Day 126 - A View From the Roof

Week 26 - Day 126
Oldham from the roof of George Street Chapel.

Looking north up George Street to the modern Spindles Shopping Centre.

Age UK Oldham charity shop 'Vintage 55'
on the opposite side of George Street

Lees Heginbotham's shop replaced the chapel's Sunday School on the
corner of Silver Street and George Street.

Roofs south of David Street and Jackson Pit.

Looking south down Jackson Pit.

Looking west across Jackson Pit.

Age UK Oldham's More Mobile shop opposite the rear of the chapel
on the west side of Jackson Pit - from the roof of the George Street Chapel. 

View of George Street Chapel from the top floor of Spindles Multi-Story
Car Park, looking west over George Street.

Day 125 - Fixing the Chimney Pots

Week 26 - Day 125
New chimney pots fixed in place today to complete works to the roof.

Fixing new chimney pots in place at 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 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 42 - The Northern Chimney

Week 9 - Day 42
The northern chimney has three flues. The eastern of the three, on the George Street side, seems to have less sooting than the two other flues. The ridge beam at the centre of the roof can be seen bearing on a thickened piece of wall at the front of the chimney. As with the southern chimney the stack is offset, this time to the west side of the building. It seems that the chapel was built up its neighbour, because the back of the chimney is in fact the outside wall of the next door building, which has been raised above the ridge of both buildings.

Three flues in the northern chimney of George Street Chapel

Looking down the north end wall of George Street chapel
showing how it is built up to the building next door.

The bricks at the back of the George Street Chapel chimney are actually
the outside wall of the next door building.

Support for the ridge beam at the front of the chimney stack.

Day 41 - Dismantling Chimney Tops for Rebuilding

Week 9 -Day 41
The tops of the chimneys are in need of repair. To do this they need to be dismantled and rebuilt.

The starting point is to build a working platform and safety rail so that they can be worked on safely.

The northern chimney.

Detail of the southern face of the northern chimney at George Street Chapel.

The southern chimney on the gable on David Street.

The top section of the southern chimney has been removed.
The ridge beam was supported in the brickwork of the chimney.

The two flues within the southern chimney.
The right flue is made of brick.
The left flue has stone slabs laid on end on its inside face.

The brick lined flue of the southern chimney.

The flue with the stone slab facing on its inner side.

Day 32 - Inside the Roof Space

Week 7 - Day 32
With the ceiling removed and the slates off we can look at details in the upper roof space.

Detail just below the chimney on the south wall.
The vertical stone flags line the inner side of the chimney were the flues rise from
a fireplace which is located on the main chapel floor.

The chimney stack for this chimney was blocked in the past.
It served the flue from a kitchen range in the middle cellar dwelling. 

Detail of the flue from the kitchen range in the middle cellar dwelling. 

The inner side of the lath and plaster at the high end of the chapel,
where the ceiling was lower over the pulpit and organ.