CHAPTER XIII .

atonconrormifp in (R.ochdafc.

ANCASHIRE, in the time of Queen Elizabeth, was one of the most catholic counties in England, and in the vicar (John Hampson) in 1561 was in all probability deprived of his living for recusancy . During the long vicariate of Richard Midgley Roman Catholicism appears to have rapidly died out in the parish and puritanism taken its place, the vicar (as also his successor) having strong sympathy with that party. The puritans of still continued to be churchmen . In 1646 Robert Bath, vicar of Rochdale, became a member of the second Presbyterian classis at Bury, and subsequently in every way allied himself to that party, so that in 16621 his conscience not allow- ing him to conform, he was ejected, and from that year we may date the rise of nonconformity in this parish. In the second classis, besides the vicar there were the following from Rochdale :-Edward Butterworth of Belfield, Esq . ; James of Healey, Esq. ; Robert Pares, gentleman ; John Scolfeld of Castleton, yeoman ; Emanuel Thompson, clothier, and Samuel Wylde, mercer.2 After his ejection Robert Bath is said to have preached in a secluded spot called Underhill, but subsequently he went to live at Deeplish Hill, where he gathered around him a few of his old con- gregation who thus formed the nucleus of the first dissenting body in Rochdale. The house for several centuries known as Deeplish or Deepleach Hill was never a place of much importance, neither was it (as some have described it) a small cottage . In 1 554 " Depelayche- hyll " was leased to and in the occupation of Edward Brerelye and Isabel his wife, and Robert Holt of Stublye, by his will (dated that

'Zachary Taylor his curate was also ejected . 2 See Gravestone, p . 163.

NONCONFORMITY IN ROCHDALE . 251 year), left the reversion of it to Richard Holt, who no doubt eventually went to live there . In 1628 a child of Roger Holt of Deepleach Hill was buried at the parish church, and in 1640 was baptized Robert the son of Richard Holt of Deepelish Hill. Another of the family was John Holt of Deeplishill whose will was proved at Chester 1st February, I66o.1 In 1668 Robert Bath was here2 and remained until his death in 1674.3 Before entering upon the history of the various nonconformist chapels, it will be as well to look at the religious state of the various parts of the parish as recorded by bishop Gastrell in the year 1717 . In the town of Rochdale there were no papists and about two hundred dissenters (who had a meeting house) ; in Littleborough there were four dissenting families ; in Milnrow there were four Presbyterians and one quaker ; in twenty presbyterians, fifty and thirty anabaptists ; and in Whitworth there were nineteen Presbyterian families .4 BLACKWATER STREET CHAPEL . This chapel was built in 1717 on a plot of ground given by John Smithurst, yeoman, which was known as Colepitt Garden. On the 17th October in that year the building was registered in general terms as "a meeting place for an assembly of protestants dissenting from the ." There was however a meeting house in Roch- dale in 1672, and tradition says that it was at Lower Gates, and that the name Amen Corner was used in derision. [See Chap . XVI .] The exact date of the opening of this meeting house can be fixed to within a few months, from the diary of Oliver Heywood, who frequently visited Rochdale between 1666 and 1671, when he preached at the houses of Mathew Hallows and J . Hardman and at Chadwick Hall. On 17th September, 1671, he preached at Hardman's, but on Sunday, 7th July, 1672, he records that he was at " Ratchdale and preacht in their meeting house there" and that he "had a mighty auditory, much assistance [and] hopes of good ." In 169o the parish church registers record that James the son of Thomas Dawson had been "baptized at the meeting house," and about 1695 Celia Fiennes [see p. 8], having visited the town, writes "here

- He left 630 to his brother Richard . His wife Ann survived him . 2 Manor Roll, 1668. 3 In the next century James Royds, son of John Royds of Wardle, lived here. 4 Not . Cest .

252 HISTORY OF THE PARISH OF ROCHDALE .

I. went to an acquaintance, Mr. Taylor, and was civilly entertained. Here is a good large meeting place well filled. In these parts religion does better flourish than in places where they have better advantages ; here I observed the grounds were all enclosed with quick- setts cut smoothe and as even as one fine grown bank and as well kept as for a garden." Jane Whitworth, in her will dated 3rd January, 1704, left property for the preaching of lectures in this meet- ing house. The old chapel was enlarged in 1752 and continued in use until 1856 when the present building was erected . Although originally a Presbyterian place of worship, in the course of time it gradually became the recognized chapel of the Unitarians .

THE MINISTERS OF BLACKWATER STREET CHAPEL. HENRY PENDLEBURY was born at Jokin in the parish of Bury 6th May, 1626 ; he took an M.A. degree at Christ church, Cambridge. His first sermon was preached at Ashworth chapel on 16th August, 1648 . In October, 165o, he was "invested in the ministerial office" by Robert Bath, Tobias Furness, and other puritan divines ; he was afterwards suc- cessively minister of Horwich near Bolton and Holcombe in the parish of Bury, from the latter place he was ejected in 1662 and for some years led a wandering life. , The exact date of his becoming "the minister of the gospel at Rochdale" is unknown, but it was probably on the opening of the first meeting house . He died 18th June, 1695, in his seventieth year, nd was interred in the churchyard of Bury,2 where there was formerly a tombstone to his memory . Henry Pendlebury was a man of considerable learning and ability. He was the author of the following works, only one of which was published during his life

"A Plain Representation of the Transubstantiation as it is received in the Church of Rome, &c ." London, 1687 ,' " Invisible Realities the real Christian's greatest Concernment," &c. London, 1696. [On the title page the author is called "Late minister of the gospel at Rochdale ."] "The Barren Fig Tree," &c. London, 1700 . "Sacrificium Missaticum, Mysterium Iniquitatis ; or, a Treatise concerning the Sacrifice of the Mass." London, 1768. "Sermons by Henry Pendlebury of Rochdale," 1711 . "The Book opened," &c. London, 1811 .

