History

in 1750 King George II was on the throne.  The population of Britain was approximately 11 million, most of which lived in small villages like Addingham.  Bradford was little more than a small village itself.  Farming was the nation’s main industry with food and wool production being central to the economy.  Industry was small scale, manufacturing done mainly in people’s homes.  Religion at the time was primarily provided for the wealthy and their needs.  Methodism spoke to the common man who was crying out for a faith that meant something to them.

It is thought that Methodism was born in 1738 

when John Wesley experienced his strange warming of heart.  He didn’t preach in Addingham until Saturday 26th July 1766, however there is evidence of Methodist preaching in Addingham as early as 1744.  The Reverend William Grimshaw, Rector of Haworth was a close friend of John Wesley and records the work of local men, Thomas Colbeck, Jonathan Maskew and Paul Greenwood preaching in Addingham and round about.  Paul Greenwood who came from Haworth was later to become one of Wesley’s itinerant preachers.  These men didn’t form a Methodist society in Addingham but the village became a regular public preaching place for them

After hearing the Revd Grimshaw and the visiting Methodist preachers, an Addingham man, Thomas Lee was moved to start prayer groups within the village, meeting in peoples houses.  These meetings were key to the growth of Methodism in Addingham.  Followers would gather together and share their faith and the difficulties and joys they were facing.  Lee left the village after his apprenticeship in the worsted trade finished and took up as a missionary preacher in 1748, but soon returned and set about founding a Methodist society. 

 It was not until 1778 that there was a first dedicated Methodist Meeting House.  The stone on the old chapel read “THIS Wesleyan Methodist Chapel was originally built in the year 1778, enlarged in 1808 and again enlarged in 1834”.   Worship continued in this building for approx 200 years.  During the late 1960’s & 70’s the West Riding Education Authority decided that the school building (owned by the chapel) was inadequate and built another school within a few hundred yards of the Methodist school building.  A predicament arose for the Methodists: which building to sell - the chapel or school rooms?  They couldn’t afford to keep both.  It was decided after much deliberation and praying to sell the chapel and adapt the school rooms for worship purposes.  Worship continued in the old chapel building until the last service on Sunday 16th September 1973 which was a Circuit Service.   After the service, refreshments were served over the road in the school room, a symbol of the move that was to come.  The new worship sanctuary was officially opened on Saturday 17th April 1975.

The above is a history of prayerful dedicated people of Addingham worshipping in an evolving Methodist tradition.  National events and movements occasionally influence what takes place but its essentially a story of local people working out their Christian faith in their own locality.

Thanks are due to David Pratt, a member of Addingham Methodist Church who kindly lent material from which we composed this short history of Methodism in Addingham and for providing photographs.

The words of the Reverend Paul Glass, Minister at Addingham from 1991 to 1994:

“The words of David Pratt, in 1975, speak powerfully of the history that is before us.  They also speak of the Christian hope and vision that will propel Addingham Methodist Church into the future.

“We are constantly being told that this is an ‘age of change’.  So it is.  But it is more than that.  These are days of change and continuity, for while the former things are passing away, they are also continuing in the new.  Addingham Methodism has a proud history.  I believe it also has a future …  It is my earnest hope that our Methodist Centre will always be an Open House, not a Closed Shop. I believe it was William Temple who said:  “The Christian Church is the only institution in the world which exists for the sake of those who are NOT members.”  What a glorious ideal for us to cherish as we embark upon a new lease of life in our newly-constructed premises.  May they always be our Father’s House - where everyone is welcome”.