The 1902 and 1913 Ordnance Survey maps show a United Methodist chapel on the eastern side of Baldwin Street, with a separate Sunday school behind it. Street View in 2023 shows that the whole area has been completely redeveloped and there is no evidence of the former chapel.
The 1940 Inventory of Methodist Buildings records the former Baldwin Street chapel. It was brick built, seating 330 people on pews. In addition to the main hall, here was a Sunday school and 5 other rooms. In 1940 it was in the Birmingham (Smethwick and Broomfield ) circuit.
What’s the story?
British History onlline tells us:
After meeting in a house in Brasshouse Lane and later at the Temperance Hall in Cross Street, members of the Methodist New Connexion built Mount Zion chapel in Baldwin Street, which was registered in 1865. In 1885 a new chapel was built in front of the old, designed in a debased Italian Gothic style by J. H. Burton of Ashton-under-Lyne (Lancs.); the first building then became the Sunday school. The church was United Methodist from 1907 and Methodist from 1932. The school building again became the church in 1952. It was closed in 1957 and the congregation moved to Upper Grove Street.
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Smethwick, Baldwin Street Methodist New Connexion chapel, Staffordshire
Smethwick Methodist New Connexion chapel was designed to seat 390 persons by J H Burton of Aston under Lyne and built of brick in 1885. Subject to certain deductions the tender of £1443.17.0 for its erection by H Dorse and Son of Cradley Heath was accepted. After completion it seated 400 and had only cost £1000. By 1901 £2210 had been spent on the original construction and the subsequent enlargement of the chapel, and a school. A further £20. had been spent on purchasing an organ or other musical instrument. Both the chapel and the school seated 350. In 1940 the chapel estate consisted of the chapel which seated 330 in pews, a school hall and five other rooms. Later the chapel had closed and the building had become an egg packing station. The building behind the chapel continued to be used as a Sunday school. By 1956 both buildings had been demolished and the site incorporated in a new residential area
Sources
Building News 10.4.1885 p. XIX 25.5 .1885 p,876, 23.10.1885 p. 648
Methodist New Connexion: Returns of Trust Estates as presented in Special Schedules, January 1901, Dudley District, Birmingham First Circuit
John Rylands Library University of Manchester, MAC Lawson Returns of Accommodation provided by Methodist Chapels and other Preaching Places, 1940/173 Birmingham, Sutton Park
OS SP0288NE-A 1956 and B 1956
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