' ' It is said that the Bass Lane chapel in Bury was built for him in 1664. Sacrificium Missaticum. s Published anonymously under the direction of Archbishop Tillotson .

NONCONFORMITY IN ROCHDALE. 253

JOSEPH DAWSON was one of the four sons , of the Rev. Joseph Dawson, who was ejected from Thornton chapel near Halifax ; he was ordained for the ministry at Rauthmell in Yorkshire, 7th June, 1693 .2 He married a daughter of the Rev . Thomas Dixon, an ejected minister from K elloe in Durham. For a short time he was minister at Hartforth near Richmond in Yorkshire, from whence he came in 1698 or 1699 to Roch- dale, where he remained until his death on 15th April, 1739 . Oliver Heywood calls him a "very worthy good man," and adds that he had preached at Rochdale for forty year . One of his daughters married the Rev. Richard Scholefield of Whitworth [see Hall Fold chapel] . JOSIAH OWEN 3 is believed to have been a grandson of John Owen of Abernaut near Carmarthen, in North Wales, and nephew to Dr. Charles Owen of Warrington, whose funeral sermon he preached on 23rd Febru- ary, 1745-6, and which he dedicated to his "much honoured cousins" the children of the deceased . Charles Owen was one of nine children, all of whom were dissenters ; he was the biographer of his brother, James Owen, "minister of the gospel in Salop," who died in 1706, and who possibly was the father of Josiah Owen.4 The first appointment of Josiah Owen was to Bridgenorth, which he resigned in 1735 ; he was afterwards minister of Walsall and Stone in Staffordshire, and in or about 174o he came to Rochdale, where he appears to have plunged into the party turmoil then raging in Manchester and district, and to have become a recognised leader of the Whigs. His controversy with Thomas Deacon and John Byrom is well known ; his attack on the religious teaching of the former in "A Letter to the Master-Tool [Byrom] of the Faction at Manchester," was at once witty and vigorous, and a well-deserved rejoinder to Byrom's "Epistle to a Friend," in which he had the following allusion to Owen "Leave to the low-bred O-ns of the age Sense to belye and loyally to rage ; Wit to make treason of each cry and chat, And eyes to see false worship in a hat."

This reference to the hat is explained by a note in one of Owen's sermons, in which (quoting from the "Manchester Weekly Magazine,"

' All of whom were ministers. - Christian Reformer, xii ., 354- 3 It has been stated that Richard Scholefield succeeded Dawson . This is not so-he was at Whitworth . (See Hall Fold chapel .] I Account of the Life and Writings of Mr . James Owen . London, 17og .

254 HISTORY OF THE PARISH OF ROCHDALE .

23rd September, 1746) he says that Dr. Deacon and some of his con- gregation had been seen to take off their hats and make a bow, "with great reverence," on passing the Manchester Exchange, where the heads of certain rebels had been fixed . Owen again refers to this in his ser- mon preached at Rochdale on the thanksgiving day after the rebellion ; he writes, "It is one of my principles that showing religious honours to rebels' skulls is false worship in the christian sense, but true nonjuring and Jacobite devotion ." Another of his sermons, entitled "National Gratitude," was preached "to a Society of Protestant Dissenters at Roch- dale, November 5th, 1742 ." In this, after exhorting his hearers to submit to the authorities, he urges them not to "be forward to censure measures wherewith you have no proper opportunities of being acquainted, for," he adds, "the most ignorant are the most forward to censure. The most blind are the most bold, and think it easier to govern kingdoms than they find it to be to govern their own tongues . Wou'd it not lead a stranger to imagine that we were a nation of privy counsellors and patriots, that we were born statesmen and sucked in politics from our nurses ." Josiah Owen died in December, 1752. Of his personal history nothing is known . He was the author of the following "National Gratitude," &c., a Sermon preached at Rochdale 5th November, 1 742 . Manchester, 1742, "The Song of Deborah apply'd to the Battle of Dettingen ." London, 1753 . "The Christian's Conflict and Crown," a Sermon preached at Warrington . [On death of Rev . Charles Owen, D.D .] "The End of all Perfection, a Sermon preach'd at Rochdale June 29th, 1746, on occasion of the most lamented death of Mr . James Hardman ." London, 1741 . "All is well ; or, the Defeat of the late Rebellion, a Sermon preach'd at Rochdale October 9th [1746] ." London, 1746 . "Remarks on Two Charges deliver'd by Dr . Smallbroke, late Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry ." Second edition, 1759 . "The Difficulties and Discouragements that attend the Dissenting Ministry ." "Jacobite and Nonjuring Principles freely examined, in a Letter to the Master-Tool of the Faction at Manchester." Manchester, 1748. "Dr. Deacon try'd before his own Tribunal ; or, an Examination of the several Facts deny'd by him in the Gentleman's Magazine ." London, 1748 .

