1900 —1919

Ever since Dr Watkinson had transferred himself to Trinity, the ministers charged with the pastoral oversight of Wesley had lived in a rented. house, for the greater period in East Parade, and afterwards in Harlow Moor Drive. Towards the turn of the century there had been intermittent discussion as to the advisability of purchasing a second manse, and in September, 1900, the Circuit Stewards reported to the Quarterly Meeting that, a suitable house in Cold Bath Road having come on the market, they had anticipated the approval of the meeting and made the purchase for £1,600, the money having been borrowed at the rate of 3½% per annum interest. The meeting approved the action of the stewards and "Elmleigh" became the residence of the ministers of Wesley.

In the first two years of the twentieth century Wesley lost two outstanding figures. C H Barstow died in 1900 and at the Quarterly Meeting following his death, eloquent tribute was paid to his sterling character and unceasing devotion to the church. In tendering its sincere sympathy with the bereaved family, the meeting felt "that the removal of Mr Barstow has inflicted heavy loss upon the circuit, and it prays that Almighty God may continue to raise up others who shall be equally zealous in the work of His church." When A W Thomas died in 1902 the Trust placed on record its appreciation of one "who for a period of over thirty years rendered faithful service in various offices connected with this Trust, and especially the one of Chapel Steward."

In February, 1904, Wesley had its second face-lift. A bazaar held in October of the previous year had realised £632, and with this money the Trust were able to have done all the alterations they considered necessary. The chapel was completely re-decorated and a number of structural alterations were made. The gallery behind the pulpit was brought forward, thus providing additional seating for the choir, the small pulpit was removed and the present rostrum built in its place, and two emergency exits - one from the gallery and the other from the ground floor - were made. Electric lighting had been installed two years before, and now the use of gas was discontinued altogether and more electrical fitments were added.

The Kursaal was booked, at a rental of eight guineas per Sunday, for the four weeks in February during which the chapel would be closed. It was decided that outstanding preachers should be invited for each of the four Sundays, and that a special effort should be made to attract people to these services. Advertising was done on a large scale. 80 three-sheet streamers, 10,000 handbills and 4,000 small cards were printed, and these, together with 8,000 hymn-sheets, cost just over £4. The task of house-to-house visitation was taken over by the ladies. The details of the arrangements for the services were put in the capable hands of Smith Bell and J R Ogden. Mr Bell reported that he hoped to have a choir of fifty voices for each of the services and would try to persuade the Temperance Band to play. In the event, the Temperance Band, with the exception of the conductor, were unwilling to play, and the singing was accompanied by a cornet, a piano and a harmonium. It is said on high authority that the recipe for success is faith and works. The members of Wesley had shown themselves deficient in neither of these ingredients, and the result was that the services in the Kursaal were singularly successful, the building being crowded each Sunday evening. The chapel, in its new look, was re-opened on March 6th, 1904.

At this time Mr J R Ogden was doing great work in the Sunday School at Wesley and it was seen that further extension to the school premises was necessary to provide classroom accommodation for the young men, who were his special concern. A room, thirty feet by eighteen feet, built over the infants' room, was made much more comfortable than was usual at that time by being fitted with a carpet and having the walls panelled. The schoolroom itself was improved and re-decorated and electric lighting was installed.

The floral display on the communion table at Wesley, always of a high standard, is further enhanced by the dignified silver vases in which the flowers are set. These vases came into the possession of the Trust in April, 1904, together with a covering letter which react : "I am given to understand that the flower vases on the communion table at Wesley are merely electro-plated. Now this ought not to be. Only the real thing should be placed on the table of the Lord. Please accept on behalf of the Trustees the two solid silver vases herewith. An Occasional Worshipper." The Trustees resolved to accept gratefully the handsome gift and to enter the letter in the minutes.

