Clay Cross Primitive Methodist chapel

Thanks to Rev David Sharp for three pictures of early Twentieth Century groups associated with Clay Cross chapel

• The Men’s Group, known as the Happy Band
• the chapel football team in 1910.  On the back row, 6^th from the left is Revd Will Brown, who was at Clay Cross 1908-11
• the Sunday school football team

The Christian Messenger tells us a little about the chapel itself:

“In 1849 the present chapel was built. Two cottages were accommodated on the ground floor and a large preaching room above. This was a peculiar arrangement, and soon found to be inconvenient. In 1874 the school was built, and the chapel altered to its present appearance. The church has a membership of about 100, and still does a good deal of real mission work. The school has outgrown its accommodation, but arrangements have been made for enlargement together with class rooms. It is anticipated that the work will be completed by the end of June.”

I wondered were this chapel was as many of the chapels marked on old Ordnance Survey maps of Clay Cross did not have a denomination label.  David discovered the answer to the question in his mother’s typescript biography of her Primitive Methodist grandfather, William Thomas Salway.  Clay Cross Primitive Methodist Church was in Bridge Street which is where David’s parents were married.  Maps show it opposite the end of what was then Eyre Street.  The whole area has since been redeveloped.

Reference

Christian Messenger 1910 page 249