Interactors Wanted

George St Chapel Experience Tours tell the story of the chapel and the people who built and worshipped there. 

Our unique story cannot be complete without visiting life below the chapel...... by meeting the cellar dwellers and the school mistress , and by chatting to the washer women on Jackson Pit our story of George Street Chapel really comes to life. 

We are looking for NEW VOLUNTEERS to join our Chapel Interactors and help us tell the story to visiting tour groups. No experience necessary and full training will be given but a sense of fun is paramount!! 

To join our happy team of volunteer interactors and help us tell our unique Oldham story please call Maggie on 07557276518 or 0161 633 0213

email maggie.hurley@ageukoldham.org.uk

Remembrance Day

This illuminated manuscript was drawn by Thomas George Fleet in 1916 to celebrate George Street Chapel's centenary year. He died the same year in France fighting in WW1. The manuscript was donated to the chapel and school by his father, John H Fleet.

We remember them.

Remembrance Day.

Video about the Architectural Heritage Fund - Featuring George Street Chapel

On 23rd Feb Lisa Thompson filmed at George Street Chapel for inclusion in a film she was making for the Architectural Heritage Fund to describe the grants administered by them, in particular the specific grants sponsored by the Andrew Lloyd Webber Challenge Fund and English Heritage.
We posted a record of the filming day on our blog on 10th Oct - Filming a Filming - but click on the link here to see the finished video for the AHF.

The Architectural Heritage Fund video 

New Notice Boards for GSC

Two new notice boards have been erected on the George Street elevation.

They replicate the original boards that used to hang on the wall.

New notice boards for George Street Chapel.

Manchester Eye Hospital

Manchester Eye Hospital is celebrating its 200th year looking after the sight of the people of Manchester. Their web site gives information about the history and development of the Eye Hospital which was started in 1814.

So, what connection is there between the Eye Hospital and George Street Chapel? Apart from the fact that they are almost built at the same time.

Well, one of the members of the chapel, Alice Dronsfield, was treated at the hospital in her old age, before 1886 when she died.

An obituary for Alice Dronsfield (1814-1886), published in the Independent Methodist Magazine and states that she had an operation at Manchester Eye Hospital and that she requested that the operation was carried out without anaesthetic.

About this time her eyes, always weak were attacked by disease, and she went to the Manchester Eye Hospital. With the injunction that chloroform should not be used she consented to an operation. “I committed myself,” she afterwards said, “in prayer to the care of God, asking Him to give me strength, and the doctor skill,” and she felt assurance that all would be well.

To celebrate the bicentenary of the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, Mr Nicholas Jones, Consultant Ophthalmologist, has written its history. The book is entitled "Manchester Royal Eye Hospital 1814-2014: An Inside View". It is hardback, 294 pages and richly illustrated in colour and B&W. Details on the hospitals web site.

Mr Jones has said that she may have been given a local anaesthetic of cocaine to help with pain, but that chloroform at that time was usually given only to young fit people.

Rebuilding the Organ

The pipe organ was rebuilt in January 2014, but there was a lot more work to complete within the building after that. On 19th August we held a small choir practice with the Age UK Oldham Choir when the organ was played by Les Garner. The sound recording will be used in the introductory video to be shown to visitors, and it is used as the background music to video recorded of the pipe organ being rebuilt last January.

The choir sang two hymns, 'All Things Bright and Beautiful' and 'Breath on Me, Breath of God'
The tune to 'Breath on Me, Breath of God', Trentham, was composed by Robert Jackson organist at St Peters Church, Oldham. There is a portrait of Robert Jackson (1842-1914) in Gallery Oldham.

Video of Drone and George Street Interactors

A short video shot by Andrew Fielding, recording part of the filming carried out by Lisa Thomson at GSC for the Architectural Heritage Fund on 23 September, 2014. It features the George Street Interactors and a drone camera flown by Louis Carraz.

The film is to be used by the Architectural Heritage Fund to demonstrate the work carried out at the four buildings that received support from the first grants awarded by the Andrew Lloyd Webber Challenge Fund supported by English Heritage and the Architectural Heritage Fund.

Age UK Oldham received £100,000 from the fund to match fund the HLF grant, allowing our works to proceed.

Drone Over Jackson Pit

A great morning today, filming with Lisa Thomson for the Architectural Heritage Fund.
Lisa and Louis brought along a drone camera to get aerial shots of our re-enactors interpreting life in the cellar dwellings.
The film will be used to promote the work funded by the Andrew Lloyd Webber Challenge Fund.
The Challenge Fund awarded a grant of £100,000 towards our restoration works.

