Pierre Le Sueur
Lawrence Coughlan introduced Methodism to Carbonear and Harbour Grace in Newfoundland in 1765. Among his converts were Pierre Le Sueur, who had a small fishing station, and Jean Tentin, of Huguenot descent.
They began to preach when they returned to Jersey in 1775, and were joined four years later by John Brown, from Poole, who set himself up in a cellar at Le Sueur’s house at 22 Hill Street. Because of his beliefs, Pierre Le Sueur was opposed by his family, and his business partner left him. Business declined and he was left with few friends.
Initially services were in French, which did not suit Methodist soldiers sent to join the island garrison and John Wesley responded to their request for an English-speaking preacher in 1783 by sending Robert Carr Brackenbury.
He held services at 3 Royal Square, the home of Philippe Perchard, and then moved to La Chapelle des Pas, a privately owned chapel on South Hill, which would eventually be demolished to make way for Fort Regent.
Wesley visits
By 1784 Jersey was listed by the Methodist Church as a mission station, and John Wesley visited the island in 1787, staying ten days at 15 Old Street.
Brackenbury was joined in his work by a Jersey layman, Jean de Quetteville, who carried Methodism to the country parishes and later to Guernsey and Alderney; for the missionary spirit was evident from the outset. Among others who joined the movement were Abraham John Bishop, son of a Dorset father and Jersey mother, and partner in the firm of Bishop, Chevalier and Bishop, who were merchants with trading links in many parts of the world, and Marie-Louise Carcaux, daughter of a sea-captain, Jean Carcaux, and his wife Judith Cartault, both of Huguenot descent, who married and converted Francois Jeune, grandfather of the future bishop of Peterborough.
Adam Clarke
One of the most famous of the early Methodist preachers in Jersey was Adam Clarke, who would later become President of the Methodist Conference. He was born in Ireland and was appointed to Jersey by John Wesley in 1786 because of his knowledge of French. He was well received and entertained in the family of Henry De Jersey. Although Clarke returned to England with John Wesley after his 1787 visit, he was reappointed to Jersey and remained for another two years before transferring to Bristol.
The story is told that one day in 1786 he walked across the sands from St Helier to St Aubin with Brackenbury and went on to spend considerable time there, trying to overcome the fierce opposition to the Methodist cause.
Members met in a shed in the yard of Les Vaux, the home of Francois Jeune (whose grandson became Dean of Jersey and Later Bishop of Peterborough). This meeting place was frequently attacked by the mob and attempts were even made to destroy the house.
Clarke was howled down when he preached in the open air. The Jeunes lent a shed at their home at Les Vaux in St Aubin and fitted it with a pulpit and benches. On one occasion shots were fired through a window, on another the mob, toughened no doubt by experience on privateers, arrived with sticks, swords and forks to the sound of drums, fifes and trumpets. On one occasion pulpit and benches were carried down to the harbour and tied to the shrouds of vessels; but the Jeunes persevered.
Militia drills
Opposition became more violent when Clarke persuaded Methodists not to do military training on Sundays. Drills were held every Sunday after morning service, but militiamen who had become Methodists believed that they should not be forced to drill on the Sabbath.
Many were prepared to pay the fine for non-attendance, but their numbers were such that the efficiency of regiments was affected and prison sentences began to be imposed instead of fines. As the problem worsened, sanctions became tougher. In May 1796, after three successive defauts, Francois Jeune was banished from the Island for three vears. In 1798 his son was imprisoned with other laymen, and two ministers were also banished.
An influential deputation to the Privy Council of leading English Methodists, supported by William Wilberforce MP, and accompanied by Pierre Le Sueur from Jersey protested that, while the Jersey Methodists were willing to be placed in the front of the battle on any day at any hour, they could not 'consistent with their views and sentiments, consent to learn the military exercises or merely go through the military evolutions on the Sabbath Day'.
The Privy Council refused to support the States' high-handed approach, the Act was rejected and the Methodists were allowed to do their drill on weekdays.
Abraham Bishop
When La Chapelle des Pas proved too small for the growing congregation and the States refused to allow the Methodists to buy a new property au nom de la societe, Abraham John Bishop bought a house on what is now the corner of Don Street and King Street and it was modified to form a chapel, which was used until 1813, when a new chapel was built in Don Street.
