Huthwaite Methodists
Methodist faiths grew as popular choice among manual labour work forces inside industrialised Midland regions. Origins within Huthwaite begin after Eleazor Boots conversion into Wesleyanism towards 1807, but while his Wesleyan Church continued popular preachings, an outcast group split in 1849 following a personal dispute in regard to nonpayment of dues.
Led by John Tagg, a dissenting group of followers setup their own meetings in the house of Micah Sutton on Common Road. Their society grew and a Free Church took root meeting at an abandoned framesmiths shop in Hopkins Yard.
This group first purchased land in Main Street and on 23rd November 1856 their newly erected chapel was completed. Opening services conducted by William Bott of Wrexham brought followers who newly recognised a Free Wesleyan Church.
Their successful revival event was reportedly organised the following February 1857 helping to gain increasing popularity and membership. Plans for a larger chapel were formed, but their first building served the faith through to 1884. Oldest memories today can only recall that building serving from its next function as the Gem House, Huthwaites first resident theater. Among its later roles was as a bus service garage before this business site was cleared to accommodate the present housing seen above.
A plot of land on Sherwood Street was reportly purchased 1880 for £100 by this religious society. Through the architects Messrs. Ridge and Sharpe proposed construction on this new Methodist site was planned giving a seating capacity for upwards of 300. On the afternoon of 24th June 1884, another reported devotional laying of foundations commenced construction for the renamed United Methodist Free Church. An excellent attendance rewarded with a public tea in the old chapel. Cost of building adding two vestries totalled £750 by contractor Mr Shaw of Sutton Forest-Side.
Further foundations were laid incorporating an 1890 Sunday school chapel extension. That reported list of fund donators gives some notable member names while including the Duke of Portland and New Hucknall Colliery Company.
Work recommenced 1891 giving additional School facilities while adding a choir gallery with space for an organ at a combined cost of £400. An instrument was eventually installed 1903 for an extra £180.
The Wesleyan Free Church joined membership within a United Methodist Free Church that formed 1857. By 1907 smaller Methodist factions were also united. In 1932 the original Wesleyan Church also combined faiths, together with Primitive Methodists to an existing United Methodists, which all collectively formed a recognised modern Methodist Church.
The chapel proved a popular venue for hosting local marriages, as our family album proves. Being raised just a doors down the street we recall many families would turn out witnessing regular celebrations of bride and groom exiting under a customary shower of coloured paper confetti.
Orderly arranged family shots are usually framed by the fronting original large wooden doors that first offered entrance, recorded by these photographs. Afterwards the happy couples would be traditionally chauffeured away by horse drawn carriage, or a more modern equivalent often a convoy of ribbon bonneted limousines. With a vast choice of licensed houses the couple would arrive first to meet guests for enjoying evening party celebrations.
Our album displays marriage between my aunt Kay Elliott and Neil Fowler in 1966. Stood left is the brides mother Dora, while I her grandson play the young role of page boy. The surrounding inscribed dedication stones are unfortunately not fully visible here, but were mostly dated Dec 1904 naming church groups.
Todays chapel frontage displays a much more modern appearance than shown originally built. Like many other local buildings around the years 1980, structural damage became apparent due to ground subsidence caused by miles of tunnels from New Hucknall pit. It required major reconstruction of the front facing entrance and an extensive internal restoration causing disruption to some services and ceremonies.
Major reconstruction work did help incorporate modernised chapel facilities and one immediate external sign was incorporating vehicle access entrances, enabling for the first time off street parking within its original walls. Most rework was successfully completed in time for marking the buildings centenary, when it was officially reopened as Huthwaite Methodist Church on 9th June 1984. Service was conducted by Sister Gwen Bell and a Reverend Christopher Edwards preached sermon.
After long having two separated Methodist congregations in Huthwaite, decisions became eventually reached merging both services into one building. There was some debate regarding choice of which popular chapel should continue conducting services. The fact such recent and extensive rework had already been done here suggests to me why the alternative Sutton Road chapel lost voters favour. My thanks extend too reader Mrs Enid Jones, who supplied the year 1991 dating when those congregations merged.
Written 26 Oct 02 Revised 14 Aug 09 © by Gary Elliott
