Day 60 - Supporting an Outside Wall

Week 13 - Day 60
A section of the outside wall on the Jackson Pit elevation was cut away in the past to enable a flue to be inserted  from a kitchen range to a chimney inserted between two windows. Where the flue passed between the wall and the chapel floor it was constructed of plaster and there was little supporting the wall above. See below how a new concrete beam is inserted to take the weight of the wall above.
The flue itself had been built within the cavity wall of the original construction.

Day 59 - The Variety of Works to the Roof, Walls, Ceiling, Chapel Floor, Woodwork and the Cellar

Week 14 - Day 59
Work proceeds on the roof, the ceiling, the chapel floor, the woodwork and in the cellar.

The two chimney stacks are almost completely rebuilt.

Repointing to the end gable facing David Street.

Work continues to put up the laths that will hold the lime plaster ceiling.

Boarding is taped down to the chapel floor
to protect the original floor boards.

The pulpit and front of the pews are sanded down now that the
wood graining has been removed.

The damp-proof tanking band is applied to the lower sections
of the outer walls in the cellar.

Day 58 - A Hymn Book Found under a Pew

Wek 13 - Day 58
A paperback hymn book was found underneath one of the pews that have to be removed to make way for the new stairs and lift.
The hymn book is Sacred Songs and Solos and New Hymns and Solos 888 pieces by Ira D. Sankey
It belonged to Mrs Marlor.
Read about Sankey and Moodey from the biography, My life and the story of the gospel hymns and of sacred songs and solo written by Ira D. Sankey (1840-1908) 1906.

Hymn Book found at George Street Chapel, Oldham.
Sacred Songs and Solos
Ira D, Sankey

Day 57 - Ceiling laths and roof insulation

Week 13 - Day 57
The work to put the ceiling laths in place continues.
Also today, an experiment in placing the roof insulation in place. This has to be put in place between the ceiling and the roof slates, but can't rest on top of the laths as the insulation will be laid before the plaster in spread through the laths to key it in place. So, the insulation needs to be laid over a mesh of string with clearance between it and the top of the laths!
With the laths in place some detail of the purlins becomes clearer to see from the top - but is hidden from view from below!

One bay of laths completed in the roof of George Street Chapel, Oldham.

Roof insulation between the rafters and over the
ceiling laths.

Insulation laid between rafters over the ceiling laths
at George Street Chapel, Oldham

Underside view of the purlin arrangement.
Detail being hidden by the ceiling laths.

Top view of the tusked purlins at George Street Chapel.

A choice of different types of slate for the roof
for George Street Chapel, Oldham.

Day 56 - Making Good - flue arch, door. chimney

Week 13 - Day 56
Today elements started to be finished off, closed off and sealed.

The brick arch that formed the horizontal flue from the central kitchen range and the flue built into the rear wall was re-mortared today. This involved the making of a timber template to make sure that  arch was supported and rebuilt to match its original form. All this brickwork will be hidden from view after the plasterers do their job and cover it with lime plaster.

A doorway which gave access to one of the cellar dwellings from George Street has been sealed up. This area is to be adapted to provide the new toilet facilities in the cellar. Unfortunately, they have to be put somewhere to enable the chapel to have modern facilities for its new users.

On the roof the chimneys have been sealed to prevent damp penetration into the stacks and the roof.

Doorway entrance from George Street to one of the cellar dwellings
now sealed up.

Timber formwork used to support the brick arch during restoration.

Capping sealing the top of the chimney stacks.

Day 55 - Pottery Finds

Week 12 - Day 55
Only a few finds from the cellar of the chapel. We saw the glass beer bottles earlier. The bits of pottery have now been cleaned. Still awaiting identification.

Pottery fragments found around the footings of the external walls
of George Street Chapel, Oldham.

Day 54 - Removing Paint from Doors

Week 12 - Day 54
More paint stripping this week. This time it is the doors that get full attention. Meanwhile it is possible to get a feel for what the pulpit and choir pews might look like if it is decided just to give them a light stain rather than a paint finish.

Day 53 - Fixing New laths in Place

Week 11 - Day 53
New laths have started to be put in place to form the new lath and plaster ceiling.
The laths are being held in place with stainless steel wood screws.

