South Yorkshire Times, October 1, 1949

Wesleyan Pioneers

Mexboro’ Church Builders

An interesting old photograph of a group of non-conformists was found last week by Miss E. Goulding, of the Prince of Wales Hotel, Mexborough, She kindly lent It to the “South Yorkshire Times,” and it is here reproduced. Miss Margaret Kirby, Old Denaby, a surviving member of the group, identified some of those on it, and the occasion on which it was taken.

Do You Remember                                                                        

Those who know Mexborough will recognise the Market Hall, and those of the older generation will identify the period as towards the end of the last century. If any old readers can fill in some of the gaps in our identification list we shall be pleased to hear from them.

The photograph, taken in 1895, was of officers of the Wesleyan Church, and was taken before their first bazaar. This ” Rainbow ” Bazaar, as it was called, was one of many instituted to raise funds for the building of a new church, and took about £400 in three days. The church which was subsequently built is now known as the Trinity ‘Methodist Church, situated in Bank Street. When it was built, the congregation ceased to hold services in the Old Wesley Hall, directly opposite. As Miss Kirby said, it was mainly through the diligence of those on the group that the church was built in 1904.

The bazaar was held in the Market Hall, and there had never been one of such size, efficiency and, perhaps, ostentation, before, and there has never been one since—not in Mexborough, anyway. That, at least, was the claim made to our reporter. Stalls were erected inside, and a big Sheffield firm were engaged to do the decorating. The result was that the coloured streamers and flags covered the whole hall, and stretched from the roof to the tops of the stalls. Decorating alone cost more than £20, and Major-General Campbell, of Sheffield, was invited down for the opening.

The people on the photograph are, as far as is known, the following, reading from left to right:—

Top row: Mrs. Tom Allen, Mr. W. Flockton, Mrs. Martha Truelove, Miss Sudbury, _____ , _____ ,             Mr W. Butler, Mrs. Joseph Waddington, _____, Miss Obley, Mr. Dale, Mr. Tom Huntington, Mr. Charles Lovatt, Mr. J. H. Watson, Mrs. Overment and Mr. W. Obley.

Second row: Mr. W. Beavers, Miss Elliott, Mrs. J. H. Adamson, ______ ,                Mrs. W. S. Pettit, the Rev. Oswald Welsh, Mr, Tom Huntington, Mr. Tom Overment, Mr. and Mrs. Hardy, Mrs. Threadgold, Mrs. Charles , Lovatt and Mr. Joseph Dykes.

Third row: Master Percy Butler, Mrs. Hemsworth, Mrs. Elliott, ______ , Mrs. Stringer, Mrs. and Mr. William Roebuck, Mrs. Champney, Mrs. Bullock, Mrs. Fred Huntington, ________ , and Mr. Jackson,

Front row: Miss Isetta Howarth, Miss Laura Saul, Mrs. Harriett Beavers, Miss Charlotte Butler(later Mrs. Pilling), Miss Mary Huntington, Miss Sofia Butler, Miss Charlotte Wright, Miss Margaret Kirby, Mrs. Hardy and Miss Baron. On ground: Mr. Tom Easton, Mr. Caben and Mr. Tom Adey