Sunday School, Penistone

SUNDAY SCHOOL BUILDING, PENISTONE, YORKSHIRE - Memorial stones have just been laid of a Sunday-school building at Penistone. Mr. J. W. Firth, of Oldham, is the architect. [Builder 23 February 1901 Page 195]

The Foundation stone was laid 'Sunday Last' (10th Feb).' One side would be on the main road and the other on a side street to an as-yet unnamed road (Shrewsbury Road). It was a grand stone-laying ceremony for a new Sunday School building to be built for this branch of Methodism. Proceedings were opened by Thurlstone Brass Band. The estimated building cost would be £1,500, including lighting, ventilation and heating and it was intended to be a Sunday School and place of weekly worship. A sealed bottle (Time Capsule) was also laid in a cavity over which the principal stone was laid. Its contents were: a 1900 coin of the realm; a current plan of the circuit; a programme of the ceremony; a lithograph of the building; a 'Penistone Express' newspaper; the Connexial magazine for January 1901; a ticket for the tea that day; the Queen's memorial card (Victoria had died on 22nd January); a description of the building and the names of the trustees. The building was of Cumberworth stone, Architect John W Firth of Oldham. It would have a basement kitchen and heat store with coke, and a kitchen hoist to the larger schoolroom. Toilets would be in a rear yard. A year on and the New Connexion project was doing well, with its adherents having arrived in Penistone from the Huddersfield direction. Advertised as 'Christ Church (Methodist New Connexion) Penistone' with 'Bright singing, solos and choruses' their Sunday evening services were well-attended and their main pastor, Rev F Townsend, was well-liked. He came to Penistone to support the project and stayed until 1903 before moving on. There is little evidence that the chapel had continued for long and it was not included as a place of worship in the 1914 Penistone Almanac. However, it was listed as a place of worship around the middle part of the twentieth century in another source, which was probably in error or listed thus until a new use could be found for the building. The building is now used as Penistone Clinic and much of its 'chapel' appearance has become obscured.

Reference    Builder 23 February 1901 Page 195 - laying of foundation stone
Reference    Penistone Express, Friday 15th Feb 1901