The old Chapel was mainly built by the brothers Joseph and Josiah Evans, of Haydock, out of their private purse. The site was originally leased by Mr. Isaac Sharpe, a bookseller of St. Helens, who transferred it to them as building land. When Mr. Thomas Legh heard of it, he said they had 'choused' him out of it, but, for all that, he would give them the stone to build it with, and probably the quarry at Woodhead was opened at that time. It is said that the stone of it is laid against the grain; if so, it was typical of the feeling at the time. However, when the new Church was built, the old lease was surrendered, and a new one was given in lieu of it, and new land on better terms. This spoke well for the improved spirit of the time and generosity of the Lord of the Manor.
The Old Chapel was a unique and picturesque building till it was dwarfed by the New Church, though it was equally a church within its own yard - which is the difference between a church and a chapel that has no burial-ground. By the side of it, and proportionately small, was the old school and meeting-place. In this I passed my novitiate while as yet it was a day-school. My attendance began in 1848, under Mr. Hutchinson, when I was ten years of age. We had removed to Crow-lane end from High-street, to one of the three houses built there by J.H. in that year; and, being nearer to Crow-lane than to the Cockpit, I was sent to Crow-lane, where I profited by the teaching for two years, till I was sent for two years to the Tilery, and for other four years was in the office of the Brickery and Pottery, where my first duty was to pay the last tax on bricks at Wigan. During my school-time I must have shown some aptitude, for, on leaving Newton, the schoolmaster offered to take me with him to Yorkshire as a pupil-teacher; but the time was not opportune. For a while my brother, cousin, and I went to a night-school at Crow-lane to keep up our practice. I never was co-erced, though I once saw a boy severely caned and cast out. But Mr. Hutchinson could be very caustic. One day he said to me, "Why do you shake your head? There is nothing in it!" However, I forgave him, for he tried to put something into it, and for that I owe him many thanks. When we sang of "the curly headed boy who never told a lie," the whole school seemed to look at me, for I was curly-headed. One escapade I had in falling through one of the four windows, but escaped unhurt, though the window was wrecked. At that time the right-hand side of the school was the chapel wall. Along it, and on the opposite side, were hung pictures of place, birds, beasts, reptiles, and other natural objects, with their history on the reverse side. These I studied during meal-time. And there was a rare collection of fossils from the Haydock coal-mines that were often inspected.
My next appearance at the day-school was in 1855, when I was seventeen, and had been sent to learn book-keeping by double entry of Mr. Snell, the last schoolmaster, who told me that I knew it better than he did - for it was my daily occupation; but, to please a partner of my uncle in a tilery at Rixton, I had to obtain a certificate of competency from a certificated teacher. In 1883 I found this diploma was quite useless, for without the daily practice, when applying for a situation as foreign correspondent. And this has led to the introduction of shoals of foreigners whose only asset was a knowledge of their own mother tongue and a smattering of English, to the discouragement of native talent.
On the opening of the National Schools (1860), the Crow-lane school was closed for want of Government aid, and the Sunday-school, that had been kept up all along, dwindled away, for the influence that had filled the day-school with scholars from far and wide being removed, the scholars found places nearer home on Sundays; and, except for the gradual increase in the population,. would have had few but the children of the members of the congregation.
With the best intentions, the superintendents could not surmount the inherent difficulties, though they were happy in their work. Mr. Robert Glover and Mr. William Bury were the first that I remember, while the venerable figures of Mr. and Mrs. Wallington were noteworthy as members, with Doctor Mather and his family. Mr. Mannington, and Mr. Lomas. This depression lasted till the Rev. James Allatt came in 1863, and, urged by my mother, I joined the Sunday-school, and immediately found the benefit of being brought in contact with such a spiritually-minded man as Mr. John Harvie, the superintendent. Two years after I offered myself as a candidate for membership to Mr. Allatt. Mr. Harvie brought the benefits of his great business capacity to bear on the school business, and under his management the school refilled to overflowing, a new school was built, and also a new church. Mr Allatt was equally successful in his pastorate, and his literary capacity led to our having a series of first-class lectures in 1864-5-69.
