Wigan Album

GREAT PIC ANYONE ANY IDEA WHEN IT WAS DEMOLISHED.MYSELF AND THE MILLERS LANE GANG WOULD WALK PAST THIS CHURCH ON OUR WAY TO ST.NATS LITTLE SCHOOL.CAN:T THINK WHAT THAT STRANGE FENCE IS OPPOSITE THE CHURCH ITS AT THE BOTTOM OF DAVIS ST,

John... it look very much like temporary fencing, as you would find in roadworks, path laying etc... it could even be from the building of the houses opposite.

In 1927 there was another Wesleyan Church just up the road near Peel Street, perhaps this was when the above chapel stop being used... although when it was actually demolished is a mystery to me. However, on the 1929 map of Platt Bridge it does seem as if the building was integrated into the school.

On reflection when we used to walk to st.nats the only memories of that site are of the school bring there,so maybe the school was extended after the demolition of the church.

JOHN I THINK IT WAS DEMOLISED AROUND 1963 AS I WORKED ON IT FOR WEBSTERS. IT WAS A FANTASTIC BUILDING THE ROOF WAS CLOSE BOARDED FELTED & TILED.WHEN WE GOT TO THE BOARDS THEY WHERE AS GOOD AS THE DAY THEY WERE FITTED. THEY DONT BUILD THEM LIKE THAT ANY MORE

I cannot remember the school to be honest, it may have been about in my early school years, I started St. Nat's Infants in 1963, but it was only in 1967 I used to come home along Davies Street when we had moved to Vicarage Close... and I am sure the school had gone by then... by a good few years. To be honest, I had no idea that a chapel had ever stood there. A few months ago there was a walking day photograph posted taken from almost the same place... at the time some members said they remembered a chapel there, but then other members said the chapel was in fact further up the road... but it would seem there WAS a chapel.

I showed this photograph to an old mate last night, and he assures me this was NOT on Walthew Lane despite what the caption may say. He tells me it was on Liverpool Road between Stephen Street and Chapel Street.. and the houses to the right are Chapel Street. He also said it was not Wesleyan.

I checked the map, and it does seem to be the case there was a 'Primitive' Methodist Church where he says there was. What do you think? You can see both sites on this 1909 OS Map, down the left hand side...

http://ecadfael.fu8.com/os_maps/pb&bl_01.jpg

... copy and paste the link into your browser.

The Chapel in question was The United Methodist Free church built 1869/70 and the street was Victoria St. The church further up Walthew lane was the Westlyan Mehtodist. The chapel at the top of Liverpool Rd is The Primitive Methodist,and further down Liverpool road was The Independent or Zion Methodist Chapel. The school at the side of this one was where we used to go for dinner from St. Nathaniel's school in the 1940/50's.

THE CHURCH WAS IN VICTORIA ST .I SOMETIMES WENT TO JOHN LANES HOUSE WHEN I WENT TO ST. NATS ,HE USED TO LIVE IN VICTORIA ST.

I seem to remember another small chapel at the beginning of Victoria Road on the left, it was knocked down some years ago. There was a chippy in the same row and further up the new houses were built in Victoria Close on the same side of the road as the chapel - can anyone else remember this small chapel too?

Yes I remember the little Chapel in Victoria Rd Kathwal it was the Church of Christ Im not sure of the denomination!

REGARDING THE METHODIST CHURCH ON WALTHEW LANE.ON THE 1909 O.S. MAP OF PLATT BRIDGE SHOWS THE SITE OCCUPIED BY THE METHODIST SCHOOL, IF THATS THE CASE THE CHURCH WOULD ONLY HAVE BEEN STANDING NO LONGER THAN 39 YEARS WHICH DOES SEEM STRANGE TO SAY THE LEAST.

I lived at 108 Walthew Lane, so what was the Chapel that was opposite?