Christmastime in Sutton of 1899
It's been a very cold December so far this year in St.Helens and it was particularly cold 109 years ago with the reservoir off Gerards Lane frozen and so Sutton kids had fun skating and sliding on the ice. Just whether snow fell on Christmas Day in 1899, is not recorded but it was certainly a time of charity, tragedy and heroism.
It was a far less commercial time than today, with the church playing a much greater role in Sutton community life. The St.Helens Reporter's Boxing Day edition reported that a large congregation attended St.Nicholas Church in New Street on Christmas morning which was:
...most beautifully and artistically decorated for the Christmas festival by Mrs. Hughes, assisted by the Misses Parr and Mr. Thomas Burns, gardener at Sherdley Hall....the Rev. M. F. Binney, vicar, reading the lessons and taking the Communion Service. 
Every year Edith distributed the Sherdley Hall Christmas 'dole', which on Saturday 23rd December, 1899 was gratefully received by 80 senior citizens of Sutton. The Reporter revealed the contents of the dole in a second article:
The old people each got a bowl of soup, and bread and cheese, and ale or coffee. Each of them also received about 8 lbs of beef, a loaf, and 1s [shilling]. In the evening the following bands and choirs visited Sherdley Hall by arrangement: Nutgrove prize band, Sutton-road prize band, Sutton Parish Church choir, Thatto Heath Free Gospel Chapel choir, Sutton Free Gospel Chapel choir. They were entertained with refreshments, and went away considerably rejoiced by Captain Hughes' liberality. 
The Rev. M. F. Binney, who was mentioned in the first article, had the grand full name of Maximilian Frederick Breffit Binney and in 1898 had married Emily, a daughter of William Blinkhorn. On 23rd September, 1900, almost nine months to the day of his Christmas service, Emily gave birth to their son, Frederick George in Great Bookham, Surrey. He grew up to become a renowned explorer and writer who lived extensively in the Canadian Arctic and wrote The Eskimo Book of Knowledge and was knighted as Sir George Binney in 1941.
At all Christmas times, of course, some families do suffer terrible tragedies and that was certainly the case in the Highcock household at 28 Church Street, 'Pudding Bag'. Two-year-old Gertrude Highcock was burnt to death on Christmas eve when her nightdress caught fire whilst her father was taking a cup of tea to her mother. Hearing his daughter's screams, he ran down the stairs and quickly extinguished the flames, but the little girl had been severely burnt and died. As I said, it was a cold December and Gertrude probably strayed too close to the open hearth. An astonishing number of small children perished in this way in Victorian times in St.Helens. Incidentally, if you hadn't heard of a Church Street in Sutton, it was renamed Woodcock Street some five years later but sadly no longer exists.
St.Helens newspapers around this time were full of stories of the Transvaal War that was taking place in South Africa with many reports of local fundraising, although these days we refer to that conflict as the Boer War. However, perusing the newspapers of December 1899 I could find no eager anticipation of the forthcoming twentieth century. There were no references for the simple reason that it was celebrated a year later on January 1st, 1901. The year 1900 was considered to be the final nineteenth century year and 1901 the first of the twentieth century. And quite right too!
So that was a brief snapshot of Christmas life in Sutton from over a century ago where there was charity and heroism to gladden the heart but tragedy to remind us of the fragility of human life.
Historic Sutton Oak Welsh Chapel at Risk
Paul Jones, the dynamic Chairman of the Sutton Oak Welsh Chapel Preservation Society, has written to Sutton Beauty & Heritage appealing for the local community to object to these proposals:
We need urgent help!!!!!!!! Please help us Sutton. We must object to this. 1) We would lose light to the right hand side of the building. 2) It would shake the poor old building to bits, within its foundations. 3) It just would not look right whatsoever, with a new building towering over our Welsh chapel. It is just simply not plausible. We need the power of Sutton behind us to object to this insane proposal. SUTTON HELP US!!! 
A planning application outside the Sutton Oak Welsh Chapel
The Routledge Group who own the former Hays Chemical site nearby have already raised an objection with St.Helens Council's Planning Department on health and safety grounds claiming that there are hazardous substances still on the Hays site which could put the residents of this new development at risk. The Health and Safety Executive have already, apparently, advised against planning permission being granted and the Environment Agency have also objected.
However, it is still possible that the Council could give these plans the green light and so Paul Jones is calling a meeting at the Welsh Chapel on Saturday July 12th at 2.30pm to explain the proposals and how they will impact on the historic building. All are invited to attend.
The plans can be viewed here where you are also able to comment on the application and raise an objection.
Update 19/07/08 A second public meeting of local residents is being called for Saturday 9th August at 2.30pm. Local councillors are expected to be in attendance and the meeting will discuss a proposed protest march from Morrisons supermarket in Baxters Lane to the Welsh chapel.
