Interesting Facts about Clayton Le Moors

[claytonx]

Originally Posted by Lost in Cornwall

It never was Barnes Square Baptists. The chapel that stood on Barnes Square was built by John Mercer as a Wesleyan Chapel, becoming Methodist after Methodist Union in 1932. There was also a Primitive Methodist Chapel in Barnes Street which closed in the 1960's. The Baptist Chapel stood on the corner of Blackburn Road and Atlas Street until it was knocked down and eventually a new chapel was built in Sparth Road.

Quite right, my four daughters were all christened there always on a Sunday morning after the service and with all the congregation still there. Very nice way to hold a christening.

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by Lost in Cornwall

It never was Barnes Square Baptists. The chapel that stood on Barnes Square was built by John Mercer as a Wesleyan Chapel, becoming Methodist after Methodist Union in 1932. There was also a Primitive Methodist Chapel in Barnes Street which closed in the 1960's. The Baptist Chapel stood on the corner of Blackburn Road and Atlas Street until it was knocked down and eventually a new chapel was built in Sparth Road.

I have a list of the Clayton men from World War 1, named as on the Oakenshaw Baptist R-O-H. That same R-O-H was recently recovered from a church which is now closed, which I was told was Barnes Sq Meths.

[Lost in Cornwall]

I don't know of a Baptist Church down the bottom end of Clayton until the one on Sparth Road was built in the 1970's or 80's. I was told on another thread that Barnes Square Methodists had moved and were now meeting in Mercer Park so it would seem likely that the Roll of Honour is from there. Could it be a misprint that the list is referred to as the Oakenshaw Baptist Roll because even if there was an Oakenshaw Baptist that I'm not aware of I would have thought the roll would have stayed in Baptist hands.

[Lost in Cornwall]

Just been doing some more digging and according to the July 1836 issue of the Baptist Magazine, the Baptist Church in the Accrington area began in 1735 by meeting in a house in Oakenshaw where a John Ellison lived. It was supplied with preachers from the Baptist Church in Bacup. The meeting moved to Accrington in about 1765.

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by Lost in Cornwall

I don't know of a Baptist Church down the bottom end of Clayton until the one on Sparth Road was built in the 1970's or 80's. I was told on another thread that Barnes Square Methodists had moved and were now meeting in Mercer Park so it would seem likely that the Roll of Honour is from there. Could it be a misprint that the list is referred to as the Oakenshaw Baptist Roll because even if there was an Oakenshaw Baptist that I'm not aware of I would have thought the roll would have stayed in Baptist hands.

Even the relatives of the dead soldiers refered to it as Oakenshaw Baptists, when they were interviewed by an Observer reporter on their relatives death in action. I've even got newspaper reports that relatives have said their sons name is on such and such R-O-H, when its not, the biggest culprit for errors is St Mary's up Ossy.

[Bob Dobson]

'The Baptist Churches of Accrington & District' by Rev Wylie(1923) tells that ' the first Baptist Meeting House built at Oakenclough was situate close by the Fort's Arms, Hotel, Barnes St....'

[Lost in Cornwall]

The chapel near the Forts Arms was opened in 1849 as Oakenshaw Baptist. The chapel which was on the corner of Blackburn Road and Atlas Street was opened in 1888 and I believe was a replacement for the first chapel. I would be surprised if they kept the name when they moved up the top end but it's not impossible.

My grandparents started worshipping at Barnes Square Wesleyan (as it then was) when they moved from Padiham in 1913 because there wasn't a United Methodist Chapel in Clayton and my mother worshipped there all her life, having been born in Barnes Street in 1915. The minister at Barnes Square during the First World War was Rev James Thomas East. His son Kingsley was killed in action and his name certainly appeared on a memorial in the chapel that was knocked down around 1980 although I'm not sure he was resident in Clayton at the time of the war. If his name appears on the Roll of Honour that would prove it was from Barnes Square Wesleyan.

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by Lost in Cornwall

The chapel near the Forts Arms was opened in 1849 as Oakenshaw Baptist. The chapel which was on the corner of Blackburn Road and Atlas Street was opened in 1888 and I believe was a replacement for the first chapel. I would be surprised if they kept the name when they moved up the top end but it's not impossible.

My grandparents started worshipping at Barnes Square Wesleyan (as it then was) when they moved from Padiham in 1913 because there wasn't a United Methodist Chapel in Clayton and my mother worshipped there all her life, having been born in Barnes Street in 1915. The minister at Barnes Square during the First World War was Rev James Thomas East. His son Kingsley was killed in action and his name certainly appeared on a memorial in the chapel that was knocked down around 1980 although I'm not sure he was resident in Clayton at the time of the war. If his name appears on the Roll of Honour that would prove it was from Barnes Square Wesleyan.

Kingsley East his name is on a bronze plaque in Oakenshaw Chapel. That was the report in the Observer. There was also a portrate of him unveiled in the school. His address is given as Park View Clayton.
His name is on the R-O-H which I have a photograph of, the one that was recently removed from the chapel that was recently closed. The bronze plaque has also been removed.

[smobile]

There is a memorial in the Park View WMC in Clayton listing the names and addresses of members of that club who died in WW1. Sadly it's quite a long list - makes me stop and think whenever I visit the club.

So many young men, all from one Working Men's Club. So Sad.

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by smobile

There is a memorial in the Park View WMC in Clayton listing the names and addresses of members of that club who died in WW1. Sadly it's quite a long list - makes me stop and think whenever I visit the club.

So many young men, all from one Working Men's Club. So Sad.

Does any one know what the telephone No. is or when they are open so that I can photograph the memorial, I can't find any reference to it in Accy Library, it looks like one that Bill Turner & I missed.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Retlaw

Does any one know what the telephone No. is or when they are open so that I can photograph the memorial, I can't find any reference to it in Accy Library, it looks like one that Bill Turner & I missed.

Have P.M.D yeh.

[Bob Dobson]

Retlaw beat me to it. A pal of mine is Mike Coyle, who is North of England officer for War Memorials/ Rolls of Honour listing. He has told me that he is not aware of it. I will PM Retlaw with a view to getting this onto the official record. You've to get up early in the day to get one o'er on Retlaw I hope he will tell us about the names of the lads on it.

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by Bob Dobson

Retlaw beat me to it. A pal of mine is Mike Coyle, who is North of England officer for War Memorials/ Rolls of Honour listing. He has told me that he is not aware of it. I will PM Retlaw with a view to getting this onto the official record. You've to get up early in the day to get one o'er on Retlaw I hope he will tell us about the names of the lads on it.

I don't think your mate has 1/10th of Greater Accringtons Rolls of Honour, attached is a list of some of the sources found during my research.
Can't say I've heard of any working mens clubs outside Acc until the Park View name was mentioned.

[smobile]

I am pleased that this is going to be noted and recorded for future generations to be able to remember these men.

The club has struggled over recent years and i was worried it may have ended up in some builders skip at some point in the future.

At least if it's documented, then it's part of the way to being kept safe.

Thank you.

[Bob Dobson]

Retlaw may well be right that my pal, Mike Coyle, who contributes to the national war memorials website, does not have all the available information on Accrington's WMs/RoHs. I shall visit the club and take photos for him. He does not keep the information for private use. It seems a pity that our information is not available alongside that of other towns.