by linell » Tue Mar 31, 2009 7:33 pm
Lye's First Wesleyan Chapel
This is the story of how Mr and Mrs James Bowater, devoted Wesleyan Methodists, opened up their home at Parkside Cradley for Prayer Meetings. Methodism played a prominent part in the religious life of the ancient Township of Cradley. The three great Methodist Societies, the Wesleyans, the Primitive, and the United Methodists were well represented. The Founder of Methodism, the Rev John Wesley visited Cradley on March 19th 1770, and evidently met with a good reception for he relates in his journal that the 'Multitude of people obliged me to stand abroad, although the wind whistled round my head
By 1818, Mr and Mrs Bowater became anxious as to the spiritual darkness of The Lye. One Friday whilst walking to Market at Stourbridge through The Lye, Mrs Bowater met a young woman, formally a Member of the Cradley Class held at the Bowater’s home. Mrs Bowater told the young woman her great desire to do something for the people of Lye, and the young woman agreed to open her house for a prayer meeting, if Mr and Mrs Bowater would attend. A night was arranged, but none of the Friends from Cradley were willing to accompany this Godly pair on their new mission, so they went alone.
There were present at that meeting, Mrs Baker the young woman mentioned, her mother in law, Mr J Baker, Jack Ketch the hangman for Worcester, a little boy with a dog, this was the first religious meeting held in Lye by the Wesleyan Methodists.
The next week more people came along, and the house was crowded even to the stairs, and many people were outside vexed that they could not enter, disturbed those within. When the meeting was over and the door opened, the crowd rushed forward, and Mr Bowater became alarmed, but the crowd made way and the praying band passed through unhurt. Very soon, souls were saved and a Class was formed, and Mr Bowater was appointed Leader.
Soon after the Stourbridge Friends began a prayer meeting at the other end of Lye, and here too a Class was formed. These gatherings grew so large that it became necessary to secure a permanent place for the Service. A Club Room over a Carpenters Shop was hired, to which both prayer meetings were taken, but the Carpenter below, who evidently resented the intrusion, often disturbed the worship.
One night, during a preaching Service all seemed quiet, and the little congregation rejoiced that the Carpenter was away, but the Service had not proceeded far before the whole floor gave way and the worshippers were precipitated. into the workshop below, except those on the benches which were fastened to the wall, and from them the floor had departed. The miserable man who occupied the Carpenters Shop was later seen walking up and down outside, and he was heard to say, he hoped none would think he had had a hand in the matter. When the floor joists were later examined, it was found that they had all been sawn through, the poor fellow stricken with remorse left the neighbourhood soon after. It was this circumstance, which lead to the erection of a Chapel on the Waste Bank. It was opened in September 1822 and occupied by the Wesleyan Methodists. The first Trustee’s were George Deeley, Edward Robins the Elder, Edward Robins the Younger, Thomas Yardley, Thomas Hill, Charles Wooldridge, John Deeley, George Hartshorn, Samuel Smith, William Richards and John Aston.