The United Reformed Church
Moldgreen
A member of the Brackenhall Moldgreen Pastorate
A HUNDRED YEARS IN THE LIFE OF A CHURCH
written by the late Revd. Leslie T. Johnson
for the Centenary Brochure
Moldgreen Congregational Church came into being at a time when Nonconformity
was highly esteemed in Huddersfield and an expanding force.
Sister Churches were formed in Hillhouse and Paddock around the same time.
Our origins are romantic. A wealthy anonymous Christian lady, concerned for
the spiritual welfare of the numerous inhabitants of the Moldgreen area,
called upon a certain Mr.Hotchkiss, the Congregational Missionary attached to
Ramsden Street Chapel, to seek a suitable evangelist for this district, and,
when none was forthcoming, pressed him to accept the position himself,
guaranteeing him remuneration for a period of five years.
Mr.Hotchkiss commenced work in Mr.C.Ramsden’s schoolroom on July 26th, 1865,
with Services on the Lord’s Day and also gathered children into a Sunday School.
The place of meeting was speedily filled and now the same generous lady placed
the sum: of £1,300 at the disposal of Mr.Hotchkiss for the erection of a new
Independent Chapel, expressing the strong wish that a Church should be formed
therein upon Congregational Principles. On Monday, November 13th, 1865. Services
in connection with the formation of such a Church, and the Ordination of Mr.Hotchkiss
as its first Minister, took place in Mr.Ramsden’s schoolroom. Thirty-four members were
enrolled, the majority, being by transfer from neighbouring Congregational Churches.
The Chapel, in which we still worship, was opened for that purpose on Sunday, April 12th, 1868.
The Rev.W.Hotchkiss ministered until 1878. Our Finance Committee originated on
June 22nd 1868. In 1870 the Choir was formed. Mr.G.H.Hirst took charge of the
Young Men's Class and held that position for over 30 years. In 1877 Mr.Frank Roebuck
was appointed harmonium player and was later to become Choirmaster and composer of anthems,
which are remembered with pleasure by our older members.
Mr.J.J.Brynner, a student from Lancashire College, became Minister in 1878
and stayed until 1884. Our present organ was installed in 1880 and the first bazaar
was then held to help meet expenses. It realised £219 7s 6d.
The Rev.R.C.Scurrah of Providence Chapel, Golcar, succeeded the Rev.J.J.Brynner.
He seems to have been extremely evangelically minded and organised cottage meetings
once per month on Sunday evenings from 6‑30 to 7‑30 pm. There were four
centres and four Mission Bands. In 1885 he conducted a week's mission with the
assistance of the Rev.W.Jones of Bradford. No doubt it was during this period
that those families, whose descendants we still have with us, came to join the Church.
Strong family links still do much to hold us together as a fellowship.
On October 10th, 1888 a unanimous call to the Pastorate was given to the Rev.John Peill
of Dukinfield Hall. His was a very successful Ministry. Two Sunday School Scholars,
Messrs. Abraham Sykes and Luke Beaumont entered the Christian Ministry and Miss German
was accepted by the London Missionary Society for service in India. Meanwhile the Sunday School had
been increasing wonderfully in numbers and on November 9th, 1881 our present
Sunday School Hall was opened with great celebrations. Remarkable among these was
"The Agapè" which is still remembered. A colossal tea party, it catered for 1,400 people.
Three neighbouring halls were used to seat them. We still have large tea parties,
noteable among them being the "treats" for the aged folk of our district.
The Rev.A.T.S.James ministered to the Church from 1897 to 1900 and was succeeded :
by the Rev.Wilbye Hastwell, whose ministry of eighteen years has been the longest
so far in the history of our Church. He is something of "An Institution" in the
memories of our older people, who look back upon him with great affection.
Two events of major importance took place in his ministry the first being the
Jubilee Celebrations in 1915, lasting from November 7th to the 29th, regarding which
there is a souvenir handbook still in existence, compiled by Mr.Hastwell.
The second was the outbreak of the Great War in 1914. Shortly afterwards Mr.Hastwell
obtained leave of absence to become a Chaplain to the Forces and closed his ministry
here in 1918.