The price was £400, of which Brackenbury paid more than half. The Bishop family added about £105, and thus, with the necessary alterations made, the Methodists had a place of their own which served them for 24 years.
Church building
As the English language became more popular in Jersey the Methodist Church was split into two, the English Circuit and the French Circuit. Later other groups, such as the Primitive Methodists, appeared.
The period from 1790 to 1912 saw 42 Methodist churches built in the Island. The largest, Wesley Grove Church, formerly known as Grove Place Wesleyan Chapel, was built in 1847 with a seating capacity of 1,450 and was part of the French Circuit. The total cost of construction was £8,000, which took 34 years to raise.
- Where was the Hotel de Ville?, the Methodist chapel which became an early Town Hall
- Methodist chapels and the community
- John Cory and the Royal Crescent Methodist Church
Churches today
| Bethesda | Bethlehem | Ebenezer - no current website |
| Eden | Georgetown | La Rocque - closed |
| Philadelphie | Samares - Closed | St Aubin |
| St Helier | St Martin | St Ouen |
Earlier churches
Weslyan Chapels in the Channel Islands from 1784 to 1884
| Church | Opened | Language | Preacher(s) at opening |
| King Street, St Helier | 1790 | AF | |
| St Ouen | 2 December 18809 | F | De Quetteville |
| Six Roads, St Lawrence | 31 December 1811 | F | De Quetteville, H Mahy |
| Don Street, St Helier | 3 January 1813 | AF | H Mahy, A Ollivier, W Pearson |
| St Mary | 1815 | F | |
| St Aubin | 12 October 1817 | AF | H Mahy, Th Rowlands |
| St Martin | 13 February 1820 | F | P Le Sueur, F Guiton |
| Les Freres, St John | 11 November 1821 | F | P Le Sueur, F Guiton, E. Batty |
| St Peter | 27 November 1825 | F | J de Putron, D Robin |
| St Brelade | 1 January 1826 | F | J de Putron, J Newton |
| Bethel, St Clement | 2 July 1826 | F | D Robin, J du Putron, Cotton |
| Ebenezer, Trinity | 1 October 1826 | F | J de Putron, D Robin, J Newton |
| Sion, St John | 24 June 1827 | F | A Ollivier, P Le Sueur, J de Putron |
| Wesley Street, St Helier | 30 December 1827 | A | J Newton, J Akerman |
| Bethlehem, St Mary | 2 August 1829 | F | A Ollivier, P Le Sueur, D Robin |
| Salem, Grouville | 11 March 1832 | F | Ph Tougis |
| Galaad, St Lawrence | 14 October 1832 | F | P Le Sueur, P Tourgis |
| Augres, Trinity | 30 June 1833 | F | H de Jersey, F Guiton |
| Eden, St Saviour | 15 September 1833 | F | Ph Tourgis, A Ollivier, F Guiton |
| La Rocque, Grouville | 4 November 1838 | F | Ph Tourgis |
| Gorey, Grouville | 29 February 1840 | A | N Sibley, E Neel, Th Saunders |
| Carmel, Trinity | 14 January 1844 | F | Ph Tourgis, F Guiton, D Robin |
| First Tour, St Lawrence | 28 December 1847 | A | |
| Grove Place, St Helier | 10 October 1847 | F | J Beaumont, F Puaux |
| St Martin | 5 January 1851 | F | Tougis, Neel, Handcock |
| Six Roads, St Lawrence | 15 September 1861 | F | M Gallienne, C Copoke, Ph Tougis |
| Bethesda, St Peter | 30 August 1868 | F | Ph Tourgis, Ph Hocquard, Ph Le Gresley |
| St Aubin | 19 August 1868 | A | R Leake, Ph Tourgis, R Hardy, R Roberts |
| Seaton Place, St Helier | 13 November 1868 | A | J Bedford, R Hardy, A Rees, CE Bateman, M Gallienne |
| St Ouen | 23 August 1871 | F | M Gallienne, AJ Dupuy |
| Georgetown | 18 June 1873 | F | P Lucas |
| Wesley Street, St Helier | 5 April 1873 | A | JS Spencer, WM Punshon |
