A testament to the resilience of the Black community, the Guelph British Methodist Episcopal (BME) Church was established in the 1850s by freedom seekers and free Blacks. Many had resided in Wellington County since the 1820s, moving from the Queen’s Bush area to the Essex-Nottingham neighbourhood of Guelph’s welcoming English Methodist community. The growing congregation raised funds to purchase land in 1869 and built a wooden chapel here in 1870. In 1880, they laid the cornerstone and began construction of this limestone chapel. By 1881, Guelph’s Black population numbered 107; the majority resided near the church. Throughout its history, this church played a key role as a meeting place for the Black community, fulfilling the spiritual and social needs of the congregation, providing a safe haven and representing a symbol of freedom. Over the years, ministers included Junius Roberts, Samuel R. Drake, Solomon Lucas and Mabel “Addie” Aylestock — the first female BME minister. In 1975, the church closed due to declining attendance yet reopened from 1994-2009. In 2012, the Guelph Black Heritage Society purchased the church, which continues to service the broader community, while honouring the church’s heritage. It is an important symbol of the history of the Black Methodist tradition and long history of Black settlement in Ontario.

Location

In front of the former Guelph British Methodist Episcopal Church, today known as Heritage Hall, 83 Essex Street, Guelph

Themes

• Black heritage
• Buildings and structures
• Communities
• Organizations
• People
• Religion