Since 1918 the history of our Church has taken on a different aspect. The Church in
general now struggles to extend Christ’s Kingdom in face of cynicism and the counter
claims of social reform and belief in science as man’s saviour. There has grown up,
too, a much greater variety of secular pastimes to claim people’s time and attention.
Our own Church has, however, faced this hard struggle with spirit and courage, people and
Ministers alike working very hard to bring the claims of Christ to our community.
The Rev.0.D.Jeffries was Minister from 1919 until 1926. Of quick mind and energetic
disposition, he gained the allegiance of the young people and did much to make the
Church whole again after the ravages of war. We are very pleased indeed that he will
be with us at the Centenary as one of our preachers.
From 1927 to 1929 we had the services of a Minister from the Mission field, the
Rev.A.Hough. His ministry was of short duration, because he was called by the L.M.S.
to Samoa to take charge of a difficult situation there. Of interest was the formation
of the Tuesday Women's Meeting by Mrs.Hough. This meeting still flourishes to‑day.
I have been able to glean little information concerning the three years ministry of the
Rev.G.G.Isaac and pass on to that of the Rev.R.Braithwaite, which commenced in 1935
and continued until 1941. He was called straight from Paton College and brought a young man’s
enthusiasm and energy to the upbuilding of the Church. Mr.Braithwaite is now the
Minister of Greenacres Congregational Church, Oldham, and will also be preaching
at the Centenary.
It was the role of the Rev.A.G.Creber, Minister from 1941, to 1948, to hold the
Church together during another war and its aftermath. His was a quiet, pastoral ministry,
extending beyond the ranks of our own members’, a period in which people who had eyes
to see, learned something of what real Christian saintliness is. At the same time he rendered
great service to the wider fellowship of our Huddersfield Congregational Churches.
His recent death is mourned by many.
The drive and energy of the Rev.A.C.Taylor, who sustained a ministry of nearly four years
among us made our Church a force to be reckoned with in the community. The redecoration
and restoration of the Church, from the proceeds of the first Bazaar to top £1,000,
was the fruit of his zeal. The Church was alive with teaming activity, people flocked to our
social events, and congregations increased. The Rev.G.D.Hallas, M.A. now at Zion
Congregational Church, Wakefield, entered the Ministry under Mr.Taylor’s inspiration.
The Ministry of my predecessor, the Rev.N.C.Fisher, is still fresh in the minds of our people.
From 1953 to 1958 he maintained the new impetus given by Mr.Taylor. He was a wise
counsellor to many in their time of need and made himself a great force for good in the life of the
town and as Free Church Chaplain at the Storthes Hall Hospital. He is now in charge of the
Presbyterian Church in Carlisle.
Our thanks are also due to the services of the late Rev.Joseph Pleasants, who in his
retirement became, with Mrs.Pleasants, a member of our Church. In vacancies he did much
visiting and Mrs.Pleasants has been and still is, a tower of strength to us in very many ways.
Since 1947 a Branch of the Old Age Pensioners Association has met monthly on our premises.
A founder member of the National Association was the late Mr.G.C.Birtles, Mrs.Birtles is a member of
our Church and her husband attended our worship from time to time.
Under the present ministry, which commenced in 1958, the work has progressed. It is good
to be surrounded by workers who have given many years of their lives to the service of God through
this Church. It is good to see new faces and new workers coming along. It is good to have
a large group of young people, many of whom are growing into the Church. Active help is being
given to our neighbouring Church a Shelley through my pastoral oversight there. Mr.Herbert Naylor,
one of our stalwarts was commissioned as Lay Pastor to the Brackenhall Congregational Church
on January 16th. of this year. Three of our young men are serving local Churches acceptably
as lay preachers. More of our people are taking a lead in the wider fellowship of our Churches.
The adoption of the Family Church principle is making us face the fact that we are all one in
the service of Christ. The prospect of extensive structural alterations to our Church building
fills us with the hope that we shall soon be able to spare more time and energy for our
main task‑evangelism.
So ends the history of the first hundred years of our Church life, but we still have the
future before us. I am sure we can say‑ "seeing that we are surrounded by such a
cloud of witnesses, let us abound in the Lord’s work, knowing that our labour is not in vain."