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Religious Faith
in Wolverhampton Bilston According to the Methodist Recorder of 1901 Bilston in the 18th century, "was as rough and ignorant; as fond of bullbaiting, cockfighting and other contemporary sports, as easily swayed by ignoble passions; and as indifferent to spiritual matters, as of any towns and villages around it" John Wesley visited Bilston
for the first time on 2nd October 1745 when he preached at the house
of Francis Ward.
Home of Francis Ward (DX-543/1) During Wesley's next visit on 21st March 1770 he faced some opposition. While preaching at the house of Samuel Fereday of Wood Street, a mob gathered with the intention of breaking up the meeting. Missiles were thrown which hit several of Wesley's followers. One of the mob was about to hit Wesley himself when Wesley cried out: "If I have done thee harm, strike, man!". The attacker retreated leaving Wesley unharmed. The first Methodist chapel built in Bilston was on land in Temple Street. The land was given by Miss Loxdale, a lady of wealth and position within the town, and the building came to be known as Loxdale Chapel.
Loxdale Methodist Chapel, Bilston, 1784 (E3/LOX/E/1) Some examples of Methodist activity in Bilston:
Bilston
Methodist's 50th Anniversary of William Hackett as a
Memoriam notice for Mr John Etheridge (DX-479/2)
Bilston Welsey Gymnasium 1906 (DX-543/1)
Bilston Wesleyan Chapel, 1840 (above) and 1890 (below) (DX-543/1)
Oxford Street Methodist Church, Bilston (E3/OXF/E/1)
© Copyright. Wolverhampton City Council, 2002
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