1877 — 1900

Up to this time, the building in Chapel Street had been known as Harrogate Wesleyan Chapel. Now that Trinity was waving the banner of Wesleyan Methodism in another part of the town, it was felt that a more distinctive name should be given to the mother chapel. Accordin^gly, at the meeting of the Trust on September 16th, 1879, it was "moved by Mr G Exelby and seconded by Mr A W Thomas and carried unanimously that the chapel be called 'Wesley Chapel.' "

The same meeting heard the Rev E J Robinson read a resolution from the May District Meeting regretting the irregularity reported in the returns from the Harrogate Chapel and requesting the Superintendent to bring the matter to the notice of the Trustees. We are left to conjecture as to the nature of the irregularity, but the reply to the charge is certainly characteristic of the forthrightness of our forebears at Wesley : " . . the Trustees regret to receive the resolution passed at the last May District Meeting, but they consider they have broken no agreement nor committed any irregularity." No further reference is made to this matter.

At the Annual General Meeting of 1879 a resolution was passed which saw the beginning of what was to become a custom in the church. By this resolution the Chapel Stewards were empowered to present to any deserving Choir member leaving the town a five shilling copy of the Hymns and Tunes in use in the Connexion.

In 1881 it was reported that "owing to his years" Mr Pickersgill Palliser felt compelled to relinquish the office of Trust Treasurer. Thus ended the active life of one who had been an outstanding figure in the counsels of our church in this area for over half a century. He was a man of exceptional ability, selfless devotion and princely generosity, whose name, apart from its mnemonic sound, must be remembered by all who love Wesley. When, three years after his resignation, he died, he must have been happy in the knowledge that he left a strong, confident church playing a vital part in the religious life of Harrogate.

Later in the year the vigilant Trustees of Wesley, jealous of their heritage, heard with some concern that Trinity wished to introduce a chant book for use in their services. As far as Wesley was concerned, they decided, the introduction of a similar book was "neither necessary nor desirable."

The chapel had now been standing for twenty years, and it became apparent that extensive renovations were essential. It was decided that the painting be done in the same colour as before, that the organ pipes be cleaned, that the pews in the gallery be covered in crimson cloth and the cost of heating the vestibule be ascertained. Arrangements were made for the services to be held in St James's Hall during the time the work was being done. The Trust made arrangements with the bank for an overdraft of up to £200, but it was not necessary to draw on it. Out of a total cost of £330 for the renovations, £205 had accrued from collections, a bazaar and a legacy. The ladies of the Sewing Meeting were accorded a special vote of thanks for arranging the bazaar, which had realised al. It should be mentioned here that whenever it was necessary to raise money for Wesley the effort was usually recorded as "a fit object for the Ladies of the Sewing Meeting," and these indefatigable ladies never failed the church. Nor do their modern counterparts, but more of them anon.

The years 1884-85 saw "Chapel-keeper trouble." This began when the resignation of Simeon Walker was accepted. In response to advertisements, a number of applications were received, but after interviews had been conducted, it was given as the opinion of the Trustees present "that the appearance and answers (to questions) of the candidates present were such that they could not recommend an appointment." After further interviews Louis Clark of York was appointed at a wage of sixteen shillings per week. At the meeting where Clark was appointed, the opinion was expressed that there was a need for better accommodation for the Chapel-keeper, as the premises then in use, especially the sleeping-room, were not healthy. The premises referred to were the rooms opening off the transverse corridor in the basement of the chapel, until recently used as storerooms, but now scheduled for the use of the revived Youth Club. It may have been because of the unsatisfactory living-quarters, but certainly Mr Clark did not for long keep the chapel, for, within a year he had resigned and the post was again advertised. There were now ninety applications for the job and finally Mr and Mrs Coleburn were appointed. All was well in this department for another ten years. Despite the reference to the poor quarters afforded the Chapel-keeper, it was not until the turn of the century that the present Chapel-keeper's house was built alongside the chapel at a cost of £498.

Methodism has always been cognizant of the value of good. music, and the people of Wesley fully appreciated the fine quality of the choral tradition which had been built up in their church. Mr and Mrs Wilkinson were the first to give concrete form to their appreciation when, in 1884, they entertained the Choir to a "Christmas treat." This they continued to do for a number of years. The Trust, as a body, were not far behind the Wilkinsons in paying their tribute to the work of the Choir, for, at the Annual Meeting of 1885 it. was resolved "that a treat in the shape of an excursion in summer be given to them at the cost of the Trustees, not to exceed £7." So was instituted another Wesley custom.

