According to the Victoria County History there was a WM society in Ilford High Road in 1817, when it was part of the Spitalfields Circuit. The former High Street WM chapel in Barkingside dated from before 1847. Under the influence of the Reform movement it became the first UMFC cause in Ilford in 1857.

A London (Ilford) WM Circuit was formed in 1908. After Methodist Union, an Ilford Circuit (now part of the Barking and Ilford Circuit) was formed from an area covered by three overlapping circuits - Ilford (WM), Forest Gate (UM) and Upton Park (PM). Ilford was at that time a dormitory area, with districts ofhousing varying in age, spreading out from London and engulfing former self-contained village communities. Few of the earlier chapels have survived the process of replacing village chapels with larger premises in new residential areas.

Entry written by: NM
Category: Place
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