Plymouth, Churches | Methodist | Keyham Methodist Chapel, Devonport (Victoria Memorial Chapel)

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PLYMOUTH CHURCHES | METHODIST CHAPELS

KEYHAM METHODIST CHAPEL, DEVONPORT

Keyham Methodist Chapel was located in Admiralty Street, Keyham. It was also known as the Victoria Memorial Chapel.

It was in 1887 that a Mission Band from the Gloucester Street Chapel at Devonport formed the first congregation in the district in the front room of number 28 Johnston Terrace. It was not long before a Sunday School was started as well. [1]

Mr Peter Lamb was the first Wesleyan preacher at Keyham. [2]

Keyham Methodist Chapel, Keyham, Devonport.

	In 1889, thanks to the efforts of a Mr & Mrs W J Moon, they acquired an iron building capable of holding 100 worshippers and moved it from near Exeter to a small parcel of land between the Great Western Railway and Saltash Road. The first pastor was the Reverend L Ralton. [2]
An artists' impression of the first iron chapel for the Methodist congregation at Keyham.

Then in August 1901 the foundation stone was laid of a new Chapel in Admiralty Street, designed by Mr H J Snell of The Crescent, Plymouth. Known at the time as the Victoria Memorial Chapel, it was built in the Romanesque style, in local limestone with buff brick dressings, by Mr G P Turpin & Sons of Courtenay Street, Plymouth, and was opened by Mrs W J Moon, wife of one of the circuit stewards, on Wednesday October 8th 1902. She had promised the first one hundred crowns in the thousand that they hoped to collect that day towards the construction. [2]

The structure was not finished at that time as they were still £4,300 short of their target but it would eventually consist of the chapel itself, large Sunday Schools, class-rooms, minister's and trustee's vestries and a caretaker's house. The minister was the 'progressive and rigorous' Reverend W Moyle, who took up the appointment from Leicester. At the usual evening meeting that followed, it was announced that £350 had been collected during that day, some from purses donated by children of the other chapels in the Circuit. [2]

Messrs Hele and Company, of Plymouth, supplied the organ and Mr G Hele gave a 'brilliantly played and heartily appreciated' organ recital. [2]

Although it survived the Second World War, a falling congregation meant that this large building was no longer needed. The old one was demolished in 1975 and replaced by a smaller chapel with social housing, designed by Mr Francis Bush. The new Chapel was opened by Mr Paul Bartlett Lang on the evening of June 28th 1982. The Deputy Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress, Mr & Mrs Bob Bishop, were also present. The Chapel was dedicated by the minister, the Reverend Norman Grigg. [3]

Sources:

[1] "Wesleyan Methodist Church: Conference Handbook and Souvenir: Plymouth 1913", printed by Messrs William Brendon & Son Ltd, Plymouth, 1913, courtesy of the Reverend John Haley of Ridgeway Methodist Church, Plympton, and and Mr Chris Crouch, the Property & Facilities Officer at the Circuit Office, Devonport.

[2] "Victoria Memorial Wesleyan Church, Keyham: Opening Ceremony: Dedicatory Sermon by Dr. Waller", Western Daily Mercury, Plymouth, October 9th 1902, plus drawings of the old and new premises, Western Daily Mercury, Plymouth, October 8th 1902.

[3] "Effort rewarded at new church opening", Western Evening Herald, Plymouth, June 29th 1982.

Photograph - "Wesleyan Methodist Church: Conference Handbook and Souvenir: Plymouth 1913", printed by Messrs William Brendon & Son Ltd, Plymouth, 1913, courtesy of the Reverend John Haley of Ridgeway Methodist Church, Plympton, and and Mr Chris Crouch, the Property & Facilities Officer at the Circuit Office, Devonport.