapel. (See class RG4)</p> <p>A transcript of a burial register still held at Wesley's Chapel, covering the dates 1779-1858, is held in the Greater London History Library. It contains an index of names of people buried in the Burial Ground.</p> <p>(see earlier deposits Ac. 77.58 and Ac. 77.67 under N/M/41/1-82)</p></span>

Further records from Wesley's Chapel Crypt, City Road deposited in the Greater London Record Office, 40 Northampton Road, London EC1R 0HB, 20 October 1986

The New Chapel, or as it later became known, Wesley's Chapel, was opened for public worship 1 November 1778. It stood as a successor to the old Foundery Chapel bought in 1739 which was situated a few hundred metres to the south east. For further details of the history of the Chapel, see One at London: The Story of Wesley's Chapel, Max Woodward (2nd edition, London 1983).

The Chapel is important as the "Mother Church of World Methodism", the scene of many famous events such as the Uniting Conference of Primitive Methodists, United Methodists and Wesleyan Methodists in 1932. It also acts as the focal point of the City Road Circuit, also known as London East Circuit (1807-1823) and the First London Circuit. There has been much reorganisation as chapels closed and circuits were altered; for further details and names and dates of circuits, contact the Society of Cirplanologists, c/o 26 Roe Cross Green, Moram, Hyde, Cheshire SK14 6LP.