Celebration 1662
As you will no doubt know, at the passing of the Parliamentary Act of Uniformity in 1662, protestants, who were therefore ejected from, or left the Anglican Church, began to form themselves into churches of their own. Guildford's history is of particular interest and, in Portsmouth Road, we shall celebrate it throughout this year in many ways.
Our immediate history here is well worth looking at and it was thought an idea to ask people, who have memories of the church in North Street, of the village churches around, and there were many of them, of the Centenary Hall and of the 1965 move to Portsmouth Road, to write some of them down so that they might be included in our magazine month by month.
These articles will also be added to this page.
We do hope you will enjoy reading these very interesting accounts.
We will also be holding a series of events to celebrate
A little bit of history: CHAPEL IN BLACK HORSE LANE (NOW CHAPEL STREET)
The chapel was set up immediately following the Toleration Act of 1689 and Cleal's book on Congregationalism in Surrey tells us that its history dates back to about 1690 when a wooden Congregational Meeting house or chapel was built in what was then Black Horse Lane by John Horsnaille (who had been indicted and fined in 1680 for attending a Nonconformist meeting in the warehouse he tenanted in Artington). The chapel was sold by Horsnaille's widow in 1723 to the trustees of the Congregational Church movement which had been formed in the meantime. However the popular Revd. John Preddon, minister of the Congregational Chapel, left in 1728 and attendance subsequently declined.
Eventually the chapel was used as a poultry shed and store, the contents of which had to be removed so that services could be held! Finally, the old chapel was demolished and in 1801 a new prefabricated building, with Roman numerals marking the joints, was brought to Guildford by means of the Wey Navigation and assembled on the site of the old building. The new revitalised Congregational chapel opened on June 16th, 1802. The Revd. Stephen Percy was minister there from 1811 – 1859 and was a popular preacher, so much so that a vestry, a rear gallery and then side galleries had to be added to the chapel to accommodate the numbers of people. In the 1820’s Black Horse Lane was renamed Chapel Street, reflecting the presence of the Congregational chapel.
In 1863 the congregation moved to a new church building in North Street.
The old Chapel was reconstructed and used for the Sunday School in 1868 and for "popular lectures of a moral and religious character "for the benefit of the working men of the town and district. The lectures advertised by posters, to be held in the reconstructed Chapel, show an interesting variety of subjects, including talks on Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress and visits to the Holy Land, illustrated by "Dissolving Views."
The Sunday School moved to North Street in 1884.
In June 1902 a meeting was held in the Mission Hall in Chapel Street to mark the centenary of its rebuilding in June 1802. The hall was remodelled 1912, re-named Centenary Hall and subsequently became a general purpose hall. For over 50 years the 9th Guildford (Congregational) Troop, one of the earliest in the country, met in Centenary Hall.
In 1965 the hall was sold to Bellaires School of Dance and from about 1971 the hall was part of the Guildford School of Acting for a number of years.
Finally the hall stood empty for decades until it was refurbished and opened in 2004 as a restaurant.
Published in May 2012 magazine
Memories and names from my past at North Street Congregational Church Guildford
My parents Roy and Marjorie Wattridge moved to Stoke Road Guildford in 1953 when I was five, our neighbours were Ron, Daphne and Philip Singleton, we joined North Street Congregational Church, Dad joined the choir and I attended the Sunday School where I met Ann and Dryse Jones, Ron, Enid and Brian Smith, George and Joy Shackleton, Bert and Maij Howe and Jean and Arthur Ashbee and many more.
Memories of happy times on Sunday School outings to Littlehampton etc. On joining the Girls Life Brigade I met Jess Brindle, Mrs Todd, Mrs Peters, Ann Bonner, Mary Brindle, Ruth Todd, Clare Squib and others. More happy memories of weekly camps at Boscombe and Eastbourne. At the Youth Club run by Brenda and Les Simnett I met Cath Simnett, Keith Brindle, Anne Philips, Howard Attfield, Chris Sreeves, Jan and Jenny, Brian Seaman and others. I also was involved with the Cellar Club with Brian Fountain, Brian France and others - many long walks /rambles etc. were enjoyed. I sang in the church choir for a while after which I helped Jean Ashbee teaching in the Sunday School. In 1969 Keith Brindle and I were married at the new United Reformed Church by Rev Nigel Porter - we both have many happy memories from the North Street Congregational Church and are still in touch with many of the 'friends that we made there.
