Thanks to Paul Watson for a photo of the original Roker chapel, known as the Bright Street chapel, (not to be confused with the one in Hull). It became the Hallgarth mission, was bombed, rebuilt and now is a Bethesda church.
See the comments below for the story of girl singing preacher Harriet Gutcher-Johnson, researched by Raymond Ella. You can see a picture and read a little more on page 305 of the 1932 Methodist Leader here. The story of the chapel opening is on page 419 of the June 21 1928 Leader here.
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The London Gazette, 5th Feb., 1926, page 934 :
Pursuant to the Trustee Act, 1925, section 27.
Henry, deceased husband of Harriet Gutcher Johnson, abode St. Anns, North Cliff, Roker, Sunderland.
Harriet and a William Henry Johnson were executers for a Will of deceased.
Harriet’s husband was an Agricultural Implement Manufacturer.
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33130/page/934/data.pdf
Post-Script :
Probate in such circumstances may or may not have been granted to all executors.
For some reason Harriet’s husband Henry (George) Johnson was sometimes styled with the surname Gutcher Johnson; but not before marriage.
…..
Additional. – Tyne and Wear Archives :
ref. MC.Su11, Sunderland Third (William Terrace) Primitive Methodist circuit records, to include Bright Street Mission [C.Su62].
ref. C.Su62/1, Meth- Bright St., Roker, Sunderland, account 1894-1909.
ref. C.Su62/5/2, file : compensation for destroyed church c. 1947-1950, disposal of assets 1950/1-1957,
Bright St., [?], Roker, Sunderland.
All for Hettie and her husband and the Church shalt-not now be lost in the passing of time.
The girl singing preacher was still singing in her later years.
The Methodist Leader, 2st June 1928, page 419 :
Opening Ceremony, Gutcher-Johnson Memorial Church. This is an indication it was in memory of her late husband Henry and not as thought for her.
https://www.escholar.manchester.ac.uk/api/datastream?publicationPid=uk-ac-man-scw:15m2452&datastreamId=FULL-TEXT.PDF
Tyne and Wear Archives :
Bright Street Primitive Methodist, Roker,
ref. C.Su62/7, newspaper cutting in 1930s on the death of Alderman Charles Peacock ( born 1856 ), associated with Bright Street for more than 40 years.
Book:- Whose Who in Methodism 1933, page 376, a mention of Alderman Charles Peacock that he had commissioned for a mission on Bright Street in 1894 which became Gutcher Johnson Memorial church [built 1928].
Book:- Sunderland Hospital (56th) Annual Report, year 1928, pages 65-66-67, a mention that a gift to the hospital of Flowers, Fruit and Vegetables were donated by the s. school of Bright Street Primitive Methodist.
Bright Street site:
On a Google Sat-Map for Bright Street Roker, the Bethesda Hallgarth Mission looks mainly new-build in 1950 with date stone saying so. It became a branch of the Sunderland Tatham Street Bethesda Free Chapel/Church/Mission.
On Tatham Street there was also a PM Chapel very near and on this website there is a photo of the PM Chapel and the side view is the Mission, also for comparison the Mission can be seen on a Google Sat-Map street view.
https://www.bethesdafreechurch.org/hallgarth
https://www.bethesdafreechurch.org/history
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Additional to my previous postings :
It is said few documents survive pre-1940s but I located the following without using words Primitive or Chapel.
Tyne and Wear Archives :
ref. C.u62/3/3/1, Bright St. Methodist Church, Roker, Sunderland, Mortgages. The Trustees to the Sunderland Havelock Permanent Building Society, 5th Dec., 1884.
ref. C.u62/5/1, Bright St., Roker, Sunderland, correspondences rebuilding of methodist church, including plans, from 7thr July 1927 to 1928, to 1929 February.
ref. C.Su62/6, Souvenir hand book of the opening ceremony and associated events, from 6th June 1928 to 15the June 1928, including brief history, Bright Street Methodist church, Roker, Sunderland.
ref. C.Su62/4/2, Certificate of worship on premises, Methodist Church, Bright St., Roker, Sunderland, 7th July 1928.
ref. C.Su62/4/3, Certificate for solemnizing marriages, Methodist church. Bright Street, Roker, Sunderland, 12th Sept., 1929.
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ref. M.D4, names not checked. Sunderland Primitive Methodist District : Travelling Preachers Association, minutes, 1876-1932/3.
Extra from my previous posting :
Hettie (Harriet).
Civil Registration, vol. 10A, page 528, Sunderland, birth 1864, Harriet Gutcher.
Census 31 March 1901, visitor Hettie Gutcher, age 36,* single, Evangelist, Joannah St., Sunderland. *nearly 37.
Census 1911, Harriet Gutcher, age 46, single, Paston of Free Mission Church, Scunthorpe?, head of household, Frodingham, North Lincolnshire, sub district Glanford Brigg.
Harriet Gutcher married Henry George Johnson, Glanford Brigg District, Lincolnshire, 1913.
Harriet and her husband later were back in her home County-Durham, she having died Sunderland District in 1934, 23rd July.
Tyne and Wear Archives.
ref. Accession 1025 (survival, part only).
Miss. Hettie Gutcher, the girl singing preacher, later Mrs. H. Gutcher-Johnson :
The Roker Primitive Methodist Chapel on Bright Street had a re-build in 1928 dedicated to Hettie and named
‘The Gutcher-Johnson Memorial’ (to her; not Mr. Johnson ).
It had its origins in revivalist enthusiasm c.1882 by Hettie’s singing and preaching and the re-build was still Primitive Methodist until 1932 but not after, later during WW2 it became a casualty of a bombing raid. The re-naming again, i.e., Bethesda Hallgarth Mission later in 1951 after refurbishment and repairs it re-opened again.
There are very few documents pre-1940s.
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