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Primitive Methodist, Atherton
in the County of
-- Lancashire --

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Primitive Methodist Chapel
Alma Street, Atherton

 
Originally a church hall belonging to Atherton Primitive Methodist Chapel on Alma Street, now in use by Atherton Evangelical Church. Photo by Peter Wood, July 2005
Originally a church hall belonging to Atherton Primitive Methodist Chapel on Alma Street, now in use by Atherton Evangelical Church. Photo by Peter Wood, July 2005
 
Plaque in the front wall of Alma Street chapel. John Barrett later became the Mayor of Bolton. Photo by Peter Wood, July 2005
Plaque in the front wall of Alma Street chapel. John Barrett later became the Mayor of Bolton. Photo by Peter Wood, July 2005

The chapel was on the east side of Alma Street just north of the intersection with Mealhouse Lane. The church was demolished sometime after 1950. The remaining church hall is now used by Atherton Evangelical Church. A wall plaque on the old church hall dates 1886, but Primitive Methodism came to Atherton some years before that. According to Tony Ashcroft (Local History Officer at Leigh Library) they first met in a house in Howe Bridge, and later used a mission room at Lane Top (where Bag Lane and Leigh Road meet Market Street).

 
Aerial photo of Atherton in about 1950. Alma Street Primitive Methodist church is immediately right of fig.1. The Independant Methodist chapel is immediately right of fig.2. The prominent street running across the photo from the bottom left corner is Mealhouse Lane, aligned E-W, with the two churches on the N side.
Aerial photo of Atherton in about 1950. Alma Street Primitive Methodist church is immediately right of fig.1. The Independant Methodist chapel is immediately right of fig.2. The prominent street running across the photo from the bottom left corner is Mealhouse Lane, aligned E-W, with the two churches on the N side.

Resources for the Independent Methodist Chapel

Wigan History Shop holds a microfilm of marriages in 1912-1964, from which the data presented here were extracted.

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