From Celia and Keith Brindle
Memories of North Street Guildford Congregational Church
I moved to Guildford in 1957 from Camberwell London and as we attended a mission hall linked to a Congregational Church my parents naturally came to North Street.. Completing National Service at the time I did not get involved with the Church until about October 1957.
My memories of the original visits to the Church are almost nonexistent as although home most weekends from a camp near Fareham it was most of a time a 'flying visit'
In many respects it was an old imposing building on the corner of Lepale Road with the main Church having a balcony and at the side a large hall in which badminton was played, a lower hall in which a table tennis club played and sundry other side rooms but was a Church starting to become very dated and in need of serious renovation.
Having played badminton in the RAF I joined the badminton club which was in fact one of the five clubs in the Guildford area which formed the badminton league. The club was closed to people outside the Church but very well supported by all ages and great fun as well as being quite serious at times.
In addition to this two lawn tennis court were hired at weekends at the sports ground by the church and used by younger members of the church. This resulted in some of us attending evening services sitting in the balcony in tennis gear which was somewhat frowned on by the more staid members of the Church.
The Minister at that time was a Dr Alfred Kaye who died suddenly while watching Guildford City Football Club who he supported.
In 1960 the Church hosted the Surrey Congregational Youth Council when some 200 young people from all over Surrey came for a weekend conference. An annual event held at various Churches around the County with great success. In addition SW Surrey area held events from time to time.
Still being in touch with friends from the mission hall in London I organised one or two joint rambles with Guildford and these were enjoyable.
There was no specific youth club or youth activity in the Church other than the sporting ones and eventually a group of us asked for permission to redecorate and use the basement room for a club. The room extended out slightly under the pavement of North Street and this was our only daylight.
Permission was given and then work started there were about 15 or us and the room was full of discarded church items like chairs etc which most churches seem to accumulate. There was even an old wind up cylindrical musical machine within the room. The room was quite large although very musty. Redecoration went on a pace with quite a few mishaps as would only happen with energetic young people doing everything themselves. Eventually it was usable and the Church agreed for us to have wall heaters ( up to this time there was no heating in the room) we were a hardy lot!!! and some strip lightning rather than a hanging bulb total cost of both £35.18.0. What was Health and Safety!!!! So the first youth club of the church got started.
Time passed and Rev Nigel Porter arrived ably helped by Rev Osbourne and life was fun? Including church outings to Frensham, Cutmill etc.
The Church needed considerable work to bring it up to date and into the 1960’s and decisions were made to move by which time I was married and helping teach at Stoke Hill Church with Jess Brindle.
In 1961 it was agreed to open the youth club to outsiders as up to this time it was only for those who attended the Church at least once a month.
Time moves on.
Brian France
Published in April 2012 magazine
In the late 1960's the Compton Chapel closed and so all of the family (including the Jacksons from Stoughton) transferred their membership to Guildford. On the 29th August, 1970 Marion and Dennis were married at the Guildford Church, and the service was conducted by the Rev. Nigel Porter and the Rev. Alfred Head. Until that time Dennis attended another church in Guildford and his only memory of the old North Street Church was a sale in the church hall in November 1964. This was a sale organised by a group of ladies (including his Mother) from Guildford Park Road in order to raise funds for the Betatron Machine that was installed at St Lukes Hospital for cancer treatment The sale raised a good sum for this worthy cause, Later on both of Dennis's parents became members at the church.
During our years at the Guildford Church we both joined the Link Players and later on the choir. We also took part in two of the church musicals, 'Pharoah' and 'Joseph‘.
We transferred to Wonersh in the late 1990's but have still kept in touch with Guildford. We have helped with the ‘August Away Days' since their instigation, and have thoroughly enjoyed doing so.
DENNIS & MARION MAY
Memories
I grew up in the Church in Guildford, my father was Drys Jones. I have wonderful memories of going to Newlands Corner to collect greenery, especially old man’s beard, and then using it to decorate the pillars in the N Street church for the Harvest Festival.
I sang in the choir at North Street from about the age of seven. I have two very vivid memories connected with the choir:-
One Christmas, probably for the Carol service, I was asked to step in as a replacement as the girl to sing the solo had lost her voice. I was only about eight. The solo was "Infant Holy, Infant Lowly" and we had a quick rehearsal at the end of the morning service. At the appropriate point during the evening service I climbed the steps to the pulpit ready the sing and , oh dear, I could not see over the top, I was too short! So Alfred produced a kneeler which was a bit wobbly and I hung on to the edge ready to sing. I sang, I have no recollection of how it went, and then stepped off the kneeler ready to go back down but my legs gave way as I was shaking with nerves so I sat at the back of the pulpit for a while until I felt strong enough to walk down. My first solo!