| Sion, St John | 28 September 1881 | F | M Lelievre, F Puaux, DA de Mouilpied, J Hocart |
Methodist ministers in Jersey 1784-1900
1780-1800
- Brackenbury, Robert-Carr 1784-1790
- Quetteville, Jean de 1786-1843
- Clarke, Adam 1786-1788
Adam Clarke - Stevens, William 1787-1789
- Bredin, John 1788-1790
- Dieuaide, William 1789-1796
- Kelk, Thomas 1790
- Mahy, William 1790
- Marshall, Michael 1791
- Sutcliffe, Joseph 1791
- Saunders, Henry 1791-1792
- Barker, Jonathan 1794
- Ballaiu, Francois 1794-1801
- Simmonite, Thomas 1795-1796
- Palmer, William 1795-1797
- Mauger, Nicolas 1798-1837
- Mahy, Henri 1798-1819
- Cox, William 1799-1801
1800-1820
- Pontavice, Pierre du 1800-1802
- Fowler, William 1801-1802,1822
- Ashal, John 1802-1803
- Ollivier, Amice 1803-1811, 1817-1860
- Rossell, John 1804-1805, 1821-1823
- James, Robert 1806,1815-1819
- Toase, William 1807-1808, 1815-1821
- Warren, Thomas 1809-1810
- Beal, William 1811
- Etchels, James 1811,1844-1862
- Lsyk, Joseph 1812-1813
- Le Sueur, Pierre 1814-1816
- Kerpezdron, Armand de 1814-1815
- Frankland, Benjamin 1814-1815
- Robarts, Richard 1815-1816,1819
- Rowland, Thomas 1817-1818
- Thomas, Joseph 1819-1822
- Brown, John 1819-1882
1820-1840
- Tourgis, Philippe 1820, 1831-1880
- Robin, Daniel 1821-1858
- Newton, John 1824-1826
- Catts, James 1825-1827
- Akerman, James 1827-1828
- Fox, William 1829
- Annets, William 1830
- Hocken, Joshua 1831-1833
- Williams, Jonathan 1834-1836
- Sibly, Nicholas 1837-1839
- Renier, Jean 1837-1855
- Burt, William 1837-1839,1843-1845
1840-1860
- Hope, Samuel 1840-1842,1846-1847
- Guiton, Phillipe 1840-1845,1869-1883
- Sanders, John 1842
- Mollard, John 1843-1844,1859-1862
- Pope, William 1845
- Hocart, James 1845-1853
- Hocart, James 1845-1853
- Mowat, James 1846-1848
- Leale, George 1847-1884
- Kevern, George 1848
- Worker, William 1849
- Shipham, John 1849
- Thorley, Edwin 1850-1852
- Earnshaw, Joseph 1850-1852
- Handcock, William-John 1850-1868
- Jaulmes, Gedeon 1851-1853
- Goy, William 1853-1854
- Rees, Robert 1853-1854
- Lunch, James 1854
- Roy, Pierre 1854-1860
- Rostan, Jean-Louis 1855-1857
- John, Benjamin 1855-1857
- Simon, John 1856-1860
- Crawshaw, John 1857
- Hudson, William 1857
- Jersey, Henri de 1857-1870
- Lelievre, Wesley 1858-1859
- Lelievre, Jean 1859-1861
- Galliene, Matthieu 1859-1870,1878-1884
1860-1880
- Gallienne, Mathieu 1860-1863
- Nicolle, William 1861-1884
- Leake, Robert 1861-1863
- Gallienne, Edouard 1863-1865
- Le Gresley, Philippe 1864-1881
- Slack, Joseph 1864-1866
- Watson, Joseph 1864-1865
- Le Rougetel, Helier 1865-1878,1883-1884
- Hardy, Richard 1866-1868
- Depres, Thomas 1867-1868,1870-1872
- Hocquard, Phillipe 1867-1869
- Tucker, Alfred 1867-1868
- Rees, Allen 1868-1869
- Robinson, Edward 1869-1870
- Syvret, John 1869
- Kirkman, William 1870
- Dupuy, Alfred 1870-1884
- Tindall, John 1871-1872
- Perrett, John 1871-1872
- Ozanne, James 1871-1873
- Adaire, Phillipe 1871-1875
- Ward, Charles 1872
- Stevens, Nathaniel 1873
- Lindley, William 1873-1875
- Fogg, Samuel 1873-1875
- Jersey, Henri de 1874-1882
- Mouilpied, Daniel 1874-1878
- Prunier, Onesime 1876
- Cox, Josiah 1876-1877,1884
- Dyson, John 1876-1878
- Jefferies, Campbell 1876-1878
- Ninnum, Charles 1877-1882
- Guiton, Jules 1877-1883
- King, William 1879-1881
- Bird, Mark 1879-1880
- Clarke, Thomas 1879-1880
