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Youdy

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I’m looking for some information on a church that was in attercliffe Sheffield in 1959 it’s was on woodbourn road apparently anything could help me 

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2 hours ago, Youdy said:

I’m looking for some information on a church that was in attercliffe Sheffield in 1959 it’s was on woodbourn road apparently anything could help me 

Hi Youdy, syrup is right, it was the Wesleyan Reform Church with a Sunday School at the back leading on to Chelmsford Street.

If you would like to look at a photo which may be of interest, go to:-

PICTURE SHEFFIELD  --  type in the search box top right  s03723  --  title 'Helping needy during Coal Strike'              

                                                                                                                   ok Heartshome.

Edit: link added, (SHB).

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The church originated about 1889 in a house in Rippon street, Mr William Brookes J.P. and engineers tool manufacturer, of Woodbourn House, conducting the services. Later an iron building was erected, but an increasing congregation required more permanent premises.

At 3 p.m. Saturday 12th September 1903 the foundation stone for the new church was laid. The previous Sunday Rev. W.A.Wright (the Canadian Evangelist), had conducted two initial services for the church at the Alhambra Theatre, with 1300 people present for the evening one. Rev. Wright took over pastoral oversight of the church in 1905.

17th January 1907 Rev W.A. Wright , minister of the Woodbourn Road Wesleyan Reform Church preached his farewell sermon at Darnall Public Hall, having been hounded out of office by some of the church's officials including Mr Brookes, who disagreed with him discussing social problems in his sermons. He left to carry out Mission work in Northamptonshire.

July 1921 Evangelists connected with the church were conducting open air meetings with men and women on their knees in the street praying, 200 converts were claimed, amongst them numerous "reformed characters".

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36 minutes ago, Heartshome said:

Hi Youdy, syrup is right, it was the Wesleyan Reform Church with a Sunday School at the back leading on to Chelmsford Street.

If you would like to look at a photo which may be of interest, go to:-

PICTURE SHEFFIELD  --  type in the search box top right  s03723  --  title 'Helping needy during Coal Strike'              

                                                                                                                   ok Heartshome.

Edit: link added, (SHB).

The Darnall Relief Committee was organised on the evening of Saturday 30th March 1912. By the following Tuesday every house in Darnall had been visited. Different approaches were taken in the various areas - in the St Albans area it was bread distribution, but central Darnall opened four soup kitchens, 900 tickets (for a pint of soup) were distributed on the Sunday. The Wesleyan School distributed 200 pints, each recipient also being given a small loaf.

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Are these what people receive from the church could this have been the church on Woodbourn road ???

they are from some of my great grandparents 

B189DBE3-F82A-463A-852A-DB52CC168545.jpeg

41C39F4E-9F24-45D9-BA77-75D4086676F4.jpeg

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The Quarterly Tickets of Membership were standard across the church - there are tickets from the USA that have the same verses for the quarter. All members of the Methodist church had their names entered in a class book (relating to the weekly Class Meeting), were put under the pastoral care of a class leader, and received a quarterly ticket of membership.  John Wesley seems to have issued tickets from 1742  more details here: Methodist Class Tickets

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I think the attribution  on Picture Sheffield to the photo being of a Wesleyan Reform church is incorrect as the WR church was on Bodmin Street  (not a long way from Woodbourn Rd). Also Class Tickets issued by WR churches were different to the Wesleyan Methodist ones shown. I went to Grimesrhorpe WR church for many years  & that  closed September last year. I suspect Woodbourn Rd was Wesleyan Methodist but cant find any confirmation of that on the Sheffield Archives list of non-denominational churches.

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8 hours ago, johnm said:

I think the attribution  on Picture Sheffield to the photo being of a Wesleyan Reform church is incorrect as the WR church was on Bodmin Street  (not a long way from Woodbourn Rd). Also Class Tickets issued by WR churches were different to the Wesleyan Methodist ones shown. I went to Grimesrhorpe WR church for many years  & that  closed September last year. I suspect Woodbourn Rd was Wesleyan Methodist but cant find any confirmation of that on the Sheffield Archives list of non-denominational churches.

The 1925 Kelly's directory lists a "Wesleyan Reform Chapel" between numbers 93 and 119 Woodbourn Road.
The 1957 Kelly's  lists a "Methodist Church" between numbers 93 and 119 Woodbourn Road.