Three Sutton Saints Set For Saint Helens
Attached to St.Anne and Blessed Dominic Church in Monastery Lane is a shrine to Dominic Barberi, Elizabeth Prout and Father Ignatious Spencer. Passionist priest Dominic Barberi was beatified by Pope Paul VI in 1963. Now a report in the Catholic Herald entitled 'Cause of nun who worked with Manchester poor makes progress' describes how a large file which details Elizabeth Prout's life of 'heroic virtue' is set to be passed onto the Vatican. A Mass will be held on June 29th celebrated by Archbishop Patrick Kelly of Liverpool which will conclude the local phase of the 'Cause', as it's known.
The Catholic Herald's article on the Cause of Elizabeth Prout - Click to read
The Catholic Herald's report of June 20th describes how Elizabeth Prout will be one of only four English men and women whose Causes for sainthood are being considered by the Vatican. One of them is Fr. Ignatius Spencer a relative of Winston Churchill and great-great-great uncle of Diana, Princess of Wales. His Cause for ultimate Canonisation was opened by Archbishop Derek Worlock of Liverpool in 1992. So half of the English Causes set for scrutiny by Rome have their mortal remains in Sutton! Plus Blessed Dominic, of course. You can read more about the trio of prospective Sutton saints at St.Anne & Blessed Dominic's Website.
F.W. Free in his fabulous book, Our Heritage in Sutton and Bold (1979) sums up the shrine far better than I ever could:
So here in a lovely shrine, especially built for the purpose, are the mortal remains of the son of an Italian farmer, the son of a noble English family and the daughter of a good Protestant family. Their lives may have ended, but their inspiration lives on in those around them and in others farther afield who make pilgrimages to this sacred shrine to gather the faith, courage and hope that sustained these faithful three who now rest with their Maker. It's 'Heaven' at the Chapel in Sutton Oak!
Pictured with Fitzmaurice's creation is Paul Jones, the energetic chairman of the Sutton Oak Welsh Chapel Preservation Society. With his partner Caroline Owen and a small team of volunteers, Paul has worked wonders in making badly needed improvements to the building that was constructed in 1845 from industrial waste. As previously reported here, the restoration is a work in progress with plenty more to do but great strides have been made.
Ten days ago there was an attempt to break into the building which was foiled by Paul having spent 15 years in the security industry. Although the front door to no.2 Lancots Lane was kicked in, the presence of alarms and CCTV deterred the unwanted visitors. "I was out of our front door and at the chapel in 2 minutes flat" says Paul after being tipped off about the break-in.
Last Saturday night (26th April) the chapel held its Titanic Night with the New Street Singers performing, which went down well (pun intended!). More badly needed funds were raised to help in the preservation of the historic building and Paul and Caroline have plenty more fund-raising ideas up their sleeves, including an extension of their refreshments service. The chapel has been open for visitors every Wednesday and Friday for a year or so now with teas and coffees served inside. Now tables and chairs have been obtained and soon visitors will be able to sit outside and enjoy their beverages whilst watching the Sutton Oak world go by. A bit like the street cafés of Amsterdam, if only a very little bit!
Plus Paul is close to finalising arrangements for the resumption of the Sunday services with a number of Welsh ministers all keen to conduct non-denominational services. As Paul says: "The Welsh are back again in our chapel - great!!!"
Chairman of Sutton Oak Welsh Chapel Preservation Society Paul Jones with Leo Fitzmaurice's mobile road sign 'Heaven'
Sutton Oak Welsh Chapel Visiting Hours:
Wednesday 10.30am - 4.30pm and Friday 9.30am - 4.30pm.
The Welsh Chapel Arts & Crafts Group meet every Friday at 6 - 8pm
UPDATE An article on the Chapel has been published in Whalley's World in today's St.Helens Star. Read it HERE.
CLICK AN IMAGE FOR A LARGER VIEW
It's Titanic Month at the Welsh Chapel
Inside they found evidence of inhabitation by drug users and vagrants, which took them a considerable amount of time to clean up. Since then the industrious pair, who are supported by a small team of volunteers, have reopened the chapel and have ambitious plans to preserve the building which dates back to 1845.
I was walking down Lancots Lane a couple of weeks ago and saw Paul, paint brush in hand, giving an exterior stone surround a good coating. Paul, who serves as chairman of the Sutton Oak Welsh Chapel Preservation Society, exudes a remarkable passion and enthusiasm for the Welsh Chapel and clearly enjoys talking about the building's history and his own family connection with the old church. Paul and his partner Caroline have created a wonderfully, friendly environment within the chapel which was built largely from industrial waste. There's an open house atmosphere with plenty of folk popping in for a cuppa, from police community support officers to workers at nearby factories.
