New Jerusalem (Swedenborgian) Church, Peter Street, Manchester
The New Jerusalem (Swedenborgian) Church in Peter Street was founded by the Rev William Cowherd and opened on 11 August 1793. At the rear of the building was a Day and Sunday School facing Bootle Street, but accessed by a passage from Peter Street on the east side of the church. On the west was a churchyard which received burials from 1793 to 1855. This churchyard provided the site for the new Day and Sunday School of 1857. The 5 feet to one mile OS map of 1850 shows the layout of the site at that time. Advertisements in the Manchester Guardian indicate that a Sunday School was in existence by 1822. The church closed in 1888 the church and schools being converted into the weaving and spinning departments respectively of the Technical School opened in 1889 with minimal alteration to the exterior. (see images dated 1895 and 1902 in Manchester Local Image Collection. The building was demolished for the Albert Halls (qv).
NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH, MANCHESTER - This structure, composed partly of brick and partly of stone, is situate in Peter Street, and was erected in 1793. The exterior of the building (see the engraving) has a peculiarly neat and uniform appearance, and the interior arrangements conduce to comfort, and are consistent with the sacred character of the edifice. The organ, composed of three distinct parts, with more than twenty stops, possesses great richness and variety of tone, and the vocal department of the service is conducted with much solemnity and chastened effect. Originally there was much singularity in the disposition of the pulpit; but in the year 1826 it was removed to its present and more appropriate situation. A printed liturgy is made use of by the members of this church; and the Rev. Richard Jones, who has conducted the worship for many years, addresses his congregation in simple yet impressive style of eloquence, distinguished all that ardour and energy which usually characterize extempore preaching. This amiable and disinterested minister has uniformly rejected all remuneration for his services, deeming the faithful discharge of his duty a better reward than “thousands of gold and silver." A small burial ground is annexed to this sacred edifice, which was opened for the inhumation of the mortal remains of those who die in communion with the Church, by the Rev. Cowherd, and the Rev. Joseph Proud, on the 11th of April, 1793.[Lancashire Illustrated 1832 page 47]
THE NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH, PETER STREET - The final services in this church were held yesterday. The old building has been sold, and it is proposed to start two new churches, one on the south side of the city and another on the north. To participate in the valedictory proceedings, members of the New Church attended in large numbers not only from Manchester and Salford, but also from districts far beyond. [Manchester Guardian 25 July 1888, page 7]
The new Weaving and Spinning Department established in Peter Street in connection with the Manchester Technical School was formally opened yesterday. The building lately so well known as the Swedenborgian Church and Schools was purchased for £10,000 by the Whitworth Legatees and reconstructed at a further cost to them of £2,000, so as to meet the cost of the department. It has been well furnished with machinery, the gift of various manufacturing firms in Manchester and the district. The High Sheriff of Lancashire, Mr Oliver Heywood, presided at the opening ceremony and Mr Chancellor Christie, on behalf of the Whitworth Legatees made the formal transfer of the building to the authorities of the Technical School [Manchester Guardian 13 February 1889 page 4]