THOMAS HOPKINS succeeded Josiah Owen ; he was only here a short time ; he died 9th August, 1754, and was buried in the south aisle of the chapel. Before coming to Rochdale he was at Middlewich and Northwich in Cheshire . , 'Christian Reformer, xii., 355 .

NONCONFORMITY IN ROCHDALE. 2 55

R. BOLTON followed Mr. Hopkins but we have not been able to obtain any information about him except that he died at Rochdale in 1772. WILLIAM HASSALL came to the chapel, when quite a young man, in 1773. He only retained the charge until 1776, when he retired and opened a school in the town. In 179o he purchased Balderstone Hall [see Chap. XVI .], which he utilised as a boarding school. He died 6th February, 1829. WILLIAM COOK was here from 1776 to 1778. He came from Preston and after leaving Rochdale went to London. THOMAS THRELKELD was born 12th April, 1739, at Halifax, where his father was a presbyterian minister. His first ministry was at Risley near Warrington, where he married Miss Martha Wright. In 1778 he removed to Rochdale, where, after twenty-eight years of ministerial work, he died, 6th April, 1806, and was buried in his chapel near the pulpit • stairs. , His funeral sermon was preached by the Rev . Thomas Barnes, D .D., fellow of the American Philosophical Society.2 Mr. Threlkeld, in addition to being a linguist with a knowledge of nine or ten languages, was remarkable for his wonderful memory. Dr. Barnes says that "his mind appeared to be divided and fitted up like a shop furnished with shelves and drawers for every different kind of article, so that every new article was referred to its own place and so joined with those which stood there before, and the whole row presented itself at once like soldiers drawn up in line." His taste seems to have been omnivorous, but chronology, history, heraldry, genealogy, biblical know- • ledge and the study of languages were his chief delights ; he is said to • have been a living concordance. He was of a most retiring disposition, • and so short-sighted that he dare not ride on horseback because from • the saddle he could not see the ground . It is somewhat remarkable • that notwithstanding all his requirements he invariably read his sermons .3 WILLIAM MARSHALL from Loughborough was the next minister. He remained from i8o6 to i8ro. RICHARD ASTLEY was born in 1785 and came to this chapel in i8io. He only stayed two years and then went to Halifax . (1813, • there was no minister here.) Formerly there was an inscribed stone to his memory . • ' Published 18o6. From this the above details are taken. • 3 See Local Notes and Queries, Manchester Guardian, 27th April, 1874,

256 HISTORY OF THE PARISH OF ROCHDALE.

GILBERT ELLIOTT officiated from 1814 to 1826 when he removed to Prescot, where he died. Whilst at Rochdale he lived at Oakenrod Hall. FRANKLIN HOWARTH held the appointment in or about the year 1826. His trinitarian views not suiting the congregation he resigned in 1832 and was afterwards minister of the Silver street chapel, Bury . GEORGE HEAVYSIDE was minister from 1832 to the time of his death in 1840. He was buried in the chapel yard . GEORGE WINCHESTER PHILP, 1840 to 1842 . He also became a trinitarian. Dr. Molesworth (the vicar) made his baptism the subject of a sermon . WILLIAM SMITH was appointed in 1843 and remained until 1859 . During his ministry the present chapel was built. He was succeeded by P. C. CLAYDEN who only remained a few months . S. F. MACDONALD was appointed in 186o and died in 1862 . JAMES PILLARS was minister in 1863 . In 1864 he went to Sydney, New South Wales, where he died in 1875. T. H. SMITH followed Mr. Pillars in 1864. He resigned in 1866 and went to Halifax ; he died in 1873. The REV. THOMAS CARTER is the present minister .

UNITARIAN CHAPEL (CLOVER STREET) . This congregation arose from a secession from High street chapel . [See p. 260.] It was built in 1818 but it was not until 1862 that a settled minister Was appointed to it in the person of the Rev . James Briggs. Before he came the services were conducted gratuitously.

UNITARIANS IN TODMORDEN . Richard Wright, the Unitarian missionary, claims to have originated an Unitarian Society here in 1818 . He records in his diary that he visited Todmorden in that year and that people came a distance of twelve or fourteen miles to hear him. He was heard, he adds, "by people scattered over a tract of country of not less than three hundred square miles ." Before the advent of Mr . Wright however the Rev . Joseph Cooke of Rochdale had induced a number of methodists

NONCONFORMITY IN ROCHDALE. 257 to leave that body, and they became known as "methodist unitarians ." I At the annual association meeting of the " methodist unitarians," held 4th June, 1819, Mr. Taylor of Rochdale gave an account of the work done in Todmorden, and it was decided to hold the next meeting of the association in that place. On Whit-Sunday, 6th June, 1824, a chapel capable of seating four hundred persons was opened . This building is on the Yorkshire side of Todmorden . Since the erection of the handsome Unitarian Church (in 1869) by Messrs . Fielden the old chapel (which has a graveyard attached) has been made into a Sunday school.

