A SHORT HISTORY OF
A Methodist chapel opened in Oadby on 13th May 1838. On the
opening day it was full to overflowing and it seated 160 people. The population
of Oadby at the time was about 1200. The chapel belonged to the Wesleyan
Methodist Association (a small splinter group of the
Only 12 years later a further chapel was opened in Leicester Road where Marks and Spencer now
stands but we don't know why the first one closed. This new one was on two
floors with the chapel upstairs and the schoolrooms below on the ground floor.
The majority of the members at the time were framework knitters,
worked on a farm or were in the shoe trade. Most had lived all their lives in
Oadby. The membership was at around the 30 - 40 mark when this chapel opened
but it then climbed steadily until there were 86 full members by 1895.
Local preachers led Sunday services and the ordained minister
(from
By 1908 a site for a new church building had been purchased at
the corner of
In a desperate effort to make a start on the new building and to
pay for the loans on the land it was agreed to put up the old chapel for sale.
The asking price in 1913 was £450 but by 1915 when a buyer was found this had
dropped to £250. The chapel closed on 27th June and services moved to the Village Hall. A low point indeed for the
few remaining members.
Throughout the war years services took place in the Village Hall
and efforts were made to raise money but these were not very lucrative and rent
had to be paid (on the right of the photo).
In 1920 it was discovered that an ex-army
hut could be purchased for £100 and it would be capable of holding 250
people. The congregation voted 3 to 1 for a £400 scheme to erect one on the
By 1926 the Oadby Methodists had begun to recover from their
misfortunes and a pastor, Pastor Argall, (seen in
the photograph with his wife) was appointed whose 'boundless enthusiasm and
willingness to identify with the common man made him beloved by all.' Spirits
rose, the congregation grew and enthusiasm was awakened for the building of a
new, permanent chapel. It was hoped to build on the
The
The laying of the foundation stone took place on 16th May 1931
and the new chapel opened on October 3rd of the same year. The photo shows a
stone being laid by Samson Ludlam, a very
prominent member of the congregation at that time. The members processed into
the new building, children first, singing 'Onward Christian Soldiers'. The
following year, probably when the
In the following years the church family was alive and active
and many special events took place. Church and Sunday School Anniversaries and
Harvest Thanksgiving services were the highlights of the year, but many social
groups strengthened the church family. Pastor Argall felt that the monthly
communion service was the best feature of the church and the power station upon
which the members drew.
The war years followed and the military authorities took over
the schoolrooms, but by 1947 the premises had been redecorated and by 1951
there were 150 scholars in the Sunday School. Throughout the 50s and 60s the
population of Oadby boomed and the congregation became more fluid. A manse was
built and the first occupant was Rev Christopher Hughes Smith with his family.
Church membership stood at 128 and was growing fast and in 1964 the church
became part of Oadby Council of Churches. The first Stewardship Campaign took
place, changing the appearance of the church's financial giving for good and
harnessing the talents and time of the congregation for the greater good of the
church and the community.
By the 70s Oadby had been transformed from a tight knit village
community into a suburb of people whose roots lay elsewhere and the chapel
membership had become the largest in the circuit. The premises had been altered
and enlarged and the membership had changed considerably. People took time to
settle down and grow in the faith.
The Golden Jubilee was celebrated in 1981
with a special exhibition of church history and a publication to match. Church
membership stood at 272 members with 400 families on the community roll.
The years that followed saw a drive towards bringing the church
building up to date and making it more accessible to the community. Various
outreach projects including a drop-in centre for the unemployed, a coffee bar
and lunches for the elderly were undertaken.
It was decided that renovations, which had been discussed for
some time, should now take place and fund raising began. The church closed for
several months and 'camped out' at
The final years of the century were spent settling into our
beautiful new surroundings, finding new ways of worship and growing together as
a church family. Housegroups, church weekends, weekday meetings of every kind,
not to mention the wonderful drama presentations and pantomimes have all contributed
to a feeling of community. We look forward to the future as we start the
Methodist year with a new Minister who will bring the people closer into church
life so that we may help to keep a thriving Christian presence in Oadby
Stella Orbell September 2007