The other memory is of a morning a good few years later. We were still near the beginning of the service as the youngsters had not gone out for Sunday School. The choir stalls were in a horse shoe shape below the pulpit at the front of the church. I was looking across to the altos on the opposite side when one lady turned bright red, got up and walked out. When we gathered for the evening service she told us that she had remembered that she had left a pan of eggs boiling on the stove. When she had walked home they had boiled dry, exploded and were plastered all over her kitchen walls and ceiling.
The move to the new church was made during my time at college. On one return home for Christmas there was to be a performance of Ahmal and the Night Visitors and Dad was to sing the part of one of the Kings. I was very proud of him and the solo, "Where is my box" which was frequently sung at home when conversation reminded us of it.
The Summer I left College, 1968, several of my friends came to the Church and combined with friends from the Youth Club we gave a concert, showing off our musical talents. We sang madrigals, we played piano duets and solos, a pair of brothers entertained us with their hand bells, we hired a harpsichord from Dolmetsch at Hazlemere to accompany the recorder ensemble, and also had organ solos and vocal solos. It was a wonderful evening.
Those are my most memorable memories and as you can see nearly all to do with the wonderful tradition for music which the church had. The Easter performances of the Messiah and Faure's Requiem were second to none. A super environment in which to grow up.
Ann Greenhill, nee Jones.
Published in March 2012 magazine
Memories of GURC from 1964
My first memory of the GURC was the near completion of the building on Portsmouth Road like many others bill and I bought and signed a brick for the new church. However we were there at the Dedication of the completed Church. Nigel Porter was the minister and the Church was packed.
When my Children were small a group of us founded a playgroup. We kept the equipment under the stage and when you were on the Rota your job was to crawl under the stage to collect and set up the climbing frame and toys for the morning.
The Badminton was well established when I joined, nearly all were connected to the Church. We played in matches with other clubs.
My children went to Sunday School and later I helped in that department. When they grew up they joined the Fury group which went ice skating and met other church groups. Even to this day they have kept in touch with friends of the Youth Club.
One high light of the year was a Garden Party at Lady Lyles home when Children had great fun in the swimming pool and playing Tennis
Margaret Hamilton
Published in February 2012 magazine
While reading Helene's "Retrospect" I enjoyed reliving the years when I returned to live at home in 1957 and started attending North Street Congregational Church with my parents Ailsa and Frank Gammon.
Encouraged by the impressive Dr Alfred Kaye and later Nigel Porter who greatly helped us as we moved to Portsmouth Road. My father (who was a Life Deacon) was involved in the planning of our new Church, so I was fortunate in following its growth up to its opening in 1965. Nigel later confirmed me as a member.
I made many good friends such as Dorothy Raffey. We enjoyed working together and for several years our job was to prepare for the Communion Services. Dorothy and I with Sidney Kennedy had an entertaining time setting up the "Breakfast Stall" for the Christmas Fair!. What a pity we had to cancel them!
Dorothy is now in a Lincolnshire Nursing Home after a stroke. I recently had a long chat with her on the phone. Sidney was of course the originator of the Bowls Club in which I played - rather badly - for several years!
Another valued Church friend was Mrs Mary Brown who introduced me to charity work - joining as a Trustee of the Guildford Municipal Charities in 1985 - in which she continued until her 100th birthday!. Ann Chase's husband Bob was our Chairman for a while. Also the Caleb Lovejoy Charity which cared for the three small cottages in Bury Street. At over 100 years old Mary Brown still visited the elderly residents there! Another Charity supported by our Church members was the Wycliffe Charity - the old building of flats a little further down the hill from the Church. Mrs Brown and I had the job of letting the flats. We had many amusing times interviewing the prospective residents - she had a great sense of humour! When built, the Wycliffe flats were a luxury for poor elderly folk, but in modern times presented problems such as steep stone stairs! We finally "broke the rules" and let them to younger working needy folk. Mrs Brown died at 110 years after a splendid Birthday Party - with numerous friends attending - three Mayors - the local newspaper - but she firmly refused to allow TV! A great lady.
