Wesleyan Chapel, Loftus

A lovely clear photograph of Newton Memorial Chapel we can even see some of the head stones in the cemetery behind it, a beautiful building;  such a pity it was bombed on 15th March 1941 at 4.48am. (Bombing information from Bill Norman’s – Wartime Teesside Revisited). Quoted verbatim from Bulmer’s Directory Norman Patton advised: ”Newton Memorial Chapel was built in 1876, at a cost of £3,564. It is a handsome brick edifice with freestone facings, and will accommodate 900 persons. In 1885 the front was altered and improved at a cost of £405.” It was named after the Reverend Robert Newton of Roxby (1780 – 1854) who was a travelling Wesleyan minister and four times President of the Wesleyan Conference. The chapel of 1876 was built to replace a more basic built first erected in the early 1800s, Methodism in Loftus dates back to the days of John Nelson, who ”roused the inhabitants with his stirring appeals”. Norman Patton further tells us: ”As far as I am aware,  no one was killed by the bomb which fell on the open space/recreation field at the rear of  what used to be the United Bus depot.  Massive pieces of earth were hurled into the air and caused collateral  damage to several houses in Tees Street.  One such house was the home of my Great Grandmother Elizabeth Ann Hicks (at No 29),  which she shared with many other family members.  Although their home was severely damaged none of the seven occupants  was injured.  All needed to be rehoused  with other family members in the district for 18 months while repairs were carried out.”

Image courtesy of several sources, thanks to Norman Patton for this information.