a warm and welcoming church with a mixture of traditional and modern styles of worship

 

Centenary Celebration - The Story Of Providence Methodist Church

5.  Our Story:  The Beginning & First Building (pt 1)

Among the many folk of strong character who had been influenced by the Methodist movement were Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Oliver of Clows Top near Bewdley. They came to live in the area we know as the Slad Piece. Mrs. Oliver was an enthusiastic Wesleyan and she made it her particular business to start a Church in Colley Gate. Probably before that, there was in existence some kind of Society and meeting places, because in Lye Mount Tabor Church vestry there is a plan dated 1838 which shows preachers planned at Colley Gate, but there is no record of a meeting place.

Mrs. Oliver started meetings in her own home in Barracks Lane. Obviously for some time meetings were held there weekly and possibly prayer meetings in mid-week. As the membership grew, a move was made into a Clubroom at the back of the White Lion, Colley Gate. The Clubroom was situated over some stables and frequently the parson at that time — a man named Butterworth — was known to pray “to be delivered from the discomfort and close proximity of horses, cows, pigs and poultry.”

The next move was to an old malthouse in Windmill Hill just below the White Lion Inn, the foundations of which are still in existence.

Unfortunately for our story there is practically no authentic record of what was going on and we have to depend upon tradition for information of the development during the next 20 or 30 years. All we know is that most of the buildings in the immediate area of the old Chapel were in existence at that time — some are probably 200 years old. Windmill Hill was known as the Turnpike Road between Stourbridge and Halesowen; but nothing like the road we have today. Toll Houses existed at Quinton, Short Cross, Halesowen and Netherend. In order to avoid the toll many vehicles were taken through the lanes, so “toll gates” were placed at strategic places in the lanes, and among these were “Two Gates” in the area now called by that name.

Spring Lane — or Furlong Lane as we know it today — was a narrow country lane with fields either side for the most part. Gypsies camped on the roadside and none but the boldest would go down that lane after dark.

The site of the old Chapel was part of a field belonging to Thomas Brookes of Lye Waste, and Chapel Street was probably a footpath. Somewhere about 1854 a small band of eight men decided to form a trust and a year or so later, with money subscribed by themselves and collected from friends, purchased the site whereon the old Chapel now stands .The date of the conveyance for that land was October 28th, 1856, although agreement must have been reached before, because the Chapel itself was built in the same year. The site of 347 square yards cost the sum of £60 14s. 6d. The conveyance is in a remarkable state of preservation and is an exhibition piece of the art of penmanship.

We must realise and acknowledge the great sacrifice of these eight men — the pioneers who raised the first Chapel. It can only be described as a miracle of faith and perseverance.

Their names are:

Thomas Cox - High Town, Cradley - Nailer
John Priest - Butchers Lane, Cradley - Jobbing Smith
Edward Harris - The Jail Yard - Horse Nail Maker
Peter Boxley - Maple Tree Lane - Chainmaker
Samuel Bache - Miner
Samuel Wyre - Colley Gate, Cradley - Chainmaker
Joseph Moore - Colley Gate, Cradley - Puddler
Thomas Pearson - Two Gates, Cradley - Miner

Three of these men could not write their own names and their signatures are in the form of the usual cross.

 

part two ...

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