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Wesley Centre Memories > Marlene

“We moved to Maltby when my father, a policeman, was transferred here in 1953 and started going to the Methodist Chapel on Blyth Road. When I got married in 1957 I left to go with my husband Phil, who was in the RAF. We came back to Maltby in 1978 when Phil left the RAF.

Dad wasn’t even a Methodist, he was CofE, but mum came from a staunch Methodist background so dad came along with her, especially for the big occasions. My dad was something of a card though and I’m not sure he always gave it the respect it deserved. He would often sit there and say “do you want a polo are Marleen?” or “is that organist playing in mittens?” right in the middle of the service and everyone could hear him. Either that or he would sit and read his diary. It makes me laugh now but I’m sure my mum can’t have been impressed at the time.

I remember singing in the choir at the Chapel and the different choirmasters that taught us. First there was Mr Watkins, then Mr Butcher and then my dad did it for a while. I think it all stopped after he gave it up. There was one occasion when my dad wanted us to sing the Lords prayer but the organist, Frankie Holmes was a stickler for tradition and wouldn’t do it. I’ll never forget him saying “you can sing it Mr Rowson, but I won’t play it.”

As a teenager I went to the bible classes taught by Mrs Ivy Ingham, about 20 of us went. She was a local preacher and we would often go off to other churches. We always walked a good proportion of the way, even in the middle of winter. For the Queens coronation she bought us all a little pin tray and a copy of the new testament.

One year we all clubbed together to buy her a tea set for Christmas and we all took turns to go to her house for afternoon tea afterwards, four at a time. She had a little dog who used to carry her handbag to the shops. She whispered to me once, “don’t tell him but it hasn’t got anything in it!”

There used to be an autumn fair every year. It cost a shilling to go in and there were about ten stalls selling all sorts of things. My mum and dad used to have a bric-a-brac stall, Mrs Ingham sold handicrafts and a Mr Trotter sold chrysanthemums and wallflowers that he grew on his allotment. The Ladies Tea Committee provided the refreshments.

I was sorry to see the Chapel close but since I stopped attending I’m as much to blame as anyone else. I’ll be really pleased to see it when it opens again and put some life back in the place.”

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Maltby Community Development Trust, The Wesley Centre, Blyth Road, Maltby, Rotherham, S66 8JD
Telephone: 01709 811118 Fax: 01709 811119 Email: ian.cruddas@maltbycdt.org.uk

 

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