Not saying the above is correct, as directories are not always 100 % accurate.

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The Wesleyan Reform Union (WRU) remained an independent church and did not join in the Methodist Union of 1932.  Don't confuse the WRU with the Wesleyan Methodist Church which was the major part of the union which created the modern Methodist Church.

The key point of difference between the WRU and the Methodists is that local WRU churches have full local autonomy.  It would be possible for a Wesleyan Reform Chapel to take itself into the Methodist Church, but I have no information about Attercliffe WRC.

 

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The Independents 20th November  1881 census of Sheffield churches shows the Attercliffe WR church (doesn't show exact street location  but it was definitely Bodmin St)  had a seating capacity of 300, with attendance of 114 at morning service & 176 at evening service. The same survey shows a Wesleyan Methodist church  at Attercliffe  (again no street location); it had seating for  450,  241 at  morning service & 236 at evening service. Maybe this was Woodbourne Rd ? There was also a Primitive Methodist church at Attercliffe Common but this could not be Woodbourne Rd. 

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 I decided to check local newspaper entries to see if its possible to  clarify Woodbourne Rd church.  The results can be seen below.  Unfortunately they don't make it any clearer as Woodbourne Rd is nearly always stated to be Wesleyan Reform . My family were very much involved in Wesleyan Reform & I have spent a lot of time over past 20 years researching the Sheffield Circuit of chapels , 2 of these are in Attercliffe at Surbiton St & Orchard St but none on Woodbourne Rd. In one in  1925 the Minister is Rev E Bromage who was Minister at Bodmin St as can be seem from the 1934 article about his retirement from Bodmin St. So I can only assume that they were both WR churches but Woodbourne Rd probably changed its allegiance (possibly 1933 when they did large extensions) or when it closed possibly before 1950

Here are the detailed newspaper articles :

Sheffield  Woodbourne rd

19 feb 1909

WOODBOURNE ROAD WESLEYANS Last night a concert was given in the schoolroom of the Woodbourn Road Wesleyan Reform Church. Mr. W. Maltby Wilkinson occupied the chair, and the artists were: Miss Doris Wolstenholme soprano (Millhouses), Miss Clarice Simpson, contralto; Mr. W. Eyre, tenor (Chesterfield), Mr. A. Farnsworth, bass (choirmaster, Church), Miss Doris Perkins, pianist (Dore); Miss Jessie Atkins, elocutionist (Nether Edge), and Miss Amy Atkins, A.T.C.L. (accompanist). Mr, O. E. Smith gave sketches in black and white.

 

25 oct 1921

Large congregations attended the Band of Hope anniversary in connection with the Woodbourne Road Wesleyan Reform Church, Sheffield. Mr. C. E. Stembridge preached on Sunday morning, the Rev. E. Nicholas in the afternoon, and Councillor T. Tomlinson in' the evening. Last night the special preacher was the Rev. Dawson Parsons (Vicar of St. James'). and hymns and anthems were given by the choir. The collections totalled £9 6s. 5d,

 

23 sep 1925

The funeral of the wife of Mr. William Brookes. J.P., of Sheffield, will at Burngreave Cemetery this afternoon, preceded a service the 'Woodbourne Road Wesleyan Church, conducted the Rev. E. Bromage, assisted Mr. J. H. Freeboough & the Rev. E. Metcalfe (Wesleyan Union General Secretary).

11 may 1931

LORD MAYOR IN PULPIT. The Mayor of Sheffield (Alderman Harold W. Jackson), in a sermon at Woodbourne Road Wesleyan Reform Church yesterday morning, said that if we were not careful the country would be pagan in three generations. The occasion was the anniversary of the Sunday School, and the Lord Mayor said the world’s happiness depended upon the boys and girls of to-aay- Councillor Luther Milner addressed the scholars the afternoon, and in the evening Mr- Kdgar Butterfield, president of the Sheffield circuit, conduct'd the service- There were large congregations.

 

10 jan 1933

Woodbourn Road Extensions . At Attercliffe the Church secretary (Mr. Parkin), to mark his 25 years office, has launched a 2.000 shilling fund for the reduction of the church debt. Woodbourn Rd Church, where Mr. W. Brookes is president, has several hundred pounds in hand towards a large extension scheme which, when carried out, will complete a fine block of church properly.