Day 52 - North Wall Lead Piping

Week 11 - Day 52
When the last of the plaster was removed high up in the roof of the end wall (the floor you see in the photo is a temporary floor installed to make working on the roof safer) a section of lead pipe was removed. It had been let into the wall and plastered over.
Work being done on the chapel accounts give some details about gas piping. Roy Lees had just copied this section as we were having a discussion about the turning of 4 pillars that had been thought to relate to work being done on the gallery. The account for 2 October 1836 has an item for £1 18shillings towards 'Gas piping couplings etc'.
The first reference he adds is -
"Fitting up the Gas Apparatus" on 16th November 1827 at a cost of £19- 15s - 4-1/2d !!!

On the work front, the final strengthening of the ceiling supports have been completed and the laths and nails have been delivered to start the long task of making the laths ready to take the new plaster ceiling.

North wall after removal of plaster and ceiling.

Alterations Repairs etc 1836 & 1837
2 October 1837
	£	s	d
Mr Jonathan Howards Bill	22	5	0
James Wrigley Plastering Etc	3	13	0
Gas piping couplings etc	1	1 8	0
Oliver Lawsons Bill	3	10	3
Turning 4 Pillars		2	0
Andrew Schofield A/c	1	0	9
Jonothan Berreys A/c	1	2	0
Candles 8 lb		4	0
Abraham Lees Painting	3	19	0
Sand 1 Load		3	6
James Bailsford Plaster		3	0
Oliver Lawsons 2nd A/c		19	4
Beer for workmen		16	2
Carried forward for running A/c	39	16	0
Copied by Roy Lees,    FOGS
Just look at all the names we should also research!

Day 51 - More Paint Removed

Week 11 - Day 51
Paint being stripped off the Pulpit.

Paint now removed from the front of the pulpit of
George Street Chapel.

Day 50 - Graffiti

Week 11 - Day 50
As the paint is stripped from panelling behind the pipe organ some more graffiti has been uncovered.
A certain J.R.B. scratched their initials into panelling and dated the act 1923, where they must have sat or stood to pump the wind into the organ. The pumper was probably sat behind a curtain, which is shown in photographs of the pipe organ and so would have had plenty of time to secretly scratch their initials.
Other initials on this rear panelling are WM and possibly JJ ?

Graffiti scratched int the wood panelling behind the pipe organ
at George Street Chapel.

  

Day 49 - 'Tanking' the Cellar

Week 11 - Day 49
A 'tanking' process has been put taking place today to seal off water from seeping into the foundations of the cellar.

Day 48 - Starting to Rebuild Chimneys

Week 10 - Day 48
Having taken down the top sections of the chimneys because the mortar was decayed and the bricks were loose, or in the case of the northern chimney missing completely, they are now being re-built.
The brickwork is being worked on by  Paul France and Mick Whitehead.

Day 47 - Repairs to Brickwork at the Eaves

Week 10 - Day 47
The brickwork at the top of the walls inside the eaves are being conserved and repaired. The top coarse of bricks are lose and need to be re-laid on mortar.
The ends of the tie beams are being treated with wood preserver to extend their life and prevent decay of future years.
It is possible to see the difference between the gutter arrangements at the front and rear of the chapel.
On the Jackson Pit elevation a stone gutter is still in place. Though this is not able to carry away the rainwater that is caught be the roof and has been dripping water down the rear wall over the years. the stone gutter is being re-made in fresh stone.
On the George Street elevation at the front of the building the stone gutter was replaced by an iron gutter that was carried on a wooden box fascia.
A stone gutter will be replaced here to match the Jackson Pit elevation.

Day 46 - Replaced Purlin End

Week 10 - Day 46
The southern end of the the highest purlin on the George Street side of the chapel has been replaced. the original end had been weakened by being located in the side of an inserted chimney flue and later by damp seeping in from failed flashing around the chimney - roof junction.

Day 46 - Woodwork

Week 10 - Day 46
the results of the paint stripper are revealing the condition of the timber that has been covered with different layers of stain and paint over the last 198 years. Some parts are now showing that they are built from different timber.

Day 45 - Painting in the Chapel and Joinery in the Roof

Progress is being made on recovering the timber work in the chapel by removing the over painting.

Jim Fairhurst stripping the pulpit.

Jordan Cowell stripping paint in the vestry.

Dan Hall and Nathan Night working on the rafters and purlins.