For some time now proposals had been afoot for the formation of a new Trust. When this was formed, in May, 1904, it included Messrs Smith Bell, J R Ogden, Frederick Varey, W E Woods and Samuel Cartwright. The first action of this body was to adopt the new Hymn Book which had recently been published. There was considerable discussion as to the form of service which should be followed when the new book was introduced, for there was strong antipathy to anything in the nature of a liturgy. The suggestion that the Commandments and Responses should be used on the first Sunday morning service in each month and that the "Amen" should be sung after each hymn was voted out, and it was finally decided that the only change from previous practice should be to sing the "Amen" wherever it was written in the new tune book. Wesley had always held closely to the traditions of Methodism and. it was very wary now in accommodating itself to the changing outlook of the time. For example, it was not until 1910 that Chant Books and Books of Offices were purchased, and the question of the use of individual cups for Communion evoked a great deal of discussion before they were eventually introduced in 1911.  The Great War was in its third year before the major decision was made that on the first Sunday of each month either the Ten Commandments or the Beatitudes would be repeated.

One of the many little incidents worth noting occurred in August, 1911, when there seems to have been a special meeting of the Trust to consider the understandable mortification of Mr King, a Chapel Steward, to whom the Rev Mark Guy Pearce had spoken from the pulpit during the Chapel Anniversary Service asking him to sit down, despite the fact that Mr King was only fulfilling the duties of his office. A vote of sympathy was passed in favour of Mr Kin^g and he was assured of the meeting's confidence in his ability to discharge his duties.

When the renovation scheme referred to above was being planned, the tentative suggestion had been made that Wesley needed a new organ. The idea was shelved at that time, but as the fiftieth anniversary approached the matter was re-opened and in February, 1911, Smith Bell formally proposed "that it is desirable to replace the present organ by a new one and that a scheme be formulated and submitted to the Trustees." The organist, R B Kettlewell and Mr. Naylor were asked to draw up specifications, and four firms were invited to tender. The tender of Messrs J J Binns for an organ with thirty-two stops costing £1,025, less £125 for the old organ, was accepted. The Wesleyan Chapel Committee consented to the erection of the organ "on condition that the entire expense be paid either before, or in connection with its opening, so as to bring NO DEBT upon the Trust." A Jubilee Organ Bazaar was held, and this, together with a Jubilee Gifts Scheme, enabled the Trust to comply with the proviso of the Chapel Committee.

The opening of the new organ was arranged to coincide with the Jubilee Thanksgiving Services on Tuesday, May 7th, 1912, when it was dedicated by the Rev F Luke Wiseman, President-Elect of the Conference, on behalf of Mrs Lanza, daughter of Mr. Samuel Hornby, the first organist of the Chapel. In the evening a recital was given by the eminent organist Mr J A Meale, FRCO, and this was followed by a public meeting at which addresses were given by the Rev Luke Wiseman and Wesley's own minister, the Rev Samuel Body. The special services were concluded on Sunday, May 12th, when the preacher was the Rev Dr G A Guest, a former minister of the church. The soloists for these services were Miss Nancy Bell and Mr William Bell.

A historical sketch of Wesley was written for the jubilee year; it will perhaps be salutary to quote from its survey of the position at. Wesley at the time of the celebrations : "The outlook at Wesley is exceedingly hopeful, with a seating capacity for nearly a thousand worshippers and a bright and cheerful service . . . The singing is decidedly congregational and has always been so at Wesley. Fifty years ago it was the Hobkinson family who were prominent in the Choir. Now it is a merry peal of Bells, and in Mr Smith Bell as choirmaster, assisted by so many members of his family and other able and voluntary members, Wesley is particularly favoured as regards its musical service. With the new organ which is being erected, our able organist, Mr R B Kettlewell, ARCO, and the splendid band of voluntary choristers we have, we shall be able to lead the devotions of the worshippers in a manner worthy of 'the traditions of the Church .. .

"Wesley is an active and energetic Church. Besides the two services on the Sabbath, there are twelve meetings held every week for Christian fellowship (with a total membership of 300), besides the weeknight service and weekly prayer meeting. An Adult Bible Class is held every Sunday afternoon under the leadership of Mr Gardiner and Mr W Woods.

