Chequerbent Service Room
Notes taken from Westhoughton Parish Church Magazine 1877.
On Sunday evening, Jun 24th1877 a Sermon was preached at Chequerbent by the Rev. Dr Hewlett, Vicar of Astley. The Offertory, for purchasing a new Harmonium, contained 256 coins and amounted to £13, inclusive of a Five Pound Note sent by Wm. Ford Hulton, Esq. A handsome Reading Desk has been presented by W.W.B. Hulton Esq., and the room has been elegantly painted and beautified at Mr Hulton’s expense, who has also supplied six reversible desks.
ChequerbentSchool& New Houses
(Westhoughton Parish Church Magazine, September 1888)
CHEQUERBENT : Work in connection with the building of the new School has commenced, and it is hoped that the Memorial Stone will be laid by Mrs Hulton of Hulton Park, before the end of the month. The School will be used as a Mission Church on Sundays and it is proposed to locate a Curate who will minister to the population rapidly being drawn to the district. It is expected that within a short time, houses will be erected for more than five hundred persons*
*(Pam’s note: This would include Brancker Street, which in 1889 were called New Cottages).
Chequerbent
(Westhoughton Parish Church Magazine, January 1889)
The New Schools which through the kindness and generosity of Mr Hulton, have been built at Chequerbent, were opened on Saturday and Sunday, the 22nd and 23rd of December. It is through Mr Hulton’s kindly thoughtfulness, that they are intended to answer a double purpose : that of a School on week days, and of a Mission Room on Sundays, and they seem admirably adapