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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Lancashire => Topic started by: Gillg on Monday 18 June 07 13:14 BST (UK)

Title: Th'owd Chapel
Post by: Gillg on Monday 18 June 07 13:14 BST (UK)
I have a little book of this name published after the closing of Water Street Ebenezer Baptist Chapel in Rochdale, which may be of interest to those with Baptist ancestors from the town.  Written in Lancashire dialect, it describes in a humorous fashion the memories of a man who attended the chapel Sunday School when he was "nobbut a little lad", and mentions many of the chapel members in the 1870s and 80s in anecdotes. There are photos of some them, too.  My gt-grandfather is among them, playing the "gradely orgin", with his son "yung Tom pooing t'stops eaut for 'im".  The Church was pulled down and moved to Newbold. 

If you think your ancestors may be among them, I'd be happy to check for you and let you have the details.   :)

Gill
Title: Re: Th'owd Chapel
Post by: Mair on Tuesday 19 June 07 00:13 BST (UK)
Gillg

Sounds a great li'll owd book!

Have Barnicoats and Taylors together with Grindrods in the Rochdale area at that time?? ( Eli Taylor (father of), Butterworth Taylor (son of) and Jane Taylor (dau of) are main interests)

Andrew Barnicoat is buried at Rochdale Cemetry and via him is a connection I am sure to Howarth's.  If you have any luck on these names I would be grateful if you could forward them to me.

Barnicoat family from Cornwall were non conformists as were later Taylors' in Cheshire.

Jude
Title: Re: Th'owd Chapel
Post by: Gillg on Tuesday 19 June 07 08:28 BST (UK)
Yes, it's fun, though I have to read it aloud to work out what it is saying, and even then don't get some of it.

The only Taylor I have is Benjamin, probably one of the deacons, or at least important enough to be in an official group photo of the chapel dignitaries.  He could be the same Benjamin who died in 1915 aged 56, husband of Elizabeth Margaret, mentioned in the Rochdale Cemetery list on Interment.com, but I'm only guessing there. 

Re Butterworth Taylor: I suppose he was given his mother's maiden name or that of some relative.  Butterworth as a surname is a real Rochdale name, and there are a huge number of them.  I have some in my family, but tracing them is a nightmare, because they seem to share so few first names.  There is another chapel member called Simeon Butterworth, a local councillor, and there was also an area of Rochdale called Butterworth. 

If you think Benjamin is one of yours, I can let you have a copy of his photo.  Just send me your email address in a PM.  Sorry I can't help with the Barnicoats, Howarths and Grindrods.

Gill

Title: Re: Th'owd Chapel
Post by: Gillg on Tuesday 19 June 07 10:37 BST (UK)
Just in case anyone else is searching, here are the names of those featured in the book, with an asterisk* to indicate a photo:

James Ashworth from Bacup
Joseph Bellhouse* Church Secretary and umpire for Rochdale C.C.
Edmond Blomley
Simeon Butterworth, local Councillor
Alice Clegg*
Rev. D. O. Davies*
Elijah Fletcher* Sunday School Superintendent
John Howarth
Jesse Jackson, Church Deacon
Joe or Josef Lawton
John Mills
Stephen Nuttall*
Rev. A Pickles*
Robert Riley* Sunday School Superintendent
Billy Shepherd, Auctioneer
Benjamin Taylor*
Edmund Thompson* Chapel Keeper
Tom Watson from Horse Carrs
Adam Whiteyed ) I think this is a dialect spelling for Whitehead
John Whiteyed  ) as there are no Whiteyeds on the 1881

There are some great anecdotes and thumbnail sketches about some of these.

Gill







Title: Re: Th'owd Chapel
Post by: BrownandGrey on Tuesday 14 June 11 15:07 BST (UK)
Hi

I have a copy of the same booklet - reprinted in 1915.  I inherited it from my uncle (Jeff Mallinson), who was born in Rochdale in the 1920's.  I dont know how he came by it, but I know his best friend was a George Butterworth.  Maybe some connection with the Butterworths in the booklet
Title: Re: Th'owd Chapel
Post by: Gillg on Wednesday 15 June 11 16:21 BST (UK)
Hi BrownandGrey, and welcome to RootsChat.

What a coincidence!  Can you understand the dialect?  I have to read it out loud to get the gist of it and I was born and brought up in Rochdale! 

Four generations of my family were connected with Newbold Ebenezer Baptist Church, where the Water Street congregation moved to. My gt-grandfather and grandfather played the organ there and both were choirmasters and orchestra conductors. Sadly this church, too, has been pulled down now, new flats have been built on the site and a small church has been squeezed in at the side of them.  The other Baptist Chapel with which my family was connected was West St Church.  Its building is now an Asian food warehouse, and a small church has been squeezed in there, too.

