Mexborough and Swinton Times October 29, 1926
Conisborough Wesleyanism
Jubilee Reflections
Some Pioneers Recalled
For the next two or three weeks, the Wesleyan Church at Conisborough will be celebrating the Jubilee of the erection of the present building, and a retrospect of Wesleyan Methodism in that parish should be especially interesting and appropriate.
The actual date when the followers of John Wesley in the district Street first more cost regularly as a religious organisation is uncertain, but it must have been previous to 1810, for in that year the first chapel was built. Before this, the little old whitewashed building on “Hold Hill,” is reported to have been the meeting place, but it will be difficult now to say whether this is correct. An interesting souvenir of the “Old Chapel” was recently recovered, the title stone over the main door, which had been lying on the site in Kassel Avenue since the demolition of the old building. It bears the inscription “Messages Chapel, 1810,” and is at present standing in front of the new church, awaiting a permanent position.”
The “Old Chapel,” still well remembered by many people, was a square stone building on the west side of Castle Avenue, the North boundary be in the dark, narrow, walled footpath between the Avenue and Church Street. A flight of stone steps, through an arched stone doorway with double doors, led directly into the chapel. The chapel itself, furnished with high backed pews, heated only by a stove, and lighted with candles, was typical of the days when men’s religious convictions were sufficient for their bodily as well as their spiritual comfort.
In those days Conisborough was mainly an agricultural village, and the majority of the church members were farm labourers. The fervour of some of these old Methodists has being an inspiration even to the present day. These were the days of cottage prayer meeting, love fees and vigourous evangelical open-air work.
The stalwarts of those days were John Blyth, R Robinson, J Wilcox, Arthur Lawton, Edward Pagdin, Joseph Appleyard, David Smith, Caleb Kilner, JK Bateson, George Appleyard and others – names remembers after 50 years of change.
The brothers Marsden, Isaac and Joseph, were closely identified with the work of the old Chapel, and were well-known local preachers. Isaac, because of the further of his preaching, and is powerful and somewhat blurry description of the unregenerate state in the hereafter, was known as “The Lion,” while Joseph, gentle, mild and kindly, but just a sincere, was “The Lamb.” Amongst the trustees of the chapel were John Day, Zachariah Day, Dennis Roberts (the name still very well known in the district) and the Marsden’s. Then there was Dickie Burton, with his frequent reference to the “Gospel Ship,” Isaac Shaw, George Piper, York caretaker Martha Glasby, and many other zealous members.
Mr John Maxfield has some interesting recollection of these time. “The chief excitement,” he says, “was when some celebrity occupied the pulpit, such as John Killingrey of Doncaster, are Matthew Gregory, also from Doncaster, with his famous sermon on “We all do fade as a leaf,” which he preached regularly every spring, summer, autumn and winter, whether the leaves were for actually falling or not. He had been an engine driver in India for many years, and had an insatiable thirst – for water. At six different points in the notes for his sermons, the word “Drink” was written with red ink, in large letters, so that it could not be overlooked.
Another good old soul was John Smith, from Stainton, a farm labourer, and a true “man of God.” You what many miles to his preaching appointments, in all weather. One of the most conscientious local preachers and class leaders of that there was Edward Pagdin. Walter Appleyard ex-Lord Mayor of Sheffield, was then a teacher in our Sunday school, and our organist was John Kilner Bateson. For many years in the oak chapel we used an ancient ammonium, but, when the present organ was installed, it was pensioned off, to do duty in the new Sunday School.
