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I am about to have something lovely to eat, surrounded by my chapel family. I am in the Sunday School and long tables are laid with the beautiful silver coloured urns for brewing tea at the head, immaculate white table clothes and the tables are full of lovely food and of course the chapel crockery. Before we start the meal (which is a tea party), Mr. Rowell invites us to sing the Banqueting Song, starting “Be present at our table Lord”.
My parents are there, along with Grandma Tweedale, hopefully my brother and Auntie Rhoda (nee Maxim) who was my mother’s cousin. There might be 50 or 60 people and I know and love them all. What will heaven be like? – certainly not a solitary place and this was close.
A former member of the congregation of Hope Chapel
The account is given of a day when John Kershaw noticed that the chapel house was remarkably quiet. He wondered where his children had gone to. After some searching, he entered the chapel, and found that they were holding a mock service. One of his sons was standing in the pulpit, and at that point was giving out the notices. He said that this week the prayer meeting would be held as usual, and that next Lord’s Day the preacher would be….and at that moment, his father stepped forward and said: it will be you!
From a friend of Hope Chapel
The War and its needs
At ‘Hope’ Particular Baptist Chapel, Rochdale, the friends are not indifferent to the needs of the soldiers. The Young Women’s Improvement Class has knitted and forwarded one hundred and six pairs of socks, ninety-seven body belts, thirty pairs of cuffs, mittens and knee caps, one hundred and fifteen scarves, two helmets, and six handkerchiefs; fifty one packets of Robin’s starch, a good number of tins of ointment, soap, etc. The cost of the wool was defrayed by three members of the class, Mrs. J.T., Mrs. J.T. and Mrs. J.K. A. The Young Men’s Improvement Class has forwarded to the former scholars, who have joined the colours, chocolates and other comforts acceptable to them. The church and congregation sent over £21 to the Prince of Wales’ National Relief Fund. It is evident that some of our churches believe in work meetings as well as prayer meetings. May their number largely increase.
Source: The Christian’s Pathway, April 1915, p. 123
Memories of a young girl 1946 – 56
Growing up in Rochdale, Sundays were a very special day. Every Sunday morning we would walk to Hope Chapel from Roach Place where we lived. We usually sat upstairs in the gallery, on the left-hand side, looking down on the pulpit and the pews below. The members of the choir entered from a door in the wall (next to the Chapel house) and proceeded in single file to take their place either side of the impressive (for me then!) organ. I do not remember them singing on their own, rather they accompanied the congregational singing. I remember my father leading the service from the pulpit. I do remember it was quiet and peaceful. (A kind lady gave us sweets to share, perhaps that kept us quiet!) There was a Sunday School in the afternoon, and I remember asking my parents for a ‘ship’ halfpenny for the collection. My classroom was to the right of the platform in the school hall. There were many children in the Sunday School, but I think many of them were from ‘chapel’ families, because there was a large congregation at that time. A ‘Prize Giving’ was held once a year, when each child was given a book during a Special service. The Sunday School anniversary was held in the chapel one Sunday afternoon. The children sang some hymns on their own, so we had to practice for that occasion. The ‘Whit Walk’ was another enjoyable occasion, walking with our banner to the playing field, where we had games and ice-creams. The young people in the Sunday School also had activity evenings. My brothers were involved with the woodwork class, and I still have items that were made there. I presume there were other activities for different groups. I was allowed to go to one ‘Lantern slide’ evening, but I am not sure what it was about. These are some of my childhood memories, what was taking place within the church at this time I was not aware of. I just remember the kindness of the people there, and I am very thankful for the happy years at Hope Chapel.