Dewsbury

DEWSBURY:
Dewsbury-Gawthorpe Congregational Church History up to 1868.

In 1856, a movement was made towards the gathering of a congregation in this village, and a chapel built in 1858, soon after which a church was formed. The first pastor was-

• 1864. Rev. W. DIXON. He was much respected; ob. 1867.
• 1866. Rev. W. DANIELL, the present minister (in 1868).

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Here is a brief history of Zion Congregational Chapel and Ministers to update the above record.

Zion Chapel was built in 1858 and served from Dewsbury. T H Watson of Dewsbury was preacher or obtained another preacher. The first minister at Zion Congregational Church, the Rev. William Dixon, took up his ministry on the 1st July 1864. He was well liked, and and within a year 49 additional sittings were let, so that in April 1865, it was reported that "there remain only 7 sittings unlet in the whole chapel, and these are in the most inconvenient positions for seeing and hearing the preacher." Sadly, the Rev. Dixon fell ill; he resigned his charge in April 1866 and died the following year.

Zion Congregational Church

The following is an extract of the Deed for the Zion Congregational Chapel. The solicitors often used abbrieviations such as "afsd" = aforesaid, "pt"=part, "ppses"=purposes, "customary heres thrnr parlarly mentd"= customary hereditaments thereunder particularly mentioned, "messge or dwghse"=messuage or dwellinghouse etc

4th February 1858 BY DEED OF COVENANT of this date BETWEEN RICHARD HORSFALL of Chidswell in the Parish of Dewsbury on the Coy of York

• Farmer and MARY his wife of the first or one pt and
• JOHN FLETCHER of Gawthorpe in the Parish of Dewsbury afsd Clothier
• JOSEPH SENIOR of Gawthorpe afsd Coal Miner
• GEORGE LISTER of Gawthorpe afsd Clothier
• BENJAMIN DAY of Gawthorpe afsd Clothier
• JOSEPH VERO of Dewsbury afsd Hat Manufacturer
• THOMAS HORSFALL WATSON of Dewsbury afsd Agent and
• JOSEPH SCHOLEFIELD of Dewsbury afsd Pork Butcher

(Trustees named and appointed by a Society of Protestant Dissenters usually called Independents for the ppses thrnr mentd) of the 2nd or other pt RECITING seisin (landowner or copyholder) of the sd Richard Horsfall and his heirs according to the custom of the Manor of Wakefield in the Coy of York of or to the Copyhold or customary heres thrnr parlarly mentd and covenanted to be surrendered and he had contracted and agreed the sd several persons parties thrto of the 2nd pt for the absolute sale to them of the same Copyhold or Customary heres and thr appurts and the inheritance throf in possn according to the custom of the sd Manor free from all incums except the suits services rents fines and heriots thrfore due and of right accustomed at or for the price or sum of £45.18.0. for the ppse of erecting and bldg a Chapel to be called Gawthorpe Independent Chapel~ALL THAT plot piece or parcel of land or ground as the same was then set out containing by admeasurement 306 spfcl sq yds (be the same more or less) bg part of a close of land situate at Gawthorpe afsd called the Green Head Close then lately purchased by the sd R Horsfall of one Elizabeth Walker and which sd plot or parcel of land or ground was bounded on or twds the North by other pt of the sd close of land on or twds the East by ppty belong to Joshua Greaves on or twds the South by Royd Lane and on twds the West by ppty belongg to Joseph Rowley Esq., TOGR with all and singular fences hedges ditches and ways watercourses rights apputs whatsoever to the same premises belong or appertaining AND the reversion and reversions remainder and remainders yearly and other rents issues and profits throf AND ALL the estate right title intt ppty possibility claim and demand whatsoever of him the sd Richard Horsfall and Mary his wife thrin or thrto

• This is the first plot acquired on which to build Zion Chapel. Royd Lane must have become the High Street at some point later.

• The Rev. William Daniell succeeded the Rev. William Dixon in July 1866 until 1878. The chapel was registered as a place of worship in 1867. Previously of Great Ouseburn in 1861, Rev Daniell occupied the then new Zion Manse from 1873 with spouse Mary Daniell (b Pwllheli, Caernarvonshire), age 56 in 1871 and Henrietta Midgley age 12 of Gt Ouseburn who would have been housemaid.

• Fourteen years on 30th December 1872 the trustees covenanted to purchase the Copyholding of the remaining 2064 sq yds of 'Green Head Close' for £154.16.0. "for the ppse of erecting and bldg a schoolhouse and a messge or dwghse for the Minister for the time bg of the Gawthorpe Independent Chapel and other bldgs respvly appurtenant thrto on the piece or pcl of land thrnr descbd or on some pt throf". This being for the Sunday School and Zion Manse (first Manse).

• Building Name: Sunday School, Gawthorpe, near Dewsbury, Yorkshire