Origins and Development of the Methodist/United Reformed Church situated in Queen Street Whittlesey.
The earliest record we have is dated June 1866 when the present site was purchased from William Southwell, a cooper. A photocopy of a deed records that in June 1866 at a meeting of the Court Leet and Court Baron of John Wallbank Childers, (who was Lord of the Manors of Whittlesey at that time) the transaction was completed. Property in the Manors was held by its owner as copyhold, which meant the Lord of the Manor retained an interest in it. The site was purchased from William Southwell by the following twelve men who became the first Trustees of the property:
John Poles, Alwalton, Farmer
James Aldgate, Peterborough, Draper
John Thurston, Peterborough, Ironmonger
Thomas Elderkin, Whittlesey, Miller
Edwin Burton Elderkin, Whittlesey, Farmer
William Hawkins, Whittlesey, Shoemaker
John Richard Dearing, Whittlesey, Grocer
Thomas Goodwin, Peterborough, Grocer
Richard Bright, Peterborough, Druggist
George Blunt, Turves, Whittlesey, Farmer
John Henry Beeby, Peterborough, Coal Merchant
George Fletcher, Coates, Whittlesey, Grocer
It is interesting to speculate whether or not each of the twelve made the same contribution to the purchase price, or possibly there were already folk meeting in houses in the Town for the purpose of prayer and worship who also contributed. It was a well established practice in early Methodism for people to meet in groups, called classes, for the class leader to collect a small sum of money from each of them, on a regular basis, for the purpose of providing a building in which to meet.
The deed also records that the purpose behind the purchase of the site was to erect a Wesleyan Methodist Church. This was eventually done and a large building typical of Wesleyan Churches at the time was erected, with a raised central pulpit, a choir gallery on either side of a pipe organ behind the pulpit. This structure remained without alteration until the 1960s. In 1883 a schoolroom was added at the rear of the site which was separate from the main building. A date on one of the foundation stones confirms this.
Meanwhile two other Methodist Churches flourished in the town. The Primitive Methodist Church in Woolpack Lane and the United Methodist Church in Church Street.
When various branches of Methodism united in 1932 the Primitive Methodist Church closed and the building became the local Freemasons Hall. Members of this Church relocated at either the Queen Street or Church Street premises.
In 1936 records show that the site in Queen Street was released from copyhold by the payment of £6 to the Lord of the Manor and the property became freehold.
In 1965 it was decided to close the Church Street Church and have one modern Methodist Church in the town. This involved remodelling the old Wesleyan structure and turning it into the building which now exists. The ceiling was lowered, the central pulpit was taken out, the choir galleries were removed and the entrance porch was modernised. In October 1966 the Church was reopened and became the sole Methodist Church in the town. The former Church Street Church was purchased by the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Since 1966 further changes have taken place. In 1982 the King’s Dyke Methodist Church closed and its members joined the Church at Whittlesey. From the proceeds of sale of the King’s Dyke property a large meeting room named the Wesley Room was built and paid for. This room joined the Church to the schoolroom.
A further change occurred in 1993 when the local United Reformed Church decided to close and form a local ecumenical partnership with the Methodist Church. A further two meeting rooms were added in a loft space and this part became known as the Robert Browne suite. The formation of the LEP brought a number of advantages in terms of increase in the congregation, greater financial viability and the fact that we could now draw on the resources of both parent Churches. Our hope at that time was that the LEP would move into 21st century able to provide a strong worship centre within the town and with enhanced facilities serve the community more effectively. We continue with that sense of hope at the centre of all we do.
Previous Ministers
1926 – 1929 Rev W Croxford 1963 – 1968 Rev Eric Cox
1929 – 1932 Rev Harry Johnson 1968 – 1975 Rev W Herbert Mountford
1932 – 1935 Rev W Watson 1975 – 1985 Rev Jack Staples
1935 – 1944 Rev Ernest Fisher 1985 – 1989 Rev John Beebe
1944 – 1948 Rev Harry Robson 1989 – 1996 Rev Derek Jaggard
1948 – 1951 Rev W Nicholas 1996 – 2000 Rev Lawrie Sharp
1951 – 1959 Rev George East 2000 = 2007 Rev Julian Pursehouse
1959 – 1963 Rev Peter Stanley 2007 – 2009 Rev Jan. Tate
2009 - 2013 Rev Kerry Tankard
2013......2019..... Rev Lesley Moseley
2019 - Rev Langley Mackrell-Hey