In this thesis an attempt is made to re-examine the factors which led to the creation of the Primitive Methodist connexion in the first twenty years of the nineteenth century; to explore the movement's success in those circuits vhich covered Cheshire and south Lancashire; and to describe its major characteristics, as the denomination grew and matured, in the period from its creation to its jubilee year, 1860. The origins of Primitive Methodism can be traced partly to the nature of English revivalism in the early nineteenth century, partly to strains in north Staffordshire Methodism. To a large extent these difficulties were a product of the readjustments taking place throughout Wesleyan Methodism after the death of its founder. That the tensions on the Staffordshire-Cheshire border resulted in the emergence of another distinct Methodist denomination was due, hovever, to the particular personalities involved, and to special local circumstances. These are examined in Part I. Between 1811 and 1821 Primitive Methodist missionaries advanced from Tunstall in several directions; but the first major gains in Cheshire and south Lancashire were made betveen about 1818 and 1821. This missionary 'explosion' north and vest from Tunstall is examined in Part II. No attempt has been made to look at the work of the Primitive Methodist preachers from Hull, who crossed the Pennines into north Lancashire about the same time. This study is limited to circuits in the Tunstall and Manchester Primitive Methodist districts vhich included places in the tvo counties of Cheshire and Lancashire. But new circuits vere created without regard for county boundaries, and to reach a clear understanding of the early development of Primitive Methodisa (especially in south-east Cheshire) it is necessary to trace the evolution of the vhole of the home branch of TUnstall circuit, rather than to try to treat the Cheshire places in isolation from the rest. In little more than twenty years, the Primitive Methodists spread over the tvo counties, craated eighteen new circuits, and built more than a hundred chapels. This period of expansion has therefore been examined in some detail. As Primitive Methodism evolved fro. a revivalist sect into a religious denomination, change was inevitable. Some of the major characteristics of the early years and the trands vhich vare evident by 1860 are exaained in Part III. Many of the conclusions reached in the thesis are based on statistical material compiled from a vide variety of sources. In order to enable the theories adY&nced here to be tested and folloved up, it has been felt desirable to include .uch of this evidence in the form of Appendices which are bound in a separate volume.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:576096 |
| Date | January 1980 |
| Creators | Sheard, M. R. |
| Publisher | University of Manchester |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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