Inside Sutton Oak Welsh chapel are the original yellow pine pews
There's plans to resume Sunday services in April. It's simply too cold to hold them in winter as there's no heating. A heritage lottery grant will be made before too long and it will be needed. There's plenty of work still to be done but what they've achieved so far is quite remarkable. In the meantime Paul is looking at other fundraising ventures, including a car washing service outside the chapel!
Paul tells me that he met Caroline in Manchester at a Titanic exhibition. Consequenty after last year's success, April is once again Titanic Month in Lancots Lane! All kinds of memorabilia connected to the ship and the 1997 film will be on show from Wednesday April 9th, including a glass-shaped dolphin necklace with jiblets of real coal from the actual ship. The New Street Singers have been pencilled in to perform at the Welsh Chapel again on April 26th. Eighty-five people turned up to hear them last year. They're expected to not just sing the hymns that were sung on board the Titanic shortly before it foundered, but they will also perform their own version of Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On.
Banner outside the Lancots Lane building - the dragon is back!
The chapel is currently open all day Wednesdays and Fridays. Why not drop in for a visit and cup of tea or coffee? You're guaranteed a warm welcome. Donations to their coffers are always welcome too!
Edit 22/3/08
The Sutton Oak Welsh Chapel Preservation Society are looking for volunteers to help out at their chapel, anytime on Wednesdays or Fridays. You can help by polishing the church pews, clearing up, gardening, brushing up or simply by meeting and greeting visitors or making a decent brew! Also the team are looking for help when their Sunday services start. Contact chairman Paul Jones on 07861117678 or by email.
CLICK AN IMAGE ABOVE FOR A SUTTON OAK WELSH CHAPEL PHOTO-ALBUM
(Point at each image for the 'Next' button)
Sutton Oak Welsh Chapel Update
March looks like being a busy month with the resumption of Sunday services conducted by a Welsh minister, plus visits are being planned from welsh choirs and harp players.
Chairman of the society, Paul Jones (pictured above), says that he's in discussion with the ministry team from Wales about holding other services - including funerals - at the old chapel. Paul writes: "I have had a Welsh minister coming to our little church, quite often to bless the building throughout, quite literally nearly every brick of our church."
Paul and his team are also organising welsh classes in the chapel, which will be open to members of the public to attend (details to follow). Improvements have been made to the building, with the sheds at the side of the church having been demolished and it will be widened up for visitors during the summer.
During January the church will be closed on Wednesdays for repairs and painting etc., but they will be open as normal on Fridays.
Sutton Oak Welsh Chapel in Lancots Lane, Sutton
Paul is also planning a "massive revivalist meeting" in the welsh chapel. He's inviting people from St.Helens who are Welsh, or descendants of Welsh families, to come forward. "We are tracing our history back with the chapel you see, they had a big Welsh meeting back in 1904" writes Paul.
Paul and his partner Caroline can be contacted on 07861117678 or 07975586018 or by email. Happy birthday to the Sutton Oak Welsh Chapel Society!
Sutton Oak Welsh Chapel Society Update
As previously mentioned in this blog, the chairman and editor of the Society is Paul Jones. Paul and his fiancée Caroline Owen, who serves as the Society’s secretary, have done much to reopen the building in Lancots Lane and are renowned locally as the couple who saved the last of the Welsh chapels. Paul tells me that the legal formalities of preserving the historic building for the future are expected to be completed later this year.
Paul also writes that the Society will be fully represented at the St.Helens Festival which, of course, is being held this weekend in Sherdley Park. Slideshows, memorabilia and information on the history of the Welsh chapel will be available for visitors to peruse.
Sutton Beauty has recently provided St.Helens Council’s marketing department with high resolution images
Sutton Oak Welsh Chapel Article
Paul has emailed me to say that the next meeting of the Society will be held on Wednesday February 7th at 2pm in the chapel itself, which will also be open to the public. A number of guests from Wales will be attending and a small buffet will be provided. Paul will be making a slide show presentation on the chapel which sounds interesting and I hope to be able to make it myself this time.
Sutton Oak Welsh Chapel Meeting
Mr. Jones writes that the chapel in Lancots Lane has been closed for 2 years and the building has subsequently fallen into disrepair. However, over the next few weeks dedicated members of the Society will be cleaning and repairing the chapel with the intention of holding their committee and public meetings there in February. Church services will resume soon afterwards.
The listed building has some history as it is one of only two structures in St Helens that were made from industrial waste, having been built c.1845. The Society have created their own website which I've added to the links section of Sutton Beauty. I walk past the building regularly and it will be great to see it being used again.
The Welsh Chapel in Lancots Lane, Sutton Oak
