Librarians' Christian Fellowship

Jean Woods reports on a visit to the Methodist Central Hall, Westminster…

Seventeen members and friends of LCF, including two Canadian visitors were welcomed by Richard Ratcliffe, the recently retired archivist and Mervyn Appleby, the Visitor Services Manager for an introductory talk in the new Visitor Centre (formerly the Chapel) and a guided tour of the building.

In 1898 the Wesleyan Methodist Church launched the 'Wesleyan Methodist Twentieth Century Fund' to mark the centenary of the death of John Wesley (1703-1791). Some £250,000 from this 'Million Guinea Fund' was allocated to erect 'a monumental Connexional building' – the Methodist Central Hall, Westminster. The building in London followed the pattern of building city centre missions, often called ‘central halls’ to engage in evangelistic and social outreach.

The driving force behind the fund and the building of the Methodist Central Hall was Mr. (later Sir) Robert Perks, Liberal MP for Louth, a solicitor and Methodist layman. The Royal Aquarium (primarily a music hall) was purchased and the design of London firm of Lanchester and Rickards was chosen for the building. From the outset it was intended that 'This hall will not only be required for religious services, but also for conferences, public meetings, receptions, etc.' There is no cross outside, but throughout the building, the scallop shell, part of the Wesley Family Crest and the badge of a pilgrim is a recurrent theme. Methodist Central Hall, Westminster, opened in 1912.

The main features of the tour included:

• the fifty volumes of the Historic Roll recording the names of all who donated or collected a guinea or more for the Million Guinea Fund. The volumes are housed in a specially made handsome bookcase in the Entrance Hall.
• the Grand Staircase whose design was influenced by the Opera House in Paris
• the Great Hall, where the main Sunday service is held and which seats 2300 people and its impressive organ. A notable Director of Music was Dr. William Lloyd Webber (1958-82), father of Andrew and Julian.
• the Observation Balcony, which has superb views over Westminster, especially of the west front of the Abbey and is popular with camera crews filming arrivals and departures on great occasions at Westminster Abbey
• the new Chapel, opened in 2002, which seats a hundred and eighty and is open for prayer and meditation throughout the week.
• the fine, life size statue of John Wesley in the entrance hall, originally sculpted by Samuel Manning for erection in Westminster Abbey, but rejected because of Wesley’s ‘factious character’.

The Methodist Central Hall, Westminster, fulfils the vision the founders had for a building that would be used by the community. Over the years it has played host to many major conferences, guest speakers and events, in addition to its own outreach work into the community. It has also featured in films (sometimes controversially).

The Rev. W.E. Sangster (1939-55) was the Superintendent Minister during the challenging years of the second world war. During the blitz the basement (now the cafe area) was turned into an air-raid shelter and over two thousand people took refuge there for more than a thousand nights. Immediately after the war, when a home was needed in January 1946 for the inaugural meeting of the United Nations, Methodist Central Hall was requisitioned for three months

Today this great building exemplifies its name plates:

Methodist Central Hall Westminster
Church and Conference Centre

Our thanks go to Richard Ratcliffe and Mervyn Appleby for a most interesting afternoon.

A more detailed report is included in the Autumn 2009 edition of Christian Librarian.