View From Blackpool

Publication: The Fleetwood Chronicle and Fylde Advertiser

Date: Friday May 31 1907

Title: Layton Methodists: Hold a successful floral bazaar - Clearing the church of debt

With the two-fold object of paying off the debt on the estate and new organ and to place the current funds in a good condition, the members of the Methodist New Connexion Church, Newton Drive, commenced a three days’ bazaar on Wednesday afternoon. The Layton Methodists are only a small community, but they are very earnest and energetic, and have with the assistance of friends built for themselves a new schoolroom. Their great desire is to clear off the debt on this building and start with a clean sheet towards the building of a new church. They want £400 in all, and at the opening ceremony on Wednesday, the Pastor, The Rev. F. J. Wharton, was very optimistic.

Mr W. Ross occupied the chair, and he was supported by Mr J. M. Wilson, the Rev. F. J. Wharton, the Rev. T. Heppell (Pastor of the North Shore Wesleyan Church), and the Rev. T. Ayrton.

The Pastor, in opening the proceedings, said he was very pleased that the day had come for the opening of that long looked for bazaar. He was glad to see the room looking so bright and beautiful, and that the day itself was so bright and beautiful too. It was a happy augury, and so far everything was in their favour. They were a happy and hearty people and they appreciated greatly the coming of the gentlemen amongst them.

It might surprise them to know that they only returned 35 members at that church, and 17 probationers, while they had a Sunday School numbering about 200 children. It gave the Mother Church much joy and delight in assisting the Layton people in that great and glorious work. When that work was commenced the Mother Church entered heartily into the building of the Sunday School. It gave nobly and generously, and always kept a motherly eye and hand upon it.

He was thankful to see that the Layton Church was beginning to get to work. Since it had been built the church had been beautified and part of the mound in front had been moved away. Now they wanted to clear the debt off the building. They had great hopes that they would not only clear off every penny of debt, but that they would also have a little nest egg to put away in the bank, and say that it must never be touched as it was the first piece of money towards the building of the new sanctuary. They must keep adding to it, and so get the money with which to start building.

He had heard that they used to have glorious times when the services were held in the old barn. They had on one occasion a visit from the Mayor, with his Mayoral chain, to present the prizes to the scholars. But however great and good and glorious the times were then they had glorious times now, and that occasion was one of them. There had been many generous gifts towards the debt extinction fund. They would notice that the Conference had promised £50 if they raised the rest locally. They must have that £50. He had received several subscriptions. Miss Turner, of Brighouse, had sent them £3 3s – (applause) – Coun. F. West, of Manchester £2 2s; Mr F. West £1 1s, and Mr E. West £1 1s (applause).

The Chairman, who was heartily received, said that was not the first occasion on which he had been in that building. A little over two years ago he presented a large number of happy-faced children with prizes. On that occasion he found the place was a centre of good work, and when Mr Wharton asked him to take the chair on that occasion, he could not refuse.

Nowadays there was a great variety in religion. The religious liberty of today, which had been brought down to them at the cost of the fortunes and even the lives of their forefathers, had led to a variety of church life and work. But they all spoke of one theme and all the roads led in one direction, and he left, with regards to the great Methodist community, that it was most especially a community that had shown the deepest religious spirit and life in England. Only the other day they had a remarkable example in what took place at Mow Cop. The work the Methodists were doing was a great work. In this town there could be no doubt that the field was wide and the best that every church could do would not be all that could be done for the spiritual welfare of Blackpool. He wished the bazaar every success.

Mr Wilson, in opening the sale, said that he was there representing someone who had had a great interest in that church. He referred to his mother. When that cause was first talked about and first commenced, she was very much interested and delighted in showing her practical sympathy. She had always felt a great deal of gratitude to Methodism.

