Hoylake Primitive Methodist chapel
“Hoylake is a scattered village lying on the south-west corner of a tongue of land called the hundred of Wirral, which is situated between the Mersey and the Dee, in the county of Cheshire. From the neighbouring hills an
interesting view is obtained of extensive and delightful scenery. This neighbourhood is becoming a favourite resort of many of the well-to-do portion of the adjacent large towns.
The native population consists chiefly of fishermen and their families. For two or three years we have preached here under disadvantageous circumstances, but now we are privileged with a commodious chapel, capable of holding nearly 200 people. The chapel was opened by Mr. Thomas Bateman, November 11th, 1800, and by Mr. J. Wood on the following Sabbath-day. In connection with these services a temperance meeting was held December 2nd. All the services were well attended. May the Divine blessing crown our endeavours with success.
The land and building have cost about £270, towards which £125 have been collected. We gratefully acknowledge the following donations. S. Radford and Sons, £10; Wm. Inman, Esq., £20: Peter Brown, Esq., £25 ; George Brown, Esq., £5 ; Mr. Wm. Bateman, £5. We are chiefly indebted to our friend Mr. Peter Brown for the erection of this chapel ; for had we not been favoured with his persevering efforts we should have been without it until now.
James Macpherson.”
Where was the chapel and what happened to it?
Reference
Primitive Methodist magazine May 1861 page 304
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There was an 1860 PM chapel:
From the Liverpool Mercury, Saturday 24 November 1860:
‘OPENING OF A NEW CHAPEL IN HOYLAKE. – The Primitive Methodists, who have been labouring at Hoylake for nearly four years, but have been much inconvenienced by the unsuitableness of the room which they occupied, have after great exertions succeeded in erecting, at a cost of about £280, a plain but neat little building, capable of seating nearly 200 persons. The chapel was opened on 11th instant, when two sermons were preached by Mr. T. Bateman, of Chorley. On the 18th two sermons were delivered by Mr. T. Wood, of Nantwich. On Monday last a tea meeting was convened, and a public meeting afterwards held, which was addressed by Mr. T. Crossfield, the chairman, the Revs. J. McPherson and Turner, and Messrs. G. Mason, Greatly, Morris, Seacombe; P. Brown Moreton, Batten, of Birkenhead, and W. Bateman Moreton. The attendance at all services was very good, and the collections moderate. A home missionary has been engaged, and is now pursuing his labours in the place and the surrounding villages.’
Morris’s 1864 directory, page 499, for Hoose (commonly called Hoylake) lists the Anglican Chapel-of-Ease (built 1833) and a PM chapel as the only places of worship.
From the Liverpool Daily Post, Tuesday 2 July 1867:
‘HOYLAKE. – The first of a series of Presbyterian Church services was held in the Primitive Methodist Chapel, Hoylake, on Sabbath last. The Rev. W. Kennedy Moore, M.A., of Liverpool, officiated, and the attendance of visitors and residents was most satisfactory and encouraging, every seat being occupied.’
Were the Prims sharing their chapel or were the Presbyterians taking over the premises?
The Hoylake chapel does not appear on the 1869 Q3 Birkenhead Circuit Preaching Plan, nor in the Post Office 1878 Directory (which states there are places of worship for Congregationalists and Presbyterians (only)).
The 1871 6“ OS map shows a Presbyterian Chapel about 50 yards up the south-west side of Alderley Road from Market Street. It scales at about 50ft x 20ft. There must be a good chance that this was previously the PM chapel, even though accommodating 200 people would have been a squash! The building was demolished some time before 1897 and the current St Luke’s Methodist Church was built by the Wesleyans on the site (CH47 2BF). This church’s website provides the following: ‘The original Methodist building erected on the current site in Market Street was first used in April 1898 and the present church building was officially opened on 14 June 1906’. In the early 1900s the Presbyterians built a new and much larger church next to No. 4 Alderley Road. The church closed in 2014 and has now been converted into flats.
It seems as though the Primitive Methodists used their chapel from 1860 until only about 1868. What happened? Perhaps they were struggling to finance it and the Presbyterians’ offer seemed the best way to go.
I have not been able to find where this chapel was but can offer the following information:
1797/8: Preaching began in Hoylake (ref. above).
1800: A chapel holding nearly 200 people was opened on 11 November 1800 (this is of course before the Primitive/Wesleyan split in the 1810s) (ref above).
1830: H Henshaw of the Liverpool Circuit kept a journal of his missioning in north Wirral between July and November 1830; here are the references to Hoylake: On 2 August ‘Spoke in the evening at Hoylake, to a large and attentive congregation.’ On the 27 September, ‘Visited a number of families in Hoylake, and spoke in the evening to an excellent congregation.’ On 21 November, ‘Spoke at two and six at Hoylake. Much cast down, but the Lord helped me, and the word appeared to take effect.’ On 22 November, ‘At Hoylake; prayed with a number of families. But some refused to bow their knees. Spoke at night to a large congregation, and invited them to join in class: five stopped, and expressed a willingness to serve the Lord. I gave them suitable advice, and the Lord spoke to their hearts. I was truly rejoiced to see the tears roll down their aged and furrowed cheeks.’
Does repeated mention of ‘congregation’ suggest that he was preaching in a church?
1859: The Q2 Preaching Plan for the Liverpool Circuit lists: ‘Hoylake Open Air’ (perhaps to permit larger congregations) – Sunday services every week at 5.30pm.
1864: Morris’s 1864 directory, page 499, for Hoose (commonly called Hoylake) lists the Anglican Chapel-of-Ease (built 1833) and a PM chapel as the only places of worship.
1869: Hoylake does not appear on the Q3 Birkenhead Circuit Preaching Plan, nor is the chapel mentioned in the Morris’s 1874 Directory or Post Office 1878 Directory, nor is it shown on a large-scale 1876 map.
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