MB2/BSP/10/2809

Photograph Album including a brief history of both churches and including negatives in sleeve at back:

c.1969

From: 1832 To: 1969

- St.Paul's was built in 1832, altered 1896, closed 29 Dec 1968 and subsequently demolished; it replaced an earlier church, built on the same spot in 1804 and had a schoolroom on the south side which was built in 1846 and enlarged in 1883; - Newnham Avenue Church was originally a small wooden sectional building taken over in 1937; a church hall was built on the site in 1953 and services were held there until the new Priory Methodist Church was dedicated on 5 Jun 1969 Photographs included are as follows: - exterior of St.Paul's Church and Sunday School in Harpur Street, seen from old Bedford Modern School; - interior of St.Paul's after 1896 alterations which included lowering the front of the gallery and replacing pews, the cross in Priory church was made from the St.Paul's pews prior to the church's demolition; - communion table and chairs, given by Charles Blakeway, pulpit and organ of St.Paul's; - organ keyboard [organ presented by Sir Frederick Howard in 1869, some pipes going to the new organ at Priory Methodist Church]; - War memorial which was on north wall of St.Paul's; - plaque to the memory of William Ford, caretaker, placed in St.Paul's lobby; - memorial tablets outside St.Paul's to Catherine, wife of John Isett (died 1824), their daughters Mary Ann (died 1817) and Jane (died 1826), both aged 10 and three children who died in infancy; - memorial tablet outside St.Paul's to Mary, wife of Isaac Wale (died 1828) and Isaac Wale (died 1842); - memorial tablet from St.Paul's interior to Elizabeth and John Ranshall of London (both died 1824) and their granddaughter Elizabeth Rowe (died 1825) aged 2 who was buried in front of the chapel; - memorial from inside St.Paul's to Rev.James Hedges, Wesleyan Minister (died 1849); - memorial tablet from inside St.Paul's to John Isitt (died 1854) and Elizabeth his wife (died 1875); - memorial tablet from inside St.Paul's to Rev.Maximilian Wilson, Wesleyan Minister (died 1857); - memorial tablet from inside St.Paul's to Rev.Peter Samuel, supernumerary minister in Bedford from 1868 (died 1874); - memorial tablet from inside St.Paul's to Rev.Robert Maxwell, supernumerary minister in Bedford (died 1879); - official opening of dual-purpose church hall, Newnham Avenue on 25 Jun 1953;

item

Blakeway, Charles,
Howard, Frederick,
Ford, William,
Isett, Catherine,
Isett, John,
Isett, Mary Ann,
Isett, Jane,
Wale, Mary,
Wale, Isaac,
Ranshall, Elizabeth,
Ranshall, John,
Rowe, Elizabeth,
Hedges, James,
Isitt, John,
Isitt, Elizabeth,
Wilson, Maximilian,
Samuel, Peter,
Maxwell, Robert

BEDFORD, Bedford St.Paul, Bedford Newnham Avenue, Bedford Harpur Street, Methodist Church, photographs, Bedford Modern School, church architecture, church furniture, church organs, war memorials, caretaker, DEATH, London, Methodist ministers, Methodist individuals, Methodist buildings