Heritage Open Days 2014

The chapel will be opened as part of Heritage Open Days.
Your chance to see the recently restored chapel before its 'official' opening.
Sunday 14 September :  10.00 - 15.00

Help Wanted for WWI Project

Font Ready to be Returned to Chapel

The font is now waiting to be returned to the chapel from Gallery Oldham.

Font from George Street Chapel, Oldham.
Ready to be returned to the chapel from Gallery Oldham.

Cushions for Pews

A slight lull in fitting out with decisions to be made about lots of small items, some more small snagging details to be completed, holidays and things being made to measure - like these bespoke cushions for the pews made by Andrew Lees of Oldham. Delivered in the best local delivery van in Oldham.

Llwynrhydowen Unitarian Chapel, Llandysul, Ceredigion

Friends of George Street might like to follow the restoration of other chapels around the country.
An HLF grant has been awarded to a chapel in West Wales that has connections with Dylan Thomas.
Report on BBC web site

An 18th Century chapel where the great-uncle of poet Dylan Thomas preached is set to be restored to its former glory.
Llwynrhydowen Unitarian chapel, a Grade II-listed building near Llandysul, Ceredigion, as been awarded £285,000 in grant funding for renovation.
The project will also develop a virtual museum recounting the story of Nonconformity in Wales.
It will also be included in a new faith trail leaflet telling the story of Unitarianism.
Yr Hen Gapel (The Old Chapel) was the first Arminian chapel in Wales when opened in 1733 and is known as 'the mother chapel' of Welsh Unitarianism.

Hat Pegs

Two types of hat pegs.
The early ones are made of wood - turned pegs fitted to a strip of wood and attached to the wall.
The later types are metal.

Staining the Casework of the Pipe Organ

The casework of the pipe organ has now been stained.

George Street Chapel, Oldham pipe organ.

Material Urgently Needed

As we are getting closer to the opening of George Street Chapel I am busily making costumes with our craft group but urgently need fabric and other items for costumes which range from children aged 5 to adult aged 82!
Please can you have a look at home and ask friends and relatives if they have any of the following they would like to donate to us :-
1 Old ‘scratchy’ blankets/army blankets
2 Dark heavy non patterned material – black/grey/navy
3 Mens braces – with button straps not clips
4 Old cotton material ( to make aprons & mop caps ) – heavy cotton lining from curtains is great – the more faded and worn the better – or worn out plain cotton tea towels
5 Flat caps both boys & mens
6 wing collar shirts – men
7 Dark waistcoats men & boys
8 Mens dark jackets & trousers
9 Mens scarves – not silk or heavy patterned
10  Any elastic / old buttons
11 – and just in case ……. You never know whatyou might find under your bed – CLOGS!!! ( bit of a long shot but worth a try eh?)
Thanks
Maggie
Maggie HurleyVolunteer &  Community Service ManagerBefriending Service – IT & Digital Programme- Chadderton Over 60’s Centre – Intergenerational Educational Projects – Activity & Community Groups – Community EventsAge UK OldhamDirect Line: 0161 622 9252  Head Office: 0161 633 0213
Fax: 0161 620 6197  Address: 10 Church Lane, Oldham OL1 3AN
Email:maggie.hurley@ageukoldham.org.uk  Web: www.ageukoldham.org.uk

Finishing Floorboards

The cracks in the floorboards have bee filled with papier-mache and they have all been screwed down and the screw heads plugged.
No daily works left on the capital works now. So the finishing off and fitting out works will get their own posts.

Making the plugs to cover the screws 

Filled, screwed and plugged.

Detail of a filled cracks and plugged screw hole.

Day 248 - Filling Gaps

Week 51 - Day 248
The gaps between the floorboards in the chapel are being filled with papier-mache. This will be applied in three layers.

Day 247 - Fixing Floors

Week 51 - Day 247
The chapel floor is the centre of attention for the next few days. The cracks between the boards are being filled in and loose boards are being screwed to the floor. The heads of the screws will be covered over by wooden plugs. Cracked boards which cannot be repaired will be lifted and replaced. Floor boards of this age are wider than modern boards, so it is important for the feel and look of a chapel of this age to retain as much of the original material as possible.

Day 246 - Fixing Floors

Week 51 - Day 246
The floor boarding all had large gaps between each of the boards. To fix the problem each board has been lifted and relaid, closing up the gaps. A new fillet has then been introduced at the edge to make up the total of all the gaps removed.