I don’t know when the first Shipley Primitive Methodist chapel was opened, but John Maylard in the Primitive Methodist magazine tells us of the enlargement of a previous chapel in 1859. Increasing congregations could not be accommodated so they set to and one wall was moved 21′ back, the roof turned, walls raised, a gallery added and a schoolroom created underneath for 300. The society was optimistic about covering the cost.
The re-opening took place on September 11th 1859. Speakers were Rev J Nelson (of the Methodist New Connexion) Rev J Fletcher (Wesleyan), Rev T Dearlove and Rev J Maylard.
The Shipley Primitive Methodist chapel in the picture was built in 1871 on Saltaire Road.
Like the Board School next door, it was built on land donated by Titus Salt. He had purchased land to the north of Saltaire Road in the early 1850s, when he was preparing to build Saltaire.
The site in 2015 is occupied by Northcliffe Motor services. The former terraced housing opposite has been replaced by blocks of flats.
Reference
Primitive Methodist magazine December 1859 pages 743-744
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Leeds Mercury 20 February 1872: –
On Saturday (17 February) afternoon the memorial stone of a new Primitive Methodist chapel at Shipley, intended to be built on a. site of 1,380 yards in Saltaire Road, given by Sir Titus Salt, Bart., was laid by Mr. J. Murgatroyd and others.
The new chapel, designed in the Italian style, will seat 1,000 persons, and there will be a spacious schoolrooms underneath. It will take the place of the old chapel in Briggate and will cost about £6,010.
In addition to the presentation of the site, Sir T. Salt gave £100 to the building fund. The proceedings on Saturday were interesting. A procession walked from the old chapel to the new site, and after the stone was laid Mr. Murgatroyd spoke, and was followed by the Rev W. Travis, of Idle. A tea meeting was subsequently held in the old chapel, when addresses were delivered by ministers and gentlemen.
The PM Chapel is cited on a 1906/8 25 inch scale O.S. Map and others with the Board School on the left and at the rear of the Chapel Crown Work (Sheet Metal), the School shown on a Google Sat Map still standing.
Titus Salt had a Woollen Mill built and housing for his workers with other buildings, etc., a small hospital. It became Saltaire Village, i.e., named after Titus Salt and built next to the river Aire. So, Saltaire Road would have had an earlier name.
The Wesleyan Methodist Chapel is cited on a Shipley O.S. Map, 6 inch scale, 1848-1848, published 1852, situated where later Titus Salt’s village was built behind. The PM Chapel is not cited because it was later built.
There was a tram line on what later became Saltaire Road and also later electric Trolley Buses with overhead electric cables. I can has a young man recall travelling from Bradford on Trolly Buses to Saltaire, further-on from Shipley centre.
West Yorkshire Archives Services:
Ref. 40D76/2/11: Low Lane and Saltaire Road (Shipley) Primitive Methodist Records, c.1840. c.1871.*
Ref. 40D76/2/11/1: Low Lane (Shipley) Primitive Methodist Records, e.g., baptisms 1840-1932, 1933-1960.
*Sir Titus Salt had his Mill built in 1853, his village named Saltaire would have later been evident.
However, was Low Lane PM Chapel the previous PM Chapel on what was later to be become Saltaire Road, or another PM Chapel in Shipley, records surviving from c.1840?
When I was a child in Yorkshire what we called Woollen (Woolen) Mills were mainly Worsted Mills, i.e., Worsted being a high quality yarn from sheep wool but also it could be mixed with other yarns but not synthetic. The word Worsted originated from Worstead in Norfolk, quality weavers having come from Flanders in the middle-ages.
The 1940 statistical return for this chapel describes it as built of stone with seating for 1000 people. There was also a hall and six other rooms.
West Yorkshire Archives Services, Bradford branch:
Ref. 40D76/2/11/8: Copy Conveyance, Sir Titus Salt of Saltaire and Crow Nest, Baronet. Others mentioned, The trustees, Rev. John Hirst of Well Croft in Bingley, Primitive Methodist Minister and Superintendent of Shipley Circuit Property, a piece of land in Saltaire Road, upon trust for building of a Primitive Methodist Chapel, 12th Aug., 1872.
I’ve added information about the enlargement of a chapel previous to the one in Keith Guyler’s photograph.
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