This weeks post comes from Jayne Hulme who contacted me a few weeks back now,
Jayne writes:
I have an old geography work book which belonged to my great grandmother. It is dated 1880. One of the pages says Wesleyan School, and another says Hyde. I was wondering if you had any information about the school, it's a very interesting book and I would love to share it.
Wesleyan School Water Street.
I think this is the school from which the school book was worked in, buy then I have not been able to find a date for the school building above being built, I came across reference to an older Wesleyan School that is mentioned in The Annals of Hyde,
From The Annals Of Hyde And District
By
Thomas Middleton
Printed 1899
WESLEYAN METHODISTS.
An
old building, now pulled down and replaced by the well-built Jubilee
Schools, was long the centre of Wesleyanism in Hyde. The first
trustees of this building were appointed in 1822, and consisted of
Thomas Ashton, John Howard, Charles Howard, and Thomas Howard,
Esquire., cotton spinners ; John Clarke, Esquire., S. Ashton, the
younger, John Ashton, the younger, and Thomas Bridges, cotton
spinners; Thomas Davis, minister; John Goodfellow and Aaron Newall,
mechanics; J. Rowland, over-looker; J. Chippendale, exciseman; J.
Rydings, cabinet maker; and J. Waterhouse, slater.
A structure two storeys high was built, "the upper storey to be used as a preaching house
A structure two storeys high was built, "the upper storey to be used as a preaching house
by
the Wesleyans and the lower room for Sunday and day school." The
expenses of the building were to be borne as under: " T. Ashton
on behalf of self and brother, and J. C. and T. Howard will at their
own private expense erect, complete, and finish the lower storey, and
the said trustees shall at the expense of the Wesleyan Methodist
Society erect the second storey except the roof, which the said T.
Ashton, his brothers, and J. C. and T.
Howard
shall complete at their own private cost." The trustees decided
that the lower room should be under the management of the Wesleyan
Methodist Society, and that if ever the Society became extinct they
should have power to sell the preaching room and school, and after
paying all debts apply the money for the spread of religion among the
Wesleyans, as the trustees should direct. This old building rendered
good service to Hyde, for in the language of Mr. Robert Bell's report
(1886), "it was here for many years the main business of the
town was transacted; our children were educated, our friends
worshipped, our births and deaths were recorded, and our poor
relieved." The growth of Wesleyanism was met in 1850 by the
erection of the large chapel in Norfolk Street, and yet again when
the Jubilee Schools were built to replace the original building just
referred to. There are
also
fine chapels, with Sunday schools attached, in connection with the
Wesleyan body in Newton and Gee Cross.
I think this is a wonderful book, and shows the standard of Education this school taught at the time. I think the work, drawings and handwriting is a joy to see. I think the whole book deserves scanning and putting on line, and very worthy piece of social history.
