CLAVERING PRIMITIVE METHODISTS

The Primitive Methodists first missioned Clavering from Saffron Walden round about 1841. At first they met in the open air or in barns and cottages, but in 1844 they were given a tiny plot of land on Hill Green by Joseph Perry, a wealthy landowner who lived opposite. On this plot they built their first chapel in 1844, a timber, plaster and lath structure, replaced in 1877-8 with the brick-built chapel that stands there today. Services continued until recently, but the old chapel is currently for sale, since the Methodists have come into Ecumenical Union with the URC (formerly Congregationalists or Independents) and the Anglicans in the parish church, and are sharing services and facilities.

  

In its heyday the chapel attracted large congregations, and chapel-going became a family tradition. There do not appear to be any baptism, marriage or burial registers associated with the chapel, so they must have performed these rites of passage in either the Congregational chapel or the parish church. About ten years ago, the circuit archivist Margaret Richardson discovered a pile of old roll-books buried in the cupboard of another chapel, and these provide the only known list of who belonged to the Clavering chapel in the 19th century. The list below is extracted from these roll-books for the interest of family historians. A discussion of the Primitive Methodists can be found in The well-ordered town: a story of Saffron Walden 1792-1862 by Jacqueline Cooper, in relation to the Saffron Walden circuit which included Clavering; and in an article published in the journal Family & Community History in May 2002. In some cases further information is available if you write to the compiler of the list, the Clavering Local History Recorder: Jacqueline Cooper But in many cases the names are all we have to bear witness to a remarkable religious revival in 19th century Clavering. The original roll-books can be seen at the Essex Record Office in the D/Nm category, along with other circuit archives.


MEMBERS OF CLAVERING PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHAPEL: 19th CENTURY
 

 

Daniel Andrews

Emma Andrews

Alice Atkinson

Charles Atkinson

Henry Atkinson

Jane Atkinson

Mary Atkinson

Robert Atkinson

William Atkinson

Joshua Baker

George Banks

Henry Banks

Mary Banks

Cary Barker

George Barker

John Barker

Kerrenhappuch Barker

Mary Barker

Richard Barker

Frederick Booker

George Bowtle

John Bowtle

Mary Bowtle

Hetty Brooks

Kitty Brooks

John Buckingham

Mary Buckingham

Matilda Bunting

Rhoda Bunting

Lydia Burgess

Ann Bush

James Bush

Joseph Bush

Lucy Bush

May Bush

Samuel Bush

Susannah Bush (1)

Susannah Bush (2)

James Button

Annie Cakebread

James Cannon

Martha Cannon

Ada Chesham

Albert Chesham

Ann Chesham

Betsy Chesham

Elizabeth Chesham

Ellen Chesham

Emma Chesham

Ezekiel Chesham

Giles Chesham

James Chesham

Joseph Chesham

Maria Chesham

Mary Chesham

Mary Ann Chesham

Michaela?Chesham

Noah Chesham

Samuel Chesham

Sarah Chipperfield

James Clarke

John Clarke

Rachel Clarke

Ann Cole

Betsy Cole

Caroline Cole

Emma Cole

George Cole

James Cole (Leader)

Martha Cole

Rebecca Cole

Samuel Cole

Sarah Cole (1)

Sarah Cole (2)

William Cole

Martha Cooper

Alice Corby

Allen Corby

William Corby

Harry Deards

M? Farnham

Robert Flitton

Susan Flitton

zra Frances

Harriet Frances

John Gapes

Henrietta Goodrich

Catherine Green

Charles Green

Dorcus Green

Ezra Green?

George Green

Louisa Green

Maria Green

Sarah Green

Emily Harvey

John Harvey

Robert Harvey

Stephen Harvey

Edward Holland

Mrs. Holland

Ann Jeffrey

George Jeffrey

Mary Ann Jeffrey

Sophia Jeffrey

Thomas Jeffrey

William Jeffrey

Eliza Johnson

Kate Johnson

George Jordan

Hannah Jordan

John Jordan

Thomas Jordan

nn Judd

Charles Judd

Elizabeth Judd

Mary Judd

Sarah Judd

William Judd

Ann Kemp

Daniel Kemp

Eliza Kemp

Harriet Kemp

Henry Kemp

John Kemp (1)

John Kemp (2)

Lucy Kemp

Charles Law

Emily Law

John Law

Mary J. Law

Thomas Lorkins

James Mathews

John Miller

Mary Miller

Rachel Monk

Allen Negus

John Negus

Mary Negus

Peter Negus

David Newland

Charles Norman

Ann Parrish

Henry Parrish

Louisa Parrish

Sarah Parrish

William Parrish

James Percy

Alfred Pilgram

Annie Pittaway

Sarah Pluck

Rebekah Rayner

William Rayner

Charles Reed (Leader)

Hannah Reed

Mary Reed

Naomi Reed

Mary Reynolds

Charles Rodgers

Elizabeth Rodgers

Emily Rogers

George Rogers

Mary Rogers

Martin Rogers

Sarah Rogers

John Rook

Mary Rook

Sarah Rumble

Thomas Rumble

William Rumble

Esther Rust?

Amelia Sanders

John Sanders

Alice Sell

Emma Sell

Lucy Sell

Rebecca Sell

Samuel Sell

Cornelius Smith

Elizabeth Smith

Ephraim Smith

John Smith

Mary Sorrell

Thomas Sorrell

Charles Trigg

Elizabeth Westwood

George Westwood

James Westwood

Mary White

Frederick Whyman

John Widlock

Emma Wisbey

George Wisby

Hannah Wisby

Samuel Wisby

Stephen Wisby

William Wisbey

Alfred Wombwell

Charles Wombwell

Elizabeth Wombwell

George Wombwell

Henry Wombwell

Jane Wombwell

John Wombwell

Louisa Wombwell

Hannah Woodcock

William Woodcock

Emma Wright

Marian Wright

William Wright