A View of Christmas past

Happy Christmas to all Friends of George Street.

This photograph of a past Christmas at George Street Chapel reminds us of how the chapel looked in the past. Restoration and repairs will be completed early in 2014 and we look forward to Christmas events being organised by Age UK Oldham next  December and for many years to come.
Keep logging in to this blog to watch progress and hear about future events and activities at the chapel.

Day 220 - Finishing for Christmas

Week 44 - Day 220
Tidying up jobs and finishing for Christmas today.
More images to follow.

Day 219 - Handrail to Gallery Stairs

Week 44 - Day 219
The handrail to the stairs from the chapel floor to the gallery were completed and returned today, cleaned, stained and polished.

Day 218 - Cleaning Up

Week 44 - Day 218
Contractors now concentrating on cleaning up as all the main capital works come to an end.
Hoovering and mopping up the stone flags in the cellar got particular attention today.

Day 217 - Fittings Tables in Box Pews

Week 44 - Day 217
The neat folding tables were being fitted today inside the chapel's box pews.
They will be ideal for catering at weddings, functions, conferences or meetings.

Day 216 - Pipes Await Return of Pipe Organ

Week 44 - Day 216
The re-painted facade pipes await the return of the pipe organ framework and casework.

Day 215 - Handover of Chapel from Builder to Age UK Oldham

Week 43 - Day 215
Age UK Oldham gained possession of the chapel today from builders Lambert Walker.
Yvonne Lee, CEO, (left) and chair Jill Read (centre) were officially given the keys to the front door at an informal meeting on Friday morning, 13 December 2013.
There is still a lot of decoration still remaining and the organ needs to be rebuilt, which will take until January to complete.

Day 214 - Adjusting Lights

Week 43 - Day 214
All the lights are being tested and adjusted inside and out. And of course it is wet today!

Day 213 - Kitchen Range

Week 43 - Day 213
A salvaged and reconditioned kitchen range has been sourced by Yvonne Lee to fit out the reconstruction cellar dwelling facing Jackson Pit. The range is a snug fit in the empty fireplace opening and is a good match to the surviving example in our second fireplace on the south side. These ranges are all additional items fitted to cellar dwellings that did not seem to have any fireplaces when first created.

A reconditioned salvaged kitchen range is built into the empty fireplace at
George Street Chapel, Oldham.

Day 212 - Safety Rails

Week 43 - Day 212

Day 211 - New Light Fittings - Original Ceiling Roses

Week 43 - Day 211
The new light fittings were put up today. The original ceiling roses also returned after being cleaned of years of over painting with whitewash and paint.
There are three 5 branch fittings and two 3 branch fittings. The 5's are in the main body of the chapel and the 3's either side of the organ.

Day 210 - Things Approach Completion

Week 42 - Day 210
Getting all the small things finished all around the chapel.
Hopefully the organ starts to come back around the 16 December.

Putting back the outside railings on George Street.

Completed flashing over the front door.
Light just remaining to be put back.

Folding doors to the bar in the cellar.

Door and alarm sensor.

Toilets.

Cubicle doors to the toilets.

New staircase allowing access between the cellar and the chapel.

New partitioning behind where the organ will be returned.

The original railing around the stairs from the chapel floor to the gallery.
Note the surviving stencil in the wall plaster of the north wall. 

Refurbished box pews.

Day 209 - Lead flashing to Pediment

Week 42 - Day 209
Lead flashing added to the pediment over the stone front door.

Day 208 - Paint Works

Week 42 - Day 208
Paint work getting completed. The cellar dwellings are behind the green door.

 

Day 207 - Fitting Blackout Blinds

Week 42 - Day 207
The blinds to the chapel windows have started to be fitted.
Essential if we are to use the chapel for conferences or meetings that use powerpoint or projection equipment.

Day 206 - Spindles

Week 42 - Day 206
New spindles to match original surviving ones that were located around the stairwell from the chapel to the gallery.