Rural Leicestershire

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Going to church

2.05 minutes

[506 kb]

Interviewee:

We had a Congregational Chapel and a Methodist. Eventually the Methodist was sold and the Congregational bought it for the village, for a hall.

EMOHA:

Could you tell me something about the differences between the two places of worship?

Interviewee:

Well, I think we in the Congregational were more, what should I say, free and easy really. The Methodists seemed a very strict, it was really strict Methodist, and they didn't have any entertainment at all, where we had a marvellous choir mistress and organist who really had the children entertained the whole time, and we had wonderful concerts and outings and everything, and Sunday School anniversaires, of course that was a very big day.

EMOHA:

Could you tell me more about it?

Interviewee:

Well, we used to go to what we called practise on the Sunday morning at ten o'clock, and there was a little cottage next to the chapel where the caretaker lived, one up and one down, and we used to leave our coats, and of course we had to wear hats then, so we left our hats and coats there and we went into the chapel, and the stage was built from the floor up to the ceiling; seating, and we had a practise. Then we were back again at half past two, for anniversary, which brought in all scholars from miles around. And we as children sat up on the platform so we could see everybody, what they put into the collection basket as it went along the pews. You used to say, you know, remarks, childrens' remarks. But we had, always had new dresses and new hats for the occasion.

Last updated: 21/11/03
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