UNION STREET WESLEYAN CHAPEL. was introduced into Rochdale by John Bennet of Derbyshire, who reported on 7th March, 1746-7, that he had been to the town several times and had "begun a little society there ." The inhabitants were "in alarm," but although there was a prospect of much opposition "the word was gladly received and multitudes flocked to hear him ." 2 In 1747, William Grimshaw, then curate of Haworth, also visited this society.3 The place of meeting was at widow \Vhittaker's where in the spring of 1749 Christopher Hopper preached to "as many as the house could contain, they were turbulent enough but we were not afraid." 4 To stir up this little band John Bennet requested Wesley to pay a visit to Rochdale which he did on the i8th October, 1749 ; the two rode into the town where they found an excited crowd lining the streets, and they were met with "shouting, cursing, blasphem- ing and gnashing of teeth." Finding it impossible "to preach abroad" Wesley went into a large room open to the street and called aloud, "Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts ." The sermon it appears had good effect, for the diary goes on, "the word of God prevailed over the fierceness of man, none opposed or interrupted, and there was a very remarkable change in the behaviour of the people as we afterwards went into the town." They went on to Bolton and on entering the street there they "perceived that the lions at Rochdale were lambs in comparison of those at Bolton ."5

' The Wesleyan Methodists held regular services in 1817, at Whitworth, Lanehead, Lowerplace, and at "Nacks," or Kithooth. 2 Wesleyan Mag., 1778, p. 472. 3 Grinishaw's Letters. 4 Memoir of C. Hopper, p. 24. 5 J. Wesley's Works, 3rd Edit ., ii., 163- 33

258 HISTORY OF TILE PARISH OF ROCHDALE.

Wesley does not appear to have visited Rochdale again until 3rd April, 1752, when he went to Bank House. [See Chap. XIX.] Matthew Mayer of Portwood Hall near Stockport, about 1770, established a small society at Buersill, where William Grimshaw, R . Clegg, Christo- pher Hopper and others preached. I Two of the earliest meeting places of the society in Rochdale are said to have been a large room in a warehouse near the site of the present Town Hall and a house in Temple Court, off Blackwater street, but the evidence as to the latter place is not clear .2 It is however certain that in 1770 a methodist chapel was erected in Toad Lane, where on 29th April in that year, John Wesley preached . In his diary he calls it "the new preaching house at Rochdale ." Wesley after this came several times to the town and on 23rd April, 1788, he re- cords that he had a "lively congregation at Rochdale . Formerly we had much trouble here, but it is past, and they now hold the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace ." The Toad Lane Chapel, about 1793 was sold to be used as a theatre, after considerable opposition from the Rev. Adam Clarke, who on being told that if the trustees did not sell the building a theatre would be erected opposite the chapel replied, "Then I'll set up my God against their devil ." 3 This theatre was pulled down in 1865 and on the site of it was erected the central Co-operative Stores. On the 23rd May, 1793, a chapel in Union street was opened, and this was used until 1825, when it was pulled down and the present building took its place . Up to the year 177o Rochdale was included in the Keighley circuit ; from that year to 1795 it belonged to the Manchester circuit . From this date to 18oo the following were the Rochdale preachers :- 1795 John Gaulter, born at Chester in 1765, he died in 1839, in his seventy- fourth year ; and John Denton . 1796, John Gaulter and Robert Miller, the latter was born at Rugby and died at Darlington in 1829 . 1797, John Gaulter and Thomas Wood ; the latter had a master of arts university degree. 1798, William Myles an Irishman : he died in 1828 aged seventy ; and William Hansworth. 1799, William Myles and Jonathan Crowther.4

' Methodism in Rossendale, W . Jessop, p. r66. 'Robertson's Guide to Rochdale, p . 152. 3 Do. 11 11 p. t68 . 4 Chronicles of Methodism, by John Stephens, ii ., 182 .

NONCONFORMITY IN ROCHDALE . 2 59

In 1782 James Hamilton, a tin-plate worker, commenced a small Sunday school in a room over his workshop in White Beaver Yard. This was afterwards removed to a room over a shop in the Market Place, and again to a larger one in Temple Court, Blackwater Street . The scholars were taken on Sundays in turns to the Blackwater Chapel, St. Mary's Chapel (Baum), and to the Wesleyan Chapel. When Union Street Chapel was built this school was transferred to it, and there a Sunday school has been conducted to the present day . , There are now a large number of Wesleyan chapels in the parish.

BAILLIE STREET CHAPEL . This chapel is one of the largest in the parish. It was opened 8th January, 1837, the congregation being at that time composed of seceders from the Union Street Chapel. It now belongs to the United Methodist Free Church .

MILTON CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH . In 1852, owing to a dispute as to the choice of a minister for Providence Chapel (High Street) a secession took place and the result was the erection of this handsome chapel, which was opened in 1855 .