"The Sunday School in Cheltenham Parade is ably managed by Mr J R Ogden as general superintendent, with Mr S G Hitchen and Mr T Forsyth as assistants, and Miss Smith as superintendent of the primary department. Mr Adams, also, has charge of a promising young men's class." (It should be noted here that, according to the returns given at the Quarterly Meeting, the Sunday School at this time had over 250 scholars and was staffed by 65 teachers).

"The Juvenile Missionary Association by which an average amount of £50 per annum is raised, is well looked after by Miss Horn, whilst the National Children's Home and Orphanage have their Young Leaguers' Union, by which they annually raise an amount which supports an orphan on their own account. There is also a 'Busy Bee' for the young folk who raise funds for the support of a little one in Burma.

One of the most hopeful and inspiring characteristics in connection with Wesley is the number of young people who attend the Sunday School and the services in the Sanctuary. To see the gallery of Wesley Chapel on a Sunday night is an inspiring sight, when we consider also the migratory character of the congregation, not only as regards the visitors who come for health and pleasure's sake, but the young people in situations, who come for a time and then disappear, perhaps in some cases going to the ends of the earth . . ." (The actual membership at this time was 304. The many large houses in the town were fully staffed by servants and some of these, together with many of the visitors who came to Harrogate, helped to swell the congregation).

"We look back on the fifty years and thank God for all those who in faith and patience have consecrated themselves to the work and service of Jesus Christ in this place; for the word of truth so faithfully and powerfully delivered by our pastors; for the continuous and self-denying efforts of all the labourers in this vineyard; and for the spirit of the Master so conspicuously displayed in the love and good works in so many lives .. .

"And so may we at Wesley, in furtherance of our Lord and Master's Kingdom, do all in our power to make our Church a centre of influence for that which is true, and noble, and good, in our town and in the world."

We live in a vastly different world from that of fifty years ago. The effects of two world wars, the tensions still existing between nations and the frightening progress which has been made in the invention of weapons of destruction have combined to create a climate of apathy and hopelessness and a sense of the futility of life generally. Faith burns low, and the message of the church seems to have little effect in the world. Yet, there are two constant factors which should be remembered - the needs of the human spirit are the same, and the God whom we worship is our fathers' God. As far as Wesley is concerned, this is a time when we should remember the great clays of the past, and resolve that we shall not fail in the task which has been handed on to us. Wesley must remain a centre of influence for good in the town : the outlook can still, as fifty years ago, be exceedingly hopeful. It depends on us.

With the eruption of the Great War in 1914, Wesley had to accommodate itself to the national emergency. Many of her sons served in the armed forces. Some did not return and were mourned, not only by their families, but by the larger family of the Church. Some had their courage in action officially recognised : Donald Simpson Bell won the Victoria Cross posthumously, F T Kettlewell and W Lister were awarded the Military Cross, Norman Varey was decorated with the Distinguished Conduct Medal and T Wood with the Military Medal.

The Army took over the Sunday School premises for the latter part of the war, and some of the more elderly ladies of Wesley have happy memories of sledging with the soldiers down Cheltenham Parade. During the period of demobilisation the building was let to the Ministry of Labour at four guineas a week for six days a week on condition that the premises were washed and disinfected every Saturday afternoon and the furniture replaced ready for the use of the Sunday School.

As in the last war, the ladies of the Church did all they could to provide for the comfort of servicemen stationed in the area. The basement of the Chapel became a Soldiers' Club, staffed by willing helpers from among the members, and from this grew the idea of a club for the young men of Wesley. In 1919 a sub-committee consisting of Messrs Smith Bell, T Kettlewell, T B Dawson, F E Adams and T J Forsyth was set up to initiate the club, and it has continued to function up to the present day.

In 1916 a new Trust was formed which included T Kettlewell, T Hobkinson, Snr, F E Adams, T B Dawson, R N Rudd, T J Forsyth, N Varey and F T Kettlewell, many of them well-known to the younger generation of Wesley members.