With the Rev. W.S. Ball I came but little in contact beyond what I have stated at page 48, in connection with the Mechanics' Institution. The Rev. Theophilus Davies lived in a house near Mr. Thorp's in Crow-lane, and, as we also had gone to a house opposite to St. Mary's Church, I saw him and his family frequently, and, with my sister, often heard him both at chapel and at school, which all along had been the week-day meeting-house of many worthy people, whose names almost exhaust the alphabet. Dr. Mather, with his two sons, John and Horatio, and his two daughters, Mary and Margaret, and Mr. and Mrs. Austin of Earlestown, formed the choir, and occupied the gallery, and Robert Glover accompanied on the bass fiddle, whilst the congregation and right heartily. After that a desire was expressed to get an harmonium. Up to that time the choir had rejoiced that they were unpaid; but the player of this novelty (Mr Paul Critchley) insisted on being paid something - a mere bagatelle - yet it broke the charm in undervaluing the services of the choir and choir-master, Mr. Dick, who scorned to take pay for what before had been a pleasure, although it entailed endless copying of original and very select music in all its parts - a most valuable collection of both sacred and secular music, and of monetary value, that he took with him when he retired on the appointment of an organist in the new church. When Curwen's system of musical notation was first introduced, there was a school gallery full of aspirants, and I was on the top seat, but was ultimately at the bottom as representing my calibre of voice. From that time forth I was associated with choirs and choral partied till the time of my exit in 1883.
The chapel was as impressive to my youthful fancy as well inside as outside, and whether seen from the pew or from the gallery; and, even when its destiny was changed from a chapel to a Sunday-school, the oriel window in the north looked down upon a multitude of young people prepared to carry on the old work. For a long time the choir occupied the gallery, and for a good while after the harmonium was in use. The right-hand corner pew at the entrance was occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Josiah Evans and family, while the left was occupied by Mr. Richard Evans, senior, and Mr. Joseph and Miss Ruth Evans. At that time latent musical talent met in the National Schools, where Mr. Dick conducted the secular and Mr. Armitage the sacred services or practices, with a numerous circle. Dr. Horatio Mather and his family did good and thankworthy service in a time of need and but little help, and so did Mr. Dick on a much more extensive scale, both at home and at the church.
My attendance at Sunday-school had been intermittent while I was at the Tilery, but old Mr. Battersby, of Haydock - whose well-thumbed Bible I also remember - was my teacher, and laid the foundation for my religious education that Mr. Harvie built upon, and put me to teaching from class to class to the top. But we had not been quite idle, for under the active presidency of Mr. Heaton, a Wigan solicitor, we had been affiliated into a Sunday-school association, and sent delegates to and received delegates from at least a dozen other schools. This gave us experience and kept up the interest in the work, and encouraged others also.
At a lecture delivered, on the 2nd November, 1864, by Mr. Heaton, in the schoolroom, Mr. Allatt presiding, it was proposed by Mr. Harvie, seconded by Mr. Campbell, "that a Mutual Improvement Class be formed, and these lectures be continued." It was also proposed that Messrs. Joseph Gibbon, David Wilson, Collins and John Harvie, be appointed acting committee to carry into effect this arrangement. A preliminary meeting, which had been announced from the pulpit the previous Sunday, was held - present, the Rev. J. Allatt (president), Messrs. Harvie, Mannington, Murray, Wilson, Lomas, Gibbon, Collins, Campbell, Croft, Davies, and Battersby, and Mesdames Allatt and Mannington, and Misses Murray and Mannington, and Mr. P.M. Campbell as secretary. It was then arranged that Mr. Harvie should read the first paper, and the Rev. James Allatt should deliver the first lecture. The essays were read in the vestry; the lectures were given in the school, all except Mr. Cooper's, which was in the old chapel, so that Crow-lane, from the outset, did its share in the pioneer work, amid many difficulties.
Newton in Makerfield:
Its History,
with some account of its people.
Compiled from Authentic sources
by
John Henry Lane,
with Notes and Reminiscences
by
Peter Mayor Campell.
Printed and Published by the Compiler
1914.
This version copyright © John Rouse, February 2001.
A reprint of this book (Volumes I and II) is available from Peter Riley
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