Highfield Chapel, Huddersfield

[Holmemoss]

I appreciate this is slightly off topic but I have a couple who married at Brunswick Street UMFC in Huddersfield in 1875 and quite a few couples marrying at Buxton Road Wesleyan Chapel in Huddersfield.

I have no idea where these paces are and it would seem a great effort to travel so far to marry in the 1800s, by rail I presume.

[QUILLTALES]

I have a family interest in Highfield Chapel.  My great-great Grandfather James Bray, cloth manufacturer of Deighton Nr Huddersfield was apparently a member of Highfields Independent Chapel.  Many cloth manufacturers abandoned the Church of England and took up with the Free Church and Independent movements at this time.  West Yorkshire was the hot bed of Independents. 

Apparently my G-G-Grandfather was a little too independent for the Independent and was put out for refusing to prevent his daughters from dancing.  A similar spirit has invested most of his male descendants.

I am trying to discover the nature of what I have seen referred to as "The Highfield Schism."  If anyone could enlighten me as to its history I will be most grateful.

[QUILLTALES]

I appreciate this is slightly off topic but I have a couple who married at Brunswick Street UMFC in Huddersfield in 1875 and quite a few couples marrying at Buxton Road Wesleyan Chapel in Huddersfield.

I have no idea where these paces are and it would seem a great effort to travel so far to marry in the 1800s, by rail I presume.

I attended Brunswick Street Methodist Church in Huddersfield from about 1939 to 1949 when I was expelled by an angry Sunday School teacher, Mr Porritt, for asking questions.

Sadly the building no longer exists, and that's a pit because it was a beautiful and well cared for example of Methodist Church architecture with a grand organ.

Due to falling rolls the Methodist Church closed won in - 602? - and the congregation joined with Edgerton Congregationalist Churlish going under the generic umbrella of 'Reformed.'  That too hit the dust some years later and was converted into flats.

When the ring road was built Brunswick St Chapel fell victim to the motorised vehicles and fell to make way for a short circular feeder road.

Buxton Road Wesleyan Chapel was an early victim of Huddersfield's re-development, but was at the end of town at Chapel Hill, the beginning of the old wild and windy road to Buxton in Derbyshire.

Brunswick St and Buxton Rd were withing easy walking distance of town centre.  The former being less that a quarter mile from the railway station, and the latte within half a mile.


If your folks were located at Holme Moss they could have taken a pony and trap into town, or rode horses, or even - perish the thought - walked.  However it must be borne in mind that going to the proper church or chapel was very important to folks in those days and distance, while it might not have lent enchantment to the view, certainly was not the object it is these legless days.

[sstarr2008]

Have you looked at the High Street Chapel, Methodist New Connexion? The IGI batch number is C136071. They don't start until 1794 however but there are some Sykes baptisms.

Stuart

[Wyjan]

Another option for baptisms was the Queen St Methodist. If your relatives lived in Almondbury they would have had to pass this non conformist before all the other chapels in the town centre.

[J.R.Ellam]

Hi

I have just seen your message and I think you are looking for another Independent in the area.
I would have a look at the Lane Independent at Holmfirth (Upperthong) which is in the John Cockin enquiry.
(Some of the problem with the long lost ancestor were that if they had an argument or just didn't like the preacher or Reverend they would move to another church or chapel or in some case a new Reverend or preacher became popular and they would attracted people from other places which makes tracing them down even harder.)

John

[Wyjan]

Regarding the marriage of John Sykes in Almondbury
There are two marriages of a John Sykes to a Mary, the first being John Sykes to Mary Mallinson on the 5/09/1785.Their son is a baptised David Sykes son of John Sykes of Tunicliffe Hill 19th May 1787. Four years before John Sykes marries  Mary Crawshaw, their wedding took place on 1st Dec 1791. Did his first wife die or are there two separate couples. If there are, then it is the first couple who live at Tunnicliffe

[Wyjan]

Have checked baptisms at the Lane Independent 1779-1916 and there are no children of John Sykes with a Mary

[Wyjan]

Having now found the baptisms of Benjamin and William with the mothers maiden name it appears that either John's first wife died or that John's father is still alive living at the same abode. My reasoning is that John is entered as (jnr)on Benjamin's baptism  suggesting that his father is still alive.
Hannah Sykes is baptised 28/09/1790 dau of John of Tunicliffe Hill at Almondbury