METHODISM IN TODMORDEN. Methodism was first preached in this district by William Darney, a Scotchman, who preached at Gawksholme in 1744, and in May of the same year he formed there a "class," consisting of ten persons, which subsequently become known as "William Darney's Society,"2 and this society the Rev . William Grimshaw visited in 1746,3 and appears to have materially assisted in the work which Darney had begun . John Wesley, in his journal under 1st May, 1747, records that after preaching at Shore he "climbed up to Todmorden Edge, the brow of a long chain of mountains, where I called a serious people 'to repent and believe the gospel .'" In May, 1753, he again preached at Todmorden, when " the people stood

'-Hist. of Wesleyan Methodist School, J . Bampton Maltby, p. 6 . It has been asserted that this school did not become a Wesleyan school until 1835 . The Wesleyans on the other hand maintain that their school was established in 1784 . - Methodism in Rossendale . 3 Grimshaw's Letters . 260 HIsToRY OF THE PARISH OF ROCHDALE.

row above row on the side of the mountain . They were rough enough in outward appearance, but their hearts were as melting as wax ." After this the followers of Wesley met from time to time in each other's houses until their first chapel (at Doghouse) was built in 1783 . One of the classes met at Scaitcliffe, John Crossley being its leader . In 1827 the congre- gation removed from Doghouse to the new chapel in York Street . In 1784 and again in 1786 Wesley preached in Todmorden Church . Until 1784 Todmorden was a station upon the Colne circuit, and was supplied with a preacher only about once in six weeks ; after this it was the head of a circuit. The following were the earliest ministers stationed at Todmorden in 1799, Robert Lomas ; James Townley, D.D., author of " Illustrations of Biblical Literature." i8oo, Robert Lomas ; William Leach. i8oi, Theophilus Lessey ; Edward Hare . 1802, Cleland Kirkpatrick ; John Chittle. 1803, Cleland Kirkpatrick ; Isaac Muff. , The Wesleyans have several large chapels in Todmorden .

THE INDEPENDENTs have several chapels in Todmorden ; the one at Patmos was originally built by the New Connexion Methodists in 1816, but transferred to the Independents in 1849 .

PROVIDENCE CHAPEL (HIGH STREET) . This chapel was built in i8o6 by a number of the friends of the Rev . Joseph Cooke, who had been expelled from the Wesleyan Methodist connexion on account of his religious views . Joseph Cooke was born near Dudley in Worcestershire. In 1795 he joined the Methodists, and in 18o3 was appointed to Rochdale ; during his ministry here he was admonished by the Conference and removed to Sunderland, and whilst he was there his friends in Rochdale published his two sermons on justifi- cation by faith, which ultimately led to his expulsion . A considerable number from Union Street took up his views and followed him to the new chapel, where he ministered until his death in 1811 .2 In his latter years he became almost a Unitarian . [See Clover Street Chapel .] In 1814 the building was sold, and it then became a Congregational Chapel . The following is a list of its ministers :-John Ely, 1814 to 1833 ; T. C. ' Chronicles of Methodism, Vol. ii., p . 216. ' lie was buried inside the chapel in front of the pulpit.

NONCONFORMITY IN ROCHDALE . 261

Carlisle, 1835 to 1837 ; David Hewitt, 1838 to 1850 ; William Spencer, 1852 to 18J7 ; George Snashall, B.A., 1858 to 1866 ; J . C. Mc.Cappin, 1867 to 1871 ; R. G. Williams, 1871 to 1884. The present minister is the Rev. R. Veitch, M .A.

THE BAPTIST CHAPEL (WEST STREET) . John Hirst, who was for forty-two years minister of the Baptist Church at Bacup, was a native of Rochdale, where he was born (in Blackwater Street) 29th August, 1736 ; he was brought up as a "card setter," and duly apprenticed to Scholfield of Spotland Bridge, where he was employed in the manufacture of woollen goods. For some time he occa- sionally preached as a Methodist, but in 1767 he joined the Baptists, and shortly afterwards he preached one Sunday a month at Deanhead in Walsden, and in 1772 he, the Rev . John Fawcett, and other Baptist ministers preached at Rochdale. Before this time the Baptists of the town and district were accustomed to attend the services at Bacup and Wainsgate. I On the 12th October, 1793, nine people were baptized in the River Roch, near the Orchard, in the presence of a large concourse of spec- tators. Mr. Hirst officiated, and the crowd was addressed by Messrs . Crabtree, Bamford, and Greenwood (" at proper distances from each other "), Mr. Greenwood standing on the bridge . After the speeches " many tongues were employed, some crying one thing some another ;" amongst other things it was said that Mr. Hirst received five shillings from each one he baptized. To set this report at rest a testimony was obtained, signed by the whole of the people who had been immersed ; their names were -Grace Butterworth, Jonathan Kershaw, James Law, Benjamin White- head, Abraham Broadbent, John Gartside, John Shaw, Susan Rhodes, and Susan Ogden.2 On 18th September, 1773, the Rochdale Baptists attended at Bacup and desired to be exempted from contributing to the ministry there, on account of the expenses at Rochdale . Their first meeting place was in a room of the Bull Inn at the bottom of Yorkshire Street, afterwards called the " Bull Chamber." In 1772, the ministry of the Presbyterian Chapel in Blackwater Street being vacant, Mr . Hirst was invited to preach there, but someone who

' Life of John Hirst, pp. 77 and 121 . 'Do., p. 125.