Valerie Gammon
Youth Club
In 1961 I was at school with Ann Jones, daughter of Drys Jones the Church Secretary when she asked a few of her friends to come along and try the new youth club, that had started at North Street. It soon became called The Con Club & the leaders were Brenda & Les Simnett. We met on Friday & Saturday evenings in the Church rooms. There was a table tennis table in the large room and a record player in the other. We would dance, chat and play table tennis & sometimes had something educational, I remember being taught the basic steps to “proper” dances like Waltz & Cha Cha.
To raise funds there would be Jumble sales, dances in the big hall and we put on musical shows.. The Club members also took part in the more formal life of the Church, leading a Youth service about once a month, introducing the Congregation to the modern hymns of Geoffrey Beaumont etc. Music played a big part and Brian Smith was on hand to play the piano & organ. Coach trips were always popular and we went bowling, ice skating & to London shows, appropriately The Sound of Music in 1962. Sometimes a group of us would also go, unannounced, to other local churches Sunday evening services & even a 45 minute Methodist sermon did not put us off.
The Club continued after the move to Portsmouth Rd where we decorated and furnished the lower rooms for our use.
Anne Maynard
I was taken to the Congregational Church, North Street in my carrycot. My paternal grandparents were regulars and my parents, Ernest (Peter) Todd and Sarah Savage were married there on 12th August 1939 as was my sister Mary in June 1960 and myself on 31st March 1963.
My parents met when Dad was twenty and Mum 15 at Miss Lacey’s Bible Class and then went out for a eight years before marrying.
We went to church three times on a Sunday and when Sunday School moved to the morning, we went only twice. Dad didn’t come in the morning as he had chores to do like shining shoes and mending his bike punctures. I’m sure he did other things but this is what I remember. Dr Kaye was our minister and then Mr Porter and I became friends with his daughter Jennifer who was about my age.
The church was the hub of my universe. My friend Clare and I went to badminton on Monday, Wednesday was Girl’s Brigade, I never missed and went from aged 6 to 19. Thursday was choir practice, Friday our youth Cellar Club, where we played table tennis, not very well in my case. There are many people at Church that I remember but I must mention Mrs Peters, our Girl’s Life Brigade Captain, supported by Mrs Brindle and Mrs Cherry and my mum. Sunday School and Badminton with Bert and Marj Howe and George and Joy Shackleton. They all set us an example, and their caring attitude is a lasting memory.
My Mother went to Girl’s Brigade as a girl and we know she went to the church from 1930 age 15 until she died in 1994 aged 79. She would be described as a stalwart, helping wherever and whenever she was needed at Sunday school and Girl’s Brigade, school PTA etc. Making costumes for nativities and plays and of course, cakes and sandwiches for children’s parties. We lived about 0.5 a mile away, and everything had to be carried as we didn’t have a car. I do remember having to make two journeys and moaning all the way along Woodbridge Road.
I have extremely fond memories of the North Street Church, the two halls and all the rooms, corridors and stairs, wonderful for hide and seek. I have wondered if the people I grew up with realised how important they were to me. What they may not have known was my father suffered from manic depression from his early forties. The friends at church were a lifeline for my Mother and me. Is it too late to thank them all?
Ruth Heelan (nee Todd)
Memories! I remember (published in January 2012 magazine)
Christmas 1960 – My first service in North Street Church and I was wearing a new red coat!
Going to the Youth Club twice a week from 1961, when my parents started it. The records (old 45’s) that we used to dance to!
The columns in the hall upstairs where rivulets of sweat ran down them during what were known as ‘socials’ – Phil and the Stormsville Shakers were a favourite live band and the hall was packed!
Winding ‘Old Man’s Beard’ around the columns in the main church for Harvest Festival each year. The ‘old’ church building had an amazing atmosphere, but the floors did creak quite a bit!
Singing in the youth choir, the youth services and shows that I took part in, both acting and singing and generally joining in with everything; ‘Fings ain’t what they used to be’ and ‘The Sound of Music’ in particular.
The times I took part in church Services, in both the ‘old’ and ‘new’ church either reading, taking part in plays or choral speaking.
Becoming a church member and being a Sunday school teacher for a number of years. Going away to train as a teacher in 1966, but being involved with the church again whenever I came back home.
The happy day I got married in the ‘new’ church in 1969 and my second son being christened there in 1975.
The many friends that I made because of the church and the most wonderful fact that we all still keep in touch; often meeting up, even though we are spread far and wide – 50 years of friendship is some feat!
Cath Marshall (Nee Simnett)