In 1886 the Rev W L Watkinson, DD, came to Wesley as Superintendent of the circuit. He had already achieved fame as a preacher and writer, and was later to become a President of the Wesleyan Methodist Conference. He drew large congregations at both Wesley and Trinity. It was during Mr Watkinson's ministry that a noteworthy change occurred. It should be remembered that a plot of land had, twenty years previously, been presented by Mr William Greensmith, whereon a house had been built for the minister of Wesley. Mr Watkinson, "more particularly for the purpose of visitation, although Superintendent and belonging to Wesley, as the head of the circuit, attached himself to Trinity as being more convenient on account of Wesley Manse being in the neighbourhood of that church." So was the privilege of having the Superintendent Minister taken away from Wesley. It was not until 1957, when the late Rev Harold Key was translated from Harrogate to the Chairmanship of the West Yorkshire District, that the Superintendency was again vested in the minister of Wesley when the Rev Herbert Simpson assumed the office.

All through the nineteenth century there developed the idea of the "elementary" school, where children could be given instruction in the basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic, together with instruction in religious knowledge. Although the State began to look with favour upon the idea and in 1833 instituted a system of grants for school buildings, it was very slow to take over the responsibility for extending educational opportunity. As in so many other instances where a social need has become apparent, it was the church which took up the challenge. In 1811 the first voluntary school-building association representing the Free Churches was formed - the British and Foreign Schools Society. Almost immediately the Church of England founded the National Society for the same purpose. Under these two bodies school building gradually gathered momentum, and in this sphere of activity Wesleyan Methodism played its part.

That same Leaders' Meeting which had so gratefully accepted Mr Greensmith's gift of land, noted also their satisfaction at the purchase of a piece of land for the erection of a Day and Sunday School. This was the plot on which our present School now stands. The first Day and Sunday School had been built in School Court in 1835, on part of the site now occupied by Messrs Woolworth. It was a Wesleyan School supported by the Wesleyan people. As far back as the Collection Journal goes back there had been collections after the "Day School Sermons" and the "Sabbath School Sermons," and there had been, of course, Sunday School Anniversaries. This Collection Journal begins in 1839 but the School had been built in 1835 and looked out over open land to the back of the James Street residences. Even in 1864 the children could still play on this open space up to^. the back of the Salem Chapel, and past this to Mr Palliser's new Post Office on the other side of James Street. The Conference of 1840 had sanctioned the building of Wesleyan Day Schools in every circuit where possible and the old Knaresborough Circuit had anticipated this decision by five years.

Mr R W Peet had been appointed Headmaster of the School in School Court and carried on when the new school was opened in August 1873, at a cost of just over £3,000. It is interesting to note that, after Mr Peet's death, the school was carried on by his daughter, who later married Thomas Kettlewell. Their son F T Kettlewell is not unknown in the Circuit, and his son John is assistant treasurer of Wesley, so that the family record will stretch back close on a hundred years. Whilst Miss Peet looked after the Day School, Messrs C H Barstow and Exelby were joint Superintendents of the Sunday School.

In 1870 the State made its first massive intervention in the field of education. A Bill was passed requiring publicly-administered schools to be built, to be paid for partly out of the rates and partly out of taxation, and to be governed by locally-elected School Boards. In 1896 and 1897 Board Schools were built in Grove Road and Cold Bath Road and in course of time the Day School at Cheltenham Parade became unnecessary and was closed. The Sunday School, however, continued to grow and in the last decade of the nineteenth century it became necessary to extend the building. An infant wing was added, together with two additional classrooms and a library (now the Ladies' Parlour), and a gallery was built to accommodate the seniors for the opening and closing of the services. The records bear testimony to the sterling work of C H Barstow and George Exelby as Superintendents of the School and to the enthusiastic band of helpers who gave unstintingly of their time to the training of the young. It is fitting to note here that their work has been carried on to the present day by equally-devoted servants of the church - S G Hitchen, T J Forsyth, T Hobkinson, Snr,  Harold Angus, Norman Varey, Bill Thompson, Tom Hobkinson, Jnr, and latterly Alex Thompson and Leslie Thorpe, to name but a few, have all recognised the vital importance of the work of the Sunday School, and through it have made their contribution to the church.

