Huddersfield South Street Primitive Methodist chapel

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chapels of the Huddersfield circuit

Christian Messenger 1910/59

Huddersfield South Street Primitive Methodist chapel

The Primitive Methodist magazine contains a couple of accounts revealing the early days of the South Street chapel when it was opened in 1864. There is a further note in the November 1888 and March 1890 magazines recording the enlargement of the Sunday school accommodation. It would cost £600, all of which they hoped to raise. The new accommodation included  an assembly room, infants room and classrooms.

South Street no longer exists, but the chapel was located in what is now the car park for the leisure centre, near Spring Grove Street. There’s a bit more about what happened to it in a Christian Messenger article of 1920 – reproduced here.

Stone laying

“South Street Chapel, Huddersfield. —For the last fourteen or fifteen years, our people have worshipped here in a school-room,— at length they resolved to rise up and build. Accordingly steps were  taken to secure a very eligible site, &c, and on June 25th the first stone was laid by W. Briggs, Esq., of Leeds. The Rev. J. Simpson, of Halifax, delivered an address explanatory of the doctrines and polity of the connexion.

The service on the ground being over, the friends adjourned to the George street school-room (kindly lent for the occasion), where they partook of an excellent tea. The public meeting then commenced. The chair was occupied by Mr. Briggs, and addresses were delivered by the Revs. J. Simpson, R. Baxter, R. Dinsley, (United Methodist Free Church), T. Dearlove, and R. Brook.

It is probable that the chapel, with school room, &c, will cost £600 or a little more. This is exclusive of the land which is leasehold, and the plans, &c. We have already realized by donations, &c., about £250. The following are among our contributing friends—J. Blackburn, Esq, £20 ;W . Mallinson, Esq., £20; W. Keighley, Esq., £20; Mr. and Mrs. Graham, £15; W. Briggs, Esq., £10. 10s. ; M. Hale, Esq., £10; E. A. Leatham, Esq., £5.; and about twelve more £5 each. We have also three donors of £3 3s. each ; about a dozen £2 2s. and £2 each ; about twenty-two of £1 each, and several other of smaller sums. T. Dearlove.”

Chapel opening

“Chapel Opening, Huddersfield. —We are happy to inform you of the opening of our South Street chapel, Huddersfield. In June last the first stone was laid by W. Briggs, Esq. , and a noble effort was made by my predecessor, the Rev. T. Dearlove, to obtain donations.

This beautiful chapel is now nearly completed, and was opened for divine service on Thursday, December 8th, 1804, when the Rev. W. Sanderson preached in the afternoon ; a public tea was provided in the Ramsden Street school room, and a public meeting was held in the chapel over it in the evening (both of which were kindly lent for the occasion.) The chair was taken by Wright Mellor, Esq., J.P., and addresses were delivered by the Revs. J. Loutit (Wesleyan), T. Masterman (New Connexion), W. Sanderson, A. Worsnop, and G. Stout.

On Sundays, December 11th and 18th, the opening services were continued, when the Revs. R. Wheatley (Free Methodist), W. Sanderson, J. Petty, of York, T. Dearlove, of Leeds, and A. Worsnop, preached. On each Sunday evening a collection was also made in our Northumberland Street chapel on behalf of the above new one. The proceeds of the tea amounted to £20 19s. 4½ d. ; collections, £32 13s. 11½ d.

The cost of the erection will be about £620, towards which we have raised by subscriptions, bazaar, tea meetings, and public collections, the noble sum of £366 5s. 11d. We hereby tender our thanks to the donors, and to the ladies who obtained articles and prepared various things for the bazaar, and who also begged money to provide for the tea meeting, and managed the same. To give the names of all the subscribers and friends who have assisted in the erection of the above house of God would require too much space in the Magazine. A. Worsnop.”

Reference

Primitive Methodist magazine 1864 page 629

Primitive Methodist magazine 1865 page 367

Primitive Methodist magazine November 1888 page 698-699

Primitive Methodist magazine 1890 page 189