26 2 HISTORY OF THE PARISH OF ROCHDALE.

objected to his tenets locked the door, and on his arrival it had to be burst open and some altercation ensued .T In April, 1775, a plot of land was taken in Town Meadows on which a building was erected fourteen yards by twelve yards (outside), at a cost of 64oo. This chapel for many years remained without pews or benches ; in 1783 the number of members was 109. In 1833 the chapel in West Street was built and the old one abandoned .

MINISTERS . ABRAHAM GREENWOOD, born at Barnoldswick 21st January, 1749, he married a daughter of the Rev. Alvery Jackson, 14th February, 1 775 ; shortly afterwards he came to Rochdale in consequence of a difference between him and his congregation . He resigned in 1780 or 1781, and went to Dudley in Worcestershire, where he died. JOHN DRACUP had for a time been minister at Rodhilland, Todmorden ; he came to Rochdale in 1780 or 1781, and resigned in 1783, and went to Steep Lane near Sowerby, where he died in 1795.2 JAMES HOWORTII was next invited for twelve months to fill the ministry, but he died before the end of the year . The invitation to him was "unanimous," yet it was only signed by twenty, of whom twelve were women, and of these only one signed her name, the rest making marks .3 THOMAS LITTLEWOOD was a native of Lidget near Clayton, in the parish of Bradford, and was born 17th March, 1753 . As a youth he learnt worsted manufacture, and was afterwards a woolstapler . In 1786 he was ordained to the ministry of the chapel in Town Meadows, which he filled up to the time of his death. In the present chapel is a marble tablet (which was removed from Town Meadows) to the memory of "The Rev. Thomas Littlewood, thirty-two years pastor of this church, and head of a respectable seminary He died on the 28th September, 1817, aged sixty-four years ." WILLIAM STEPHENS, born 25th October, 1765, in London. As a young man he was an actor on the stage, which profession he relinquished, and in 1796 became minister of the Independent chapel at Bingley in Yorkshire. After officiating at several places he joined the Baptists, and in November, 1817, was appointed to Rochdale . He held the appoint- ment until 1837, when he resigned. He died 16th September, 1839, ' Life of John Hirst, p. 125. -MS. Notes by Rev. W. F. Burchell . 3 Do.

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aged seventy-three, and was buried in the chapel yard . There is a portrait of him in the vestry. He published a sermon on "Faith in Christ and a New Birth connected," which was preached at Town Meadows 14th January, 1821 ., Up to this time the number of members fluctuated between eighty and one hundred . BENAIAII Hat; was appointed in 1837, but he only remained a few months, when he went to America ; returning to this country he settled at Clapham. WILLIAM FITZER BURCHELL was the son of Thomas and Hannah Burchell, and was born at Tedbury in Gloucestershire 19th September, 1798. His first ministry was at Falmouth in Cornwall, where he married Amelia, daughter of William Bullmore, Esq . He was appointed to West Street Chapel in 1838, and held the appointment until I86o, when he resigned and went to live near London, where he died a few years ago . E . C. PIKE, M .A., was appointed in 1861 and resigned in 1866. SAMUEL CHAPMAN was here from 1867 to 1870 ; he is now in Melbourne. T. HARWOOD PATTISON, 1871 to 1878. ROBERT LEWIS, 1878 to 1885 . S . R. ALDRIDGE, 1885 to ,888. The Baptists have now several chapels in the town of Rochdale and in various parts of the parish . OGDEN CHAPEL. This chapel was founded by a few members of the congregation of the Baptist Chapel in Town Meadows [see p . 262] and was opened in 1785 and the greater part of it is still in use, but to it has recently been added (in 1861) a Sunday school . The first minister was Mr. Wade who was ordained about the year 1787. He afterwards removed to Accrington . Adjoining the chapel is a chapel-yard in which are several monu- ments of the Ainsworth family of Wicken Hall, the Bartlemores and the Kelsalls of Rochdale. PARTICULAR BAPTIST " HOPE CHAPEL." This chapel which was called "Hope Chapel" was built in 18io . Its congregation consisted of a number of seceders from the chapel in Town Meadows. ' Printed at Rochdale by J . Littlewood, 1821 .