Gill
Title: Re: Th'owd Chapel
Post by: banjobob on Tuesday 23 August 11 17:30 BST (UK)
Just bought a marriage licence 1873 Ebenezer Baptist Chapel between Thomas Wilcock and Fanny Williamson, fathers Alfred wilcock and George Williamson, minister Alfred Pickles, registrar James Williamson, witnesses Frederick Wilcock and Emma Porter Wilcock. I have Butterworths, Cleggs, and Taylors connected with the Wilcock and Williamson families, but not yet done much research on them. However I would be pleased to have more details of your book, particularly of any people with surnames as above, or, if you could possibly send me a .pdf file of the book?
Title: Re: Th'owd Chapel
Post by: Gillg on Wednesday 24 August 11 09:22 BST (UK)
Hi banjobob and welcome to RootsChat! :)

I will first need to scan the booklet, which may take a little while.  In the mean time, you will need to make another two postings, then you can send me a Personal Message with your email address. 

Was the marriage at Newbold or Water Street Ebenezer Church?

Gill
Title: Re: Th'owd Chapel
Post by: banjobob on Wednesday 24 August 11 10:12 BST (UK)
Thanks for rapid reply, Gillg.
The marriage was at Water Street, 23.08.1873. The couple were from Two Bridges, Newhey, near Rochdale and Haugh, near Rochdale.
I shall happily reimburse your scanning costs.

Bob.
Title: Re: Th'owd Chapel
Post by: Gillg on Friday 26 August 11 09:27 BST (UK)
Hi Bob

Luckily my husband is rather more skilled in computer know-how than I am, and he has scanned the booklet and put it into a pdf file. 

If you will send me a Personal Message (use the little green scroll icon on the left of this message) with your email address, I will send you the file.  Hope it is helpful to you.  My grandfather George Thomas Hurst ("yung Tom") is shown on the page of photos and gt-grandfather John Hurst "Mesthur Hurst" is shown with his choir (centre back). 

I'm attaching to this a photo of the Ebenezer deacons, taken I would guess around 1890.  I can identify most of them  as follows:
Back row l-r  Elijah Fletcher, Benjamin Taylor, Simeon Butterworth, unknown
Front row l-r  Stephen Nuttall, John Hurst, Rev D.O.Davies, unknown, Edmund Thompson.

Hairy lot, aren't they?  Any relatives among them?

Gillg

 
Title: Re: Th'owd Chapel
Post by: ashgroveguy on Saturday 15 October 11 01:59 BST (UK)
If anyone on this thread has any info on the Rev Alfred Pickles, particularly after 1891, or any info about his service at the North End Baptist Chapel in Towcester, or his service at the Water Street Ebenezer Baptist Chapel in Rochdale or if anyone has a copy of the following sermon he preached (the book itself is out-of-print) "Turkey, Russia, England, and the Jews: A Sunday evening's lecture, delivered in the Baptist Chapel, Water Street, Rochdale, February 10th, 1878 by Alfred Pickles (1878)" I would love to hear from you. I have the info on the Towcester Chapel from RootsWeb, Gill is emailing the book on the Chapel, and i have census info from 1871 - 1891, plus a bankrupt notice from the Edinburgh Gazette in 1891, plus I know where he died and when. Aren't family oddbods a real treasure to find!
Title: Re: Th'owd Chape
Post by: daniel tay on Saturday 10 May 14 20:52 BST (UK)
Hi all, I have a Simeon Butterworth in family tree.
Title: Re: Th'owd Chapel
Post by: ashgroveguy on Sunday 11 May 14 07:35 BST (UK)
I now have a full copy of "Turkey, Russia, England, and the Jews: A Sunday evening's lecture, delivered in the Baptist Chapel, Water Street, Rochdale, February 10th, 1878 by Alfred Pickles (1878)"  if anyone is interested. It is a very long lecture that I am glad I didn't have to sit through.
Title: Re: Th'owd Chapel
Post by: daniel tay on Saturday 25 October 14 12:12 BST (UK)
Hi all,
The Benjamin Taylor could be mine, he lived in Rochdale I know the street name too, I also believe that we may have a link to Simeon Butterworth and details of some- else who has more details on him. The photo of Benjamin looks very like my dad now.
Regards Day Tay
Title: Re: Th'owd Chapel
Post by: Gillg on Sunday 26 October 14 12:52 GMT (UK)
Hi Day Tay

I think we may have been in touch before. :)  If you would like a copy of the booklet, please send me your email address in a PM and I'll send it to you.  I don't know how good your Rochdale dialect is, but if you read it aloud, you'll get most of it!

Gillg