It is sad to have to record hat since the war the Sunday School has gradually decreased in numbers. Once it catered for the residential district around it, but now Wesley is a "down-town " church; it benefits from the number of visitors who attend worship, but the Sunday School has been hard hit. Fifty years ago it had flourishing Primary, Junior and Senior Departments; even twenty years ago it could provide the children for a Sunday, Monday and Tuesday Anniversary, but now the numbers are small indeed. Yet it has never been through lack of able and willing workers that the School has declined. As long as there were children to teach, the Church could provide the teachers, but over the last few years there has been an increasing tendency for children to drift away from the down-town church to the residential churches. In 1961, as an experiment, the Sunday School turned from its traditional afternoon service to the mornings only, the children taking their place in the Chapel until after their hymn and then going to their classes until 12 o'clock. It is felt that by taking part in morning worship the children will become more closely knit to the Church. Experiment is essential in every field of church work today, but particularly in the Sunday School, for of all the varied church activities none is so far-reaching in its effects. It can be said with confidence that as long as there are children to be taught there will always be loyal and devoted workers ready to teach them and to fit their method to the needs of the time.

On February 19th, 1891, a special meeting was convened for the purpose of considering the formation of a new Trust. This matter had been in mind for some time as there were only ten surviving members of the original Trust, and for the past six years the only active Trustees had been Messrs Barstow, Thomas, Hobkinson and Wilkinson. The meeting having been informed that sixteen of the original Trust were dead, and that two of the surviving members wished to be relieved of responsibility, formal permission was given to set in motion the procedure for the formation of a new Trust. At a subsequent meeting Mr Wilkinson questioned the validity of the Trust Deed of 1874 on five counts. He and Mr. Hawkins were deputed to see the General Chapel Secretary at Manchester as soon as possible, submit the case to him and accept his advice as to the most convenient way of clearing up the difficulties so that the enlargement of the Trust could he proceeded with.

The minutes of the meeting just referred to were not written by John Hobkinson, nor was he present at that meeting. He died on November 12th, 1892. Mr Hobkinson had been Secretary to the Trustees since 1877 and his recording of the minutes over that period bespeak his loyalty and devotion, for in the gradual deterioration of his handwriting there is evidence that he must have carried out his duties with increasing difficulty.

The Trust did not meet again until January, 1893, when it was reported that the measures recommended by the Connexional. Chapel Secretary were being carried out and it was hoped the new Trust Deed would shortly be ready. The new Trust met for the first time on February 1st, 1894, when fourteen members were present and C M White was appointed Secretary. This new body soon showed that they had the interests of Wesley at heart. A meeting in 1895 found Mr Oxley on his feet to declare that the new Post Office being built opposite Wesley was altogether too poor in style for its location and that a resolution from the Trustees would strengthen the hands of the Town Council, who were trying to induce the Government to put up a better building. The Secretary was instructed to write to the Postmaster-General expressing the views of the Trustees. Those with an eye to architectural design can decide whether the combined efforts of the two bodies met with any success!

At the same time, dissatisfaction with the work of the organist was expressed, it being stated unequivocally that "the music at Wesley was very inferior to that at most of the chapels in the town." A Choir Committee which was appointed to consider the matter met at Mr Barstow's and decided to tell the organist that the music at Wesley must be improved. Mr Paley tendered his resignation, which was accepted, and a "competent gentleman" was advertised for, a salary of £40 being offered.

It now became apparent that a standing Choir Committee was essential, and at the Annual Meeting of the Trust in. January, 1896, it was resolved that "a Choir Committee he formed, to consist of the ministers of the Circuit, the Chapel Stewards and seven others." The terms of reference of this committee were defined in. the resolution that "the Choir Committee shall be entrusted with full powers for the control of the Choir during the year, but the Trustees reserve to themselves the right of appointing the organist." A number of rules were drawn up, the most important being that a Choir Practice should be held at least once a week and that no one should he admitted to the Choir without having been tested by the organist and approved by the Committee.

After careful consideration, Mr Wilkinson was appointed organist, but it was not lone before the recently-formed Choir Committee were complaining that the anthems were too hard for the Choir, and that the choice of hymn tunes was hindering hearty congregational singing. The Committee met Mr Wilkinson and put their points to him, together with the request that he would give more attention to the practice of psalmody. The organist promised to do his best to improve the work of his department, but complained that he was not well-supported by the Choir, and he hoped that the new rules which had been drafted would secure a better attendance at Choir practice and thereby that better results would be produced.