264 HISTORY OF THE PARISH OF ROCHDALE . The first minister was John Warburton who removed from Rochdale to Trowbridge in Wiltshire. He was succeeded by John Kershaw in 1817 who remained until his death, 11th January, 1870. An "Autobiography of John Kershaw" was published in 1871 .1 He was born at Lower Fold, Healey, 25th August, 1792, and was minister of Hope Chapel fifty-three years. METHODIST NEW CONNEXION (WATER STREET). The members of this sect of methodists in 1820 met in a garret in St. Mary's Gate, from' whence they removed to a chapel in Zachary which was opened in 1822. This proving too small, a larger one was built in Water street ; and finally in October, 1869, the large chapel in Molesworth street was opened. One of the original promoters of this denomination in Rochdale was William Whittle Barton who was for many years the town surveyor ; he died in 1859. HALL FOLD CHAPEL (WHITWORTH) . In 1717 there were at least nineteen Presbyterian households in Whitworth [see p. 251], and as this number increased a minister was stationed there and a chapel erected . From an original document, dated 1718, it appears that in that year five shillings and fivepence was paid for 165 square yards of land "to erect. a meeting house thereon ." RADCLIFFE SCHOLEFIELD, son of Radcliffe Scholefield, attorney-at-law . Rochdale, [see Schofield Hall], was probably the first settled minister at Hall Fold. He came to Whitworth in 1718 and remained there until 1727, when he went to Ringhay Chapel in Cheshire . (He appears occasionally also to have preached at Hale.) He died in August [buried on the 16th], 1728 .2 The REv. RICHARD SCHOLEFIELD, son of the last minister, was probably appointed shortly before his marriage with the daughter of Mr. Dawson, the minister at Blackwater Street Chapel, in 1728 ; if so he was only here for a very short time, as in that same year he be- came minister of the Presbyterian chapel at Buxton, where he died ` Second Edition, London, 1871 . 2 Evans' List and Dickenson's Bur. Reg. Dickenson says :" Mr. Radcliffe Scholefield, near Redcliffe Bridge in Lancashire, bur. Aug. r6 at Ringhay in Cheshire.

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between 3oth June and 7th July, 1740. 1 He left a son Radcliffe and a daughter Josepha ; the former was a Presbyterian minister. [See Schofield Hall.] In 1743 Samuel Taylor, gentleman, built a house which he conveyed to the trustees for a residence for the minister. TITUS CORDINGLEY was at Whitworth about the middle of the last century. He has been described as "a very useful and acceptable minister." Immediately before him there was a preaching student from Warrington, who is said to have taught the doctrine of the Arians .2 JAMES BURGESS was the son of the Rev. James Burgess, who in 1743 was minister of the Independent Chapel at Greenacres in the parish of . James Burgess the younger before the year 1770 was minister at Hall Fold, and in that year he removed to Hatherlow in Cheshire, where he remained until 1776, when he returned to his original congregation at Whitworth where he continued until his death in 1784.3 He was the author of the following :-

"A Proverbial Catechism for Youth ." "The Prophetic History of Daniel." "The Reconciler," in three parts. "The Pilgrim's Travels from Mount Sinai to Mount Zion," in six sermons .' "Beelzebub Driving and Drowning his Hogs."

He was also co-author of "A Treatise on Public Prayer ." Mr. Burgess is best known as the author of this last-mentioned sermon,5 which whilst it has been condemned as coarse and offensive to good taste, is said to have been suited to the circumstances and character of many of those for whose special benefit it was preached . Dr. Halley calls Burgess "a strange as well as an evangelical preacher, who sometimes startled his hearers by incautious and ex- travagant assertions." The remarkable sermon about the hogs was divided into three heads, under which the devil "verified three old English proverbs, viz., 'the devil will play at small game rather than none at all,' 'they run fast whom the devil drives,' and 'the devil brings his hogs to a fine market .'"

'Dickinson's Bur . Reg. -Dr. Raffles' MSS .-Halley's Lane . Puritanism, ii ., 426. 3 Hist . of Greenacre chapel, p. 51. 4 This was finished 24th February, 1797 . The first edition was printed by T. Wood of Rochdale, and another edition in the same year by G. Nicholson, Manchester. 5First edition 1770, second edition after his death ; in this he is called "late minister of Haugh Fold near Whitworth." 34

266 HISTORY OF THE PARISH OF ROCHDALE .

Since the death of James Burgess the following have been succes- sively ministers of Hall Fold, viz ., George Towers, appointed in 1785 and left in 1794 ; Thomas Robinson, came 1794 died 1819 ; Mr. Taylor followed and died in 1825 ; William Gilson came next : he resigned in 1832 and was succeeded by William Thorburn, who left in 1847 ; Richard Robinson, died 1858 ; Robert Berry, left in 1866 ; Joseph Oddy, resigned 1875 ; W. H . Brearley, left in i88o . The Rev. J. E. Clayton is the present minister . , A Sunday school was opened here in 1811 . The original chapel stood in what is now the graveyard. The present building was erected in 1849 .

THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. The Quakers found early converts among the people of Todmorden . Probably one of the first to join them there was John Fielden of Inch- field, the births of whose children, although christened at Heptonstall (1643 et seq.), were recorded in the Friends' Registers .2 John Fielden was endowed with all the sturdy enthusiasm which inspired so many of the early converts to this sect . In 1664 he was sent a prisoner to Wakefield and there fined five pounds for attending a Quakers' meeting, and in the same year his goods to the value of eighteen shillings were seized by the churchwardens of Heptonstall. For refusing to attend service at a "steeple house," cheese worth three shillings and fourpence was taken from his house in 1665 ; but worse than this followed, and in 1668 the vicar of Halifax put him in the Exchequer Court, the consequence being that he was imprisoned for thirty-one weeks . Seventeen years later, for absenting himself from church for four weeks, he was taken a prisoner to Pontefract and fined twenty shillings, and on another occasion he was apprehended at a meet- ing in Padiham and sent to the Preston house of correction for eight weeks.3 The result of persecution like this, as might have been ex- pected, strengthened the cause, and in 1689 notice was given to the justices that the Quakers desired to have registered as a place of worship the house of Joshua Fielden of Bottomley and of Stansfield ; who like his brother John had embraced the religion of this society,

• I have to thank the Rev . J . E . Clayton for the modern portion of this list . ' Friends' Office, London . a Records of the Society.

