Wesleyan Methodism in Glodwick

Until early Victorian times, Glodwick was a small village, separate from the nearby and much larger township of Oldham in the south east corner of Lancashire, United Kingdom. Non-conformist religions were growing rapidly at the expense of the established churches. Methodism in general and Wesleyan Methodism in particular were growing rapidly and taking their message into uncharted regions at home and abroad. Glodwick was considered by some Oldham churches as being unchated in the sense that it was ill-served by religious education. The establishment of a strong Wesleyan community in Glodwick is an example of social development from mid-Victorian to early Edwardian times.

The First Glodwick Wesleyan Schools

Trinity Wesleyan Church in Glodwick was the place of worship for Wesleyan Methodists in the Oldham district of Glodwick. Until the mid 1800s, Glodwick was a separate village to the nearby township of Oldham. In the late 1700s, Glodwick was populated by weavers and colliers. In the main, the populace was perceived by religious groups as largely being stubborn non-believers [pages 4 and 5] .

The nearest Wesleyan church to Glodwick was based on Manchester Street, Oldham. Members of that congregation held irregular services and teachings in the homes of converted Glodwick Wesleyans (these meetings were called “Cottage Services”). It was not until 3 May 1863 that a permanent Wesleyan Sunday School was opened in the Mutual Improvement Society’s premises on Nugget Street, Glodwick [page 7] .

In August 1865 the Nugget Street room became unavailable and the School moved to the Old Garret at Well Fold. In 1886, teachers at the School were listed as: B. Sudlow, G. Smallwood, J. Harling, W. Credling, Samuel. Austin, Benjamin Wright, C. Stafford, B. Sugden, Mrs. Nield, Misses. S.H. Hollinworth, B. Hague, M.J. Wild, L.Lees, E.A. Howard and E. Ainslow, with Messrs. Samuel Whitehead and Samuel Seel as superintendents. By the end of that year there were 89 scholars [page 9] .

In 1867, Benjamin Wright became a superintendent, a position he held for a further 21 years. His fellow superintendents at the time were Messrs. Samuel Whitehead, S. Austin, M. Beech and W. Fitton [page 10] .

By 1870, there were over 200 scholars and teachers on the book for the Old GarretSchool. Accommodation was cramped and ill-suited. The School leaders decided that a new, purpose built facility combining the needs of a school and chapel should be constructed. On 16th April 1870, the Superintendent Minister the Rev. J. Morris sent out the following circular [page 11] :

AN APPEAL FOR A WESLEYAN METHODIST SCHOOL CHAPEL FOR GLODWICK.

Glodwick contains a large population, for which no adequate religious provision has yet been made. The moral and spiritual necessities are unquestionable. Depravity develops in ignorance, drunkenness, Sabbath-breaking, with other vices; and the more, where there is no Gospel power to stem the torrent. These evils abound in the land, to the shame and curse of a Christian country.

The condition of Glodwick is not an exception. The different religious denominations have not yet done much to meet this want.

The Wesleyan Methodists have a Sunday School, in which are upwards of 200 children and teachers, and where public worship is held on the Lord’s Day in the evening. But these services are conducted in a garret which is not easy to find, up two flights of stairs, extremely difficult to access; the room itself is incommodious, unwholesome, and intolerably insufferable. A small band of spirited labourers have persevered for seven years amid great discouragement; in which period the above number of children have been collected, and taught from week to week; a Library of 136 volumes has been formed, and a Band of Hope [http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/REhope.htm] . The rent and other expenses have been supplied by charitable contributions.

It is now imperative that some suitable building should be found; non can be leased or rented. The extent of the means must be the extent of the erection, , as there are none who can be responsible for any debt. The two members for the Borough and a few other friends have contributed to the amount of £140.

There is no leverage to save and elevate those who are perishing in ungodliness but Christianity, the Gospel of Christ and its appliances of Education, Temperance, and other evangelical means.

Surely those who have ability will not refuse to assist in so God-like an undertaking. It is not the cause of a party or denomination, IT IS THE CAUSE OF GOD.

The First School/Chapel

A committee was formed to progress the building of the school/chapel. Members included Eli and Robert Harrop, John and Samuel Whitehead (secretary), Samuel Austin and Benjamin Wright (treasurer). Mr. Mitchel was appointed as architect and the foundation stone was laid on 10 April 1871. The building opened for worship on Pitt Street in October 1871. The new building allowed the Sunday school and services to take place under much improved conditions than those experienced at the Old Garret. Membership increased and Mr. Benjamin Wright and Mr. M. Beech were appointed as leaders [page 13] .

Because many children did not receive any structured education, church members decided to open the school not only at the weekend but also during the week for the purpose of providing elementary education. In 1873, a day school was introduced and after a period of using volunteer teachers a full time schoolmaster was employed. Mr. John William Dent was appointed and held this position until he died in December 1901. By 1873 the school/chapel was, in addition to providing the above activities, hosting a library, a Band of Hope (a group who were involved in teaching the ideals of temperance to children and parents) and a Sick and Burial Society [page 13] .