- Bres, Emile 1879-1881
- Butters, Joseph – Middleton 1879-1881
1880-1900
- Bertrand, Emile 1880-1884
- Usher, Samuel 1881-1883
- Bolle, Gustave 1882-1883
- Hargreaves, RIchard 1882-1884
- Hocart, Thomas 1883-1884
- Lelievre, Matthieu 1883-1884
- Mallie, Philemon 1883-1884
- Bridge, Jabez 1884
References
- Histoire du Methodisme dans les Isles de la Manche by Francois Guiton, published around the 1840s
- Histoire du Methodisme dans les Isles de la Manche by M Le Lievre (1885)
- Methodism in the Channel Islands by R D Moore, largely a translation of Le Lievre, published in the 1950s
Aquila Road
Augres Chapel
Philadelphie Chapel
Bethel Chapel
Carmel Chapel
Georgetown Church
Les Freres Chapel
Carriages outside Georgetown Church
La Rocque Chapel in the 19th century
Salem Methodist Chapel
Gorey Methodist Church in the 1950s
Eden Methodist Chapel, St Saviour
The congregation leaves the old St Aubin Methodist Church
Tabor Chapel at St Brelade was sold after it was closed and the first Jewish Synagogue was built on the site
St Martin Methodist Church
St Martin
Wesley Grove interior
Wesley Grove Exterior
Royal Crescent Methodist Church
Royal Crescent Chapel
Wesley Street Chapel
Royal Crescent Chapel
Sion Chapel
Wesleyan Chapel
Wesley Street Chapel
Wesley Grove opening in 1956
Salem Chapel in 1912
Bethel Chapel
Samares Chapel
Six Roads Chapel
Six Roads
St Aubin's Methodist Chapel
St Ouen's Chapel
St Ouen's Chapel
Don Road Chapel
Cliff Richard performs at Wesley Grove in 1980
French circuit 1920
Wesley Grove
Wesley Grove 1956
Galaad Chapel, Rue de Haut, St Lawrence
Les Landes Methodist Chapel
The original Six Rues chapel
St Martin Wesleyan chapel
Georgetown Methodist Church
Les Freres Chapel ministers
Methodist Circuit choir at Grove Place
Aquila Road 1975
Bethlehem Chapel
Bethlehem Chapel
Eden Chapel
First Tower Chapel
Grove Place Chapel
Circuit preachers in 1931
Seaton Place Wesleyan Chapel became a youth centre
Aquila Methodist Youth Centre
Aquila Road Methodist Chapel
Bethesda Chapel
Bethlehem Chapel
Ebenezer Chapel
First Tower Chapel
Great Union Road Methodist Chapel
Sion Chapel
St Martin Chapel
First Tower
Georgetown
Gorey
Grove Place
Tabor
Wesley Chapel 1900
Wesley Street Chapel
Les Landes Independent Chapel
A prize from Sion Chapel
The first St Martin Methodist church
The second St Martin chapel
St Joseph's
First Tower Methodist Chapel
Ebenezer Chapel bazaar 1920
Ebenezer Chapel bazaar
Ebenezer Chapel bazaar
Ebenezer Chapel bazaar in 1920
Grove Place Chapel poster from 1863
St Ouen Methodist Church cemetery
The interior of the French Wesleyan Church
Gorey
Grove Place
Grove Place preachers, 1931
La Rocque
Six Rues
Sion
Royal Crescent Chapel
St Martin's Chapel Sunday outing
Val de la Mare Chapel
Chapel at St Aubin, turned into a school
Details of anniversary celebrations (which anniversary is unknown) for St Aubin Methodist Church Sunday School
St Aubin exterior
St Aubin interior
Bible Christian Chapel, Great Union Road, 1905
An advert for a visiting preacher in the Evening Post in 1899 ...
... and another
1866 advertisement in the Chronique de Jersey announcing that Philadelphie Chapel had been approved to conduct weddings
Wesley Street, 1967
Wesley Street chapel choir at Samares Manor in 1908
Wesley Street Sunday School members
A Wesley Street Sunday School outing in the 1920s
Wesley Grove in 1956
Wesley Grove in 1956