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and for doing so had not escaped from the arm of the law . In 1683 his goods were seized for tithes and he and his wife were fined for absence from church, and in 1685 he, his wife, and son were fined, and his goods (including a bible) were taken to pay the penalty. The house which was licensed in 1689 was in Stansfield . The society had also four meeting houses in Langfield . At this time there were a few (but only a few) Quakers in other parts of the parish, as is shown by an entry in the Rochdale Church- wardens' Accounts in 1686, when the following Quakers were presented for non-payment of Church Rates, viz ., Edward Duckworth, sevenpence ;T Richard Houlden, tenpence ; Martha Lord, sevenpence ; Joshua ffielden, ninepence ; Daniel Greenwood, threepence ; the same Daniel Green- wood for Eight Bank in Walsden, 3d . Most of these were from Todmorden . In January, 1694, the Friends had registered their meeting house at Shewbroad in Langfield near Todmorden, in Yorkshire, where they had also a burial ground .2 The ground was in use at least five years before this, as the registers show interments in 169o.3 The Society of Friends had still its meeting house at Shewbroad ; it was rebuilt in 1807 . In 1715 there were fifty Quakers in Todmorden [see p . 251], but this number included only those in the Lancashire portion of the valley. The following bequests were about this time made for the use of the Quakers in Todmorden :-Sarah Hargreaves of Nab in Rossendale left ten pounds to the poor Friends of Todmorden Meeting ; Anthony Crossley of Scaitcliffe [see Chap. XVIII] gave (before 1706) Carr House estate in Stansfield to trustees, to employ the issues for relief of such persons as they should think fit, provided they were of "the persuation and Society of people called Quakers ;" Henry Kaley of Todmorden Edge, about the year 1719, gave ten pounds-the interest to be applied for the use of the poor Friends of Todmorden Meeting, not receiving relief from the monthly meeting ; Susan Barrett gave five pounds for the same purpose ; and Margaret Sutcliffe bequeathed four pounds for

• His name is in the Register of Friends in 1681 as of Todmorden . 2 Deed of enfeoffment, dated 25th Jan., 1699, mentions the burial ground . 3 Friends' Office, London. 268 HISTORY OF THE PARISH OF ROCHDALE.

the like uses. , The interest from these charities is still employed as directed by the donors. Before 1807 Todmorden was part of Brighouse Monthly Meeting ; it is now attached to Marsden Meeting. The Friends in the town of Rochdale, up to February, 1808, attended at the meeting house at Turf Lane End near . After this date they went to the meeting house in George street, the grave- yard of which will always be remembered as the place where was buried. In 1813 there were ninety-three members at Rochdale, amongst whom were the Brights, Fothergills, Ecroyds, Hagues, Harrisons, Kings, and Midgleys.

ST. STEPHEN'S CHURCH (LADY HUNTINGDON'S) . This church was opened 12th January, 1812, its first minister, the Rev. J . K. Foster (with the assistance of the Rev . J . Nelson) having shortly before that date got together a congregation, which identified itself with the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion . Mr. Foster remained here for sixteen years, when he left on his appointment as classical tutor to the college of Cheshunt, of which institution he subsequently became president. After his departure the congregation was broken up, and for a time the church was used by the Presbyterians . After a short time it was discovered that under the trust deed the building could not be held by the Presbyterians, and it was re-opened on the original plan, and in November, 1832, the Rev. S. T. Gibbs was appointed minister . During his short ministry here what are now called the Old Schoolrooms were opened ; he resigned in 1836, and for about two years afterwards no successor was appointed . In October, 1838, the Rev . E . C. Lewis was sent to supply the pulpit temporarily, at which time the congregation did not exceed fifty in number. Mr. Lewis, having accepted an invitation to become the per- manent minister, was ordained in St. Stephen's Church in October 1839. Ebenezer Charles Lewis was the son of Charles Sandys Lewis of Church- field academy, Margate ; he was born at Margate 22nd February, 1816 ; he married (I) Letitia, daughter of James Swallow of Maidenhead, and (2) Miss Leicester of Leamington . By his first wife he had issue a son

' Record of Monthly Meetings, Marsden .

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and a daughter. He resigned his ministry in September, 1876. A tablet in the church erected to his memory records that he died at Slough 23rd December, 1886, and was interred in Upton churchyard . The subsequent ministers were the Rev . R . Lovett, M.A., 1876-1882 ; the Rev. F. M. Bayne, 1882-1885 ; the Rev . J. W. Sturdy, 1886 ; the Rev . W. R. Holman, the present minister .

ST . JOHN'S CATHOLIC CHURCH (ANN STREET) . This is the oldest Roman Catholic Church in the parish. It was built in 1829 . Father Turner (afterwards Dr. Turner, bishop of Salford) was then the priest at Rochdale . Before the erection of this church the members of his congregation met for divine service in a small room in a warehouse in Clegg Street. Father Dowling was the priest from 1835 until- his death in 1871, and was succeeded by the Very Rev. Dean O'Neill.