Services were now held morning and evening. Children attending the day school were required to take a break from their studies to attend the morning service. The children, who had already spent time at their desks were restless during the service and some church members advocated that separate facilities for teaching and worship were necessary [page 13] .

The Waterloo Street Chapel

A committee chaired by the Rev. R.J.T. Hawksley was formed to progress the construction of a purpose built chapel. The committee comprised Benjamin and Joseph Wright, Samuel Austin, Samuel Whitehead, John Dent and William Fitton together with Messrs. Barrow, Cunliffe, Sixsmith, Dale, Ballingall, Gill, Sugden, Hall, Mallalieu and Mayall. A plot of land on Waterloo Street had been leased for the chapel construction. The committee considered alternative plans and accepted those submitted by architects Potts, Pickup & Dixon. Foundation stones were laid in a ceremony on 20th May 1882 and the chapel was finally opened on 5th April 1883 by the Rev. Charles Garrett President of the Wesleyan Conference. In the evening of that day a service was held in which the Revs. Dr. Macfadyen, Dr. Pope, R.M. Davies, J. Gutteridge, Thomas M’Cullagh, G.S. Hornby, W.J. Hutton, J. Sutton, R. Passmore and R. Johnson took part [page 15] . The cost of the chapel including furnishing was £2,935 16s. 8d. Ground rent for the year leading up to the opening was £175 17s. 10d., making a total of £3,111 14s. 6d. The sum raised was £2,076 3s. 4d. and the deficit was finally cleared in 1887 [page 21] . The chapel had been built on the flank of Glodwick Hill and, in 1882, the paths leading to the building were in poor condition. In wet weather this made it difficult for women in their long dresses. A group of chapel members undertook to improve access. Benjamin Wright, who was a partner in the nearby Bagley & Wright cotton spinning business, provided a horse and cart so that stone flags could be transported from a nearby quarry [page 21] .

By 1884, records show the following number of teachers and scholars associated with the Pitt Street school: Number of Society members – 85; junior class members – 20; scholars on school register – 403; average morning attendance – 191; average afternoon attendance – 264; number of teachers and officers – 46; number on Band of Hope register – 300 [page 21] .

In 1889, women associated with the school formed a Christian Workers Association. The first officials were: Misses Selina Lord, A. Marlor and M. Townend. The 27 founder members of the Association visited houses in the neighbourhood to hold cottage services and distribute religious tracts. A sub-group (Band) of the Association took responsibility for taking their message to boarders at a lodging house on Beever Street. They did this by holding a service in the lodging house every Sunday evening during winter months. The work of the Association was considered so successful that, in 1893 the Mr. S.C. Myers was employed to act as the leader of their evangelical effort. When Mr. Myers resigned in 1894 to go to college, the work was carried on by others but most notably by Mrs. Captain Davis (formerly Miss Bessie Leeming) [Pages 21 and 22] .

The PSA Initiative.

The rapid growth in activities and members of the School caused space problems. By 1892, a Young Men’s Class previously held in the School was transferred to the Bandroom of the Waterloo Street Chapel because of inadequate space in the School. Around this time the members decided to form a Pleasant Sunday Afternoon (PSA) Society (or Brotherhood). The PSA was a national effort by non-conformist churches to involve young men in social and religious activity on Sunday afternoons. The Glodwick PSA incorporated the Young Men’s Class which had similar objectives. The PSA was inaugurated on 2nd October 1892 with Mr. J.W. Dent as President. The Waterloo Street chapel drew large numbers to its PSA services and by 1912 the Society was transferred to the United Methodist Church on Union Street, Oldham.

The Bismark Street School

There continued to be a pressure on space in the Chapel and School. In 1886 a plot of land on Bismark Street next to the Waterloo Street Church was purchased with a view to building another, larger school. However, it was not until 1901 that a concerted effort was made to secure funding which was estimated at around £4000 [ref to Guardian 12/7/1902 page 5] . In August, Mr. F.W. Dixon was appointed architect. In August 1902 there was a “sod-cutting ceremony” with Mrs. S. Stott, Mrs. Benjamin Wright, Mrs. Joseph Kershaw, Mrs. Herbert Wright and Mrs. S. Freeman taking part. Foundation stones were laid in September 1902. For this event, a procession left the school on Pitt Street and, accompanied by Glodwick Brass Band, marched to the new site amidst “great rejoicing and an abundant display of flags and bunting” [ref page **] . The Rev. James Halliday conducted the service and stones were laid by Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Wright, Mr. James and Miss Buckley, Mr. William Fitton, Mrs. Samuel Freeman, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Kershaw, Mrs. John Winterbottom, Mrs. Herbert Wright, Mrs. George Harrop Wright, Mr. Matthew Beech and Rev. Halliday. A Sunday school stone was laid by Mr. John W. Gill. An address was given by the Rev. Robert Culley of London. A public tea was then held in the Pitt Street School followed by a public meeting in the Chapel. The new school was opened on 29th September 1903. The debt on the new school was finally cleared in 1911 when the old school was sold.

The Wesleyan Methodists vacated the Waterloo Street Chapel in 1969. The following year it was dedicated to the New Testament Church of God. The Bismark Street School was also vacated in the late 1960s.