Old Methodist Church on Sharrow Lane

[adymac 10]

I see work has started on the old Church on Sharrow Lane. Does anyone know what the plans for it are?

[mc55 10]

we saw 4 men outside on Saturday - they appeared to be removing all the metal ???

[Plain Talker 11]

I used to be the caretaker there, back in the early 1990s. it's a shame that the building has gone to wrack and ruin.

 

I spoke to the chaps stripping the place out, they said they were getting the place ready for demolition, and that they thought it was a mosque that was to be built on the land (Oh, that should get the frothers' and foamers' juices running! lol). I also warned them about the sections of floor and wall that were particularly dangerous because of the dry rot.

 

A friend of mine works in the surestart, and she was watching the chaps, and reported the activity to the police, as there have been numerous break-ins there. The police ascertained that the chaps were "legit".

[Hudsontek 10]

this one?

 

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=56651

[Plain Talker 11]

this one?

 

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=56651

 

That's the one.

 

They have the story slightly wrong, though. The lower part of the church was opened in 1889, but the other section which was the "sanctuary" (worship area) was a rebuild, opened in 1906, as the congregation had grown too large for the older building.

 

The church was actually decommissioned in its centenary year, sadly.

 

I used to go to Girls' Brigade there, may moons ago. Aged 10, I also won a scripture prize, coming top in my school year, in the yearly Christian Education Council examination. I got to read the lesson at a special presentation service, with a classmate of mine, Ruth Hawkesworth.

[Runningman 142]

Hi Plain Talker and any other interested folks re the church.

I have in the past mentioned on here that I have a family history interest in that church, my wife's Great Uncle once preached there. That could have been approx 1920 -30.

I would be interested if any old records of the church had been retained by anyone.

 

Anyone with knowledge, please let me know !

[Plain Talker 11]

Hi Plain Talker and any other interested folks re the church.

I have in the past mentioned on here that I have a family history interest in that church, my wife's Great Uncle once preached there. That could have been approx 1920 -30.

I would be interested if any old records of the church had been retained by anyone.

 

Anyone with knowledge, please let me know !

 

I still need to check the name in the booklet I have, don't I?

[den37 10]

I was in the girls brigade there also and went to sunday school and later pathfinders run by janet southgate who was the organist in church.

The vicar was then neville wright and mr hatcher used to go to mr hatchers house for bible study every wednesday .

I was in the girls brigade for a few years infact most of my childhood was there remember mrs hill :-)

[Plain Talker 11]

I was in the girls brigade there also and went to sunday school and later pathfinders run by janet southgate who was the organist in church.

The vicar was then neville wright and mr hatcher used to go to mr hatchers house for bible study every wednesday .

I was in the girls brigade for a few years infact most of my childhood was there remember mrs hill :-)

 

My former brother-in-law used to knock around with Mr Wright's son.

 

Janet was the organist for some time, right up to the closing, I believe.

 

I remember the fright I gave her one morning, when I got an electric shock from the light switches as she was warming up the keyboard as I was opening the church ready for the service.

 

I got a right royal "Zap" from the electrics, which was really unpleasant. I screamed so loudly that she heard it over the noise of the organ. She came dashing to see if I was alright. Thankfully, I wasn't hurt, apart from a throbbing arm and hand from the kick.

[mc55 10]

preparing for demolition - how sad ... thought it was a listed building ??

[millsands 10]

preparing for demolition - how sad ... thought it was a listed building ??

 

i thought it was listed as well

[Plain Talker 11]

Going on how bad a condition it was in, back in the early 1990s, full of dry rot, everywhere, and polystyrene replacing plaster walls in the sanctuary, I'm surprised it passed any of the later quinquennial inspections.

 

The maintenance back then was half-hearted, and slipshod at best, which was such a shame.

 

Even if it were listed, I don't think that all the money they could throw at it would have remedied the state it was allowed to get into.