 

 

Sheffield Bodmin St

1 sep 1903

The marriage took place on Saturday afternoon at the Wesleyan Reform Chapel, Bodmin Street, Atteroliffe. in the presence of a large and fashionable congrogation, of Mr. Anthony Morris, youngest son of the Re  James Morris, of Steade Road, Sharrow and Miss Frances Evelyn Barraclough, only daughter of Mr. Edmund Barraclough, of Attercliffe Road. The Rev. E. Bromage, assisted by the Rev. James Morris (father of the bridegroom) officiated. The bridesmaids were Miss F. K. Wain, Bakewell, and Miss G. Chapman, Atterchffe. with Mr. Albert Morris and Mr. S. H. Chapman as groomsmen.

18 sep 1933

At Bodmin Street Wesleyan Reform Church Attercliffe, the  Harvest Festival  service was held

 

18 Aug 1934

 Bodmin Street Wesleyan  Reform Cburch. Sheffield . One of the best-remembered names in connection with Bodmin Street Wesleyan Reform Church, Attercliffe, is that the late Rev. E. Bromage. The present church was built 1891 on the site of an earlier building erected about 80  years ago. Eight years after the new church was opened the Rev. E. Bromage was invited to become minister, and he remained at the church tor 12 years. Nearly 12 years later, after period during which the church had been without minister, Mr. Bromage returned and served for further seven years. He retired in 1929 & the church members unanimously granted him a retiring allowance. He died last December, and the crowded congregation at his funeral service was eloquent testimony of the esteem in which had been held in the district. At the present time, the is church is without a stationed minister, but it is ably served each Sunday by local preachers. Among young people valuable work the Wesleyan Reform Church, Sheffield. is being done by the Sunday School, the Christian Endeavour meetings, and the Boys’ Brigade company, which was started years ago by the late Captain Foster. The church president is Mr. G. Ancliffe, and the other officials are Messrs. A. Parkin and Ward (joint secretaries), Mr, G. Mini (treasurer), Mr. H. Hill (choirmaster), and Mr. W. Smith (organist). The Sunday School superintendents are Messrs. W. Ward and A. Parkin, with Mr. Hill as secretary and Mr. T. Lepson treasurer. The Boys' Brigade captain is Mr. Haywood.

23 Feb 1950

Lord Mayor of Sheffield and Lady Mayoress visit Wesleyan Reform Circuit's 'At Home’ at Bodmin Street Church.

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Here are extracts from Kellys Directories for Woodbourn Road in 1933, 1957 and 1969.  1933 states Wesleyan Reform Church, 1957 and 1969 state Methodist Church

1602690587_Kellys1933Woodbourn.png.66c8fcafa824284fc1fa1d4b6bf217d1.png

1945510040_Kellys1957Woodbourn.png.345cfc544a192bdbbff75b34e4871289.png

344182030_Kellys1969Woodbourn.png.9d3d0903969dba6430a0850edb303b06.png

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The Kellys street data tends to confirm my theory that Woodbourne Rd chapel changed from Wesleyan Reform to Methodist  around 1950

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 Sheffield Local Register 1904 :    2nd April,  Woodbourn Road Wesleyan Reform Church :  New building opened.

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Is this it?  If it is, then by the seventies it was being used as a Sunday School.  I remember we got permission to use it when our Silver Jubilee party was washed out in 1977.  I think it was demolished in 1981.  There was another entrance on Chelmsford Street round the back.  I recall it was only one story high on that side though as the ground dropped significantly down to Woodbourn Road.  If this is the one, the site was about 20 yards or so from where Woodbourn Road Supertram is now, on the stadium side of the road.

 

Paul

Woodbourn Rod Church.jpg

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1 hour ago, Mister Paul said:

Is this it?  If it is, then by the seventies it was being used as a Sunday School.  I remember we got permission to use it when our Silver Jubilee party was washed out in 1977.  I think it was demolished in 1981.  There was another entrance on Chelmsford Street round the back.  I recall it was only one story high on that side though as the ground dropped significantly down to Woodbourn Road.  If this is the one, the site was about 20 yards or so from where Woodbourn Road Supertram is now, on the stadium side of the road.

 

Paul

 

Photograph looks right and your description sounds like the correct location

Screenshot 2022-08-02 at 17-11-53 Side by side georeferenced maps viewer - Map images - National Library of Scotland.png

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=19&lat=53.38906&lon=-1.43462&layers=117746211&right=MapTiler

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