Accrington Pal's

mab · 11-06-2007, 22:32

What a shame that the Church of England has decided to close in stead of repair not just a place of worship but a church and chapal dedicated to the men of ACCRINGTON who gave everything....i for one as a councial tax payer of Hyndburn think in stead of hyndburn councial thinking of spending thousands of pounds on a name change,why not put the money to better use!! and pay for the rewiring repairs and buy the church for ACCRINGTON and let the pals have there home for ever.

Lilly · 12-06-2007, 15:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by mab

What a shame that the Church of England has decided to close in stead of repair not just a place of worship but a church and chapal dedicated to the men of ACCRINGTON who gave everything....i for one as a councial tax payer of Hyndburn think in stead of hyndburn councial thinking of spending thousands of pounds on a name change,why not put the money to better use!! and pay for the rewiring repairs and buy the church for ACCRINGTON and let the pals have there home for ever.

A lot of churches round here are in financial difficulty and a couple have already closed.This is due to falling numbers in the congregation,the older people dying and not enough younger people coming to replace them.The money they get in the weekly collections isn't enough and they are struggling.The church we are talking about is St John's in Accrington,isn't it? Do you attend regularly?The trouble is that some people do not want to go to church on a Sunday and make weekly donations but they still expect the church to be there for their weddings,christenings etc.Maybe if more people held St John's in such high regard and attended regularly it would not have had to close.It is a real shame that it's going to close but it's down to the people of each individual parish to support their church all year round to avoid their church suffering a similar fate.

WillowTheWhisp · 12-06-2007, 16:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by mab

What a shame that the Church of England has decided to close in stead of repair not just a place of worship but a church and chapal dedicated to the men of ACCRINGTON who gave everything....i for one as a councial tax payer of Hyndburn think in stead of hyndburn councial thinking of spending thousands of pounds on a name change,why not put the money to better use!! and pay for the rewiring repairs and buy the church for ACCRINGTON and let the pals have there home for ever.

I think it's an excellent idea. Why shouldn't this be a council project instead of the whole financial burden falling on the Church of England? If the chapel could be purchased and made non-denominational to belong to the whole of Accrington it would be brilliant.

It has been lovely having a memorial chapel and such a shame to lose it but I do not financially support it because I do not attend St. John's because a) I'm not C of E and b) even if I was I don't live in that parish.

But as a non-denominational memorial chapel for the Pals it would be something of historical heritage for the whole town and most of the people who have praised the name change to Accrington & District have brought up the subject of the Pals. Surely spending money on maintaining a memorial chapel in their honour is doing more for their memory than a token name change for the borough? It could even be promoted as a tasteful tourist attraction which could bring visitors to see it which is more than a disembodied name can do.

Lilly · 12-06-2007, 16:23

I agree that we should have a memorial to the pals in Accrington.

Neil · 12-06-2007, 16:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

Why shouldn't this be a council project instead of the whole financial burden falling on the Church of England?

Because the Council can't look after what they have already. Have you been in Ossy Civic Theatre recently? What about the many parks that are neglected by the Council? Many people including yourself complain about the state of the town centre and you want them to take on another building they would not look after.

Reading that back it looks like I am having a go at you Willow, I most certainly am not, sorry if you felt that I was.

WillowTheWhisp · 12-06-2007, 16:44

Nah I didn't take it that way Neil. You are right that the council don't maintain the things they already have but they still manage to find money to do things that aren't necessary.

Perhaps they could invite donations from 'friends of the Pals'? It would have to be properly administered though. Such a shame to lose this lovely chapel.

garinda · 12-06-2007, 16:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

What about the many parks that are neglected by the Council?

As Chairman of the Friends of Rhydding's Park, surely you're not disillusioned with the appalling state of the parks, and the council's inability to maintain them?

(I do so hope you are regretting putting your little 'X' next to Peter's name instead of Gayle's.)

It is sad when any church faces closure.

We must be a nation of heathens, compared with a hundred years ago.

I'd support any bid to retain church buildings, even if it was turned into a commercial concern. I can think of three demolished churches in Oswaldtwistle alone, and that's sad.

WillowTheWhisp · 12-06-2007, 17:08

I'd support it too so that's 2 of us for start - I'll let you be in charge G to prove I'm not a bossy only child

bullseyebarb · 12-06-2007, 17:52

How sad. I attended St. John's regularly in my youth. My great-grandparents were married there. My grandfather, an Army medic, was attached to the Pals and accompanied them to Egypt and the Western Front. The chapel, if nothing else, ought to be preserved. Is anyone going to start a fund for this? How much money is needed?

cashman · 12-06-2007, 18:53

i too went to st johns as a young un (we may have been at same time bullseye)think it is very sad if it bites the dust, agree though with others, it should be saved.

mab · 12-06-2007, 21:28

it should be saved.

[/quote] lets hope that someone from Hyndburns co are reading our views and a rescue package can be put together

jimmyjim · 13-06-2007, 10:05

interesting to read the comments about St Johns...my parents married in the church, I was a member of cubs/scouts/venture scouts... once a month at church parade it was packed... how the mighty have fallen... was reading an article earlier in the week that claimed the congrigations in the local (the whole of Lancashire) R.C. churches are increasing by the week.. mainly due to the influx of easten european workers..... pitty the church of England hasn't got the same facility....

magpie · 13-06-2007, 13:38

I lived in that area for over twenty three years .... never once did anyone from the church come calling: They were always re-building the roof, I personally did not find it a welcoming church:

In fact the only time we got to meet the vicar, was when our house was being done up and we put a sign in the window: for a joke

saying kebab and curry take away opening soon.... he must have had people asking ,then he came to see what was going on:

Maybe they could put the Pals memorial at St James in the town centre:

cashman · 13-06-2007, 22:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by magpie

I lived in that area for over twenty three years .... never once did anyone from the church come calling: They were always re-building the roof, I personally did not find it a welcoming church:

In fact the only time we got to meet the vicar, was when our house was being done up and we put a sign in the window: for a joke

saying kebab and curry take away opening soon.... he must have had people asking ,then he came to see what was going on:

Maybe they could put the Pals memorial at St James in the town centre:

wasn,t aware that vicars called around, priests yeh, especially if ya had ducked mass.

think the reason the Pals are associated with the church was summat todo with Mr Collinson,who was a teacher at the school, seem to remember vagely he had a lot todo with the memory of the Pals?

Neil · 14-06-2007, 05:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

I do so hope you are regretting putting your little 'X' next to Peter's name instead of Gayle's.

Not at all. The Area Council, Chaired by Cllr Britcliffe have been very helpfull and generous to the Park. I could write press releases for HBC to the Observer with statements like that.

If Gayle had become Councillor for St. Andrews, would she have been more or less useful to the Park than she is now, with her role as secretary of the friends?

Also if Peter had been kicked out by Gayle, would the new leader of the Council (Graham Jones in all probability), have been as interested in a park in Ossy as Peter currently is?