South Chadderton Methodist Church - History Of Our Church

[Some will question why a Methodist church had to be built in Eaves Lane when not far away Washbrook Methodist church had been in existence for over 40 years?]

It has to be understood that following the death of the founder of Methodism, John Wesley, in 1791 the church became fragmented with factions emphasising their particular persuasion to a brand of Methodism - Wesleyan Methodists, Bible Christians, United Methodists, Welsh Calvinistic Methodists, Wesleyan Protestant Methodists, Wesleyan Reformers, Unitarian Methodists, and later after the Mow Cop revival 31st May 1807, Primitive Methodists, to name but a few!

This situation remained more or less until 1932 when the Wesleyan Methodists, United Methodists and the Primitive Methodists came together to form the Model Deed of the Methodist Church of Great Britain which we now call the Methodist church.]

The first preaching service to be held in the cottage took place on the 22nd November 1903; and by the 13th December a Sunday school had been established. Apparently there must have been some dysfunctional children in the Sunday school and a 'Bad Boy's Class' was formed!

Now that a society was established planning was in hand to build a school in Eaves Lane, and the stone laying ceremonies took place on the 16th and 30th July 1904; followed by the opening ceremony on Saturday 8th April 1905. The friends at Brunswick Street Methodist church had managed to raise £1,150 leaving a deficit of £850 towards the building cost of £2000.

In May 1906 the building developed a problem due to subsidence and some strengthening work had to be done. (Note the buttresses on the picture)

A decision was made in February 1909 to acquire the freehold of the land leaving a further debt of £1009. 10s. 2d; (approximately £1009.51p). Despite the debt on the building (which was still outstanding in 1918) plans were in hand to build classrooms, these were completed in May 1910.

The spiritual life of the church prospered with regular prayer meetings on Sunday evenings, Love Feasts and Testimony meetings taking place. Like most churches the effects of the two world wars together with the death of some of the key workers and others moving out of the district, was to take its toll.

Eaves Lane continued to faithfully serve the community and by the time Roy Dew arrived was, like the other three churches, to undergo something of a revival. Eaves Lane was numerically the largest contingent in the amalgamation.


			EAVES LANE METHODIST CHURCH The concept of a church in the Eaves Lane area is attributed to a Mr John J Norcross of Brunswick Methodist church who had a vision for the Wesleyan Methodist cause to be extended to this part of Chadderton. The year is 1899 and the records of Brunswick church tell us that the matter was discussed and eventually on the 30th March 1900 a scheme was approved by the trustees for members to pioneer the work. It took until November 1903 when a cottage was acquired at No: 73 Thompson Lane for use as a meeting house that the work became established.

	Eaves Lane Wesleyan Methodist Church
	[Some will question why a Methodist church had to be built in Eaves Lane when not far away Washbrook Methodist church had been in existence for over 40 years?] It has to be understood that following the death of the founder of Methodism, John Wesley, in 1791 the church became fragmented with factions emphasising their particular persuasion to a brand of Methodism - Wesleyan Methodists, Bible Christians, United Methodists, Welsh Calvinistic Methodists, Wesleyan Protestant Methodists, Wesleyan Reformers, Unitarian Methodists, and later after the Mow Cop revival 31st May 1807, Primitive Methodists, to name but a few! This situation remained more or less until 1932 when the Wesleyan Methodists, United Methodists and the Primitive Methodists came together to form the Model Deed of the Methodist Church of Great Britain which we now call the Methodist church.] The first preaching service to be held in the cottage took place on the 22nd November 1903; and by the 13th December a Sunday school had been established. Apparently there must have been some dysfunctional children in the Sunday school and a 'Bad Boy's Class' was formed! Now that a society was established planning was in hand to build a school in Eaves Lane, and the stone laying ceremonies took place on the 16th and 30th July 1904; followed by the opening ceremony on Saturday 8th April 1905. The friends at Brunswick Street Methodist church had managed to raise £1,150 leaving a deficit of £850 towards the building cost of £2000. In May 1906 the building developed a problem due to subsidence and some strengthening work had to be done. (Note the buttresses on the picture) A decision was made in February 1909 to acquire the freehold of the land leaving a further debt of £1009. 10s. 2d; (approximately £1009.51p). Despite the debt on the building (which was still outstanding in 1918) plans were in hand to build classrooms, these were completed in May 1910. The spiritual life of the church prospered with regular prayer meetings on Sunday evenings, Love Feasts and Testimony meetings taking place. Like most churches the effects of the two world wars together with the death of some of the key workers and others moving out of the district, was to take its toll. Eaves Lane continued to faithfully serve the community and by the time Roy Dew arrived was, like the other three churches, to undergo something of a revival. Eaves Lane was numerically the largest contingent in the amalgamation.