Layton had made wonderful progress. It used to be referred to as a wilderness and a desert but now what was a field one year was covered with houses the next. Even since they had built that school the name of the street had been changed, and was now dignified with the appellation of ‘drive’ (laughter). They could see how much the respectability of the neighbourhood had risen since that building had been put up (laughter and hear, hear). He urged the members to try and bring into the church the outsiders, and to extend their labours in every possible direction. He concluded by wishing the bazaar success.

In calling upon the Rev. T. Heppell to propose a vote of thanks, the Pastor said he was glad that Mr Heppell was one of the good Wesleyans who recognised good work when it was being done by others.

Mr Heppell in moving the vote of thanks to the chairman and opener said that Mr Wharton had told him that Mr Ross was a really good Unitarian. He could honestly say that he preferred a good Unitarian to a bad Trinitarian and he was delighted to may Mr Ross’s acquaintance. (applause) He had met Mr Wilson on many occasions and rejoiced in the good work he was doing.

Mr Wild, secretary of the bazaar, seconded with a humorous speech.

The Pastor supported the vote of thanks and said that Mrs Wilson was one of the best friends the Layton Church ever had, and they always heartily welcomed her son.

Mr Wharton read letters of apology for inability to attend from the Revs. W. P. Hutton, G. G. Bainton and J. Gilmore, all of whom wished the bazaar every success.

The vote of thanks was heartily carried. Mr Ross and Mr Wilson each replied to the vote of thanks and each handed to Mr Wharton £10 which the Pastor announced amidst great applause. The business was then proceeded with.

The stalls were six in number, and each was very artistically decorated with some particular flowers. The whole of the decorations were well carried out and during the buying and selling and bargain driving the room presented a very happy and animated appearance.

The Springfield Road Church have always taken a deep interest in Layton and the ladies of the sewing circle gave a Practical Demonstration of their interest by providing a stall. The decorating of the stall was carried out with daffodils and very pretty it looked with its heavy burden of useful and fancy needlework most of which was the work of the ladies themselves. The ladies attended the stall with Mrs John Crosland, as secretary, and Mrs C. Hirst, treasurer.

The Layton Sewing Circle stall was also prettily decorated with cornflowers and the ladies in charges were Mesdames Wharton, Bragg (treasurer), H. I. Wilson (secretary), Haworth, Clarke, Teal, Miss Huddart and Miss Gradwell.

The Refreshment Stall was pleasing to the eye and taste and the tables simply groaned under their loads of good things in the comestible line. The stall was artistically ornamented with chrysanthemums and the ladies in charge were Mesdames W. Wilson, A. Bridge, Greenwood, Simmons, Hirst, Handforth, Furness, Thornley, Worsley, Sanderson, Hadley, Garstang and Mrs Wilde (secretary).

The Young Ladies’ Stall was well stocked with all kinds of fancy goods which found ready purchasers. The poppy was their flower and the ladies had shown great taste in their decorating. Mrs Gosling was an able president and secretary and the assistants were Misses D. Helm, M. Garstang, Marston, K. Bragg, M. Helm, Humphries, A. Holder, Simpson, Armstrong, D. Beardsmore, M. Bragg, Mulvey, Priestly and P. Haworth.

The Young Men’s Stall, lavishly ornamented with roses, was attended by Messrs. R. Cocker, W. Wild, J. Turner, F. Worsley, W. Wilson, T. Teal, King Howson, A. E. Dixon, P. Hirst, T. Adamson, R. Moon, P. Burton, H. Hadley, A. Worsley, G. Little, Wright, H. Beardsmore and W. Beardsmore.

The Flower and Dairy Stall ladies with all kinds of beautiful blooms and ferns and dairy produce looked exceedingly pretty. The Springfield Road YPRCH and friends had charge of the stall with Mrs Hibbetson, as treasurer, and Miss A. E. Crosland, secretary. Miss Helm dispensed ice cream and Mr E. Gosling had charge of the Picture Postcard Stall. The Shooting Range was under the supervision of Mr G. H .Ridsdale.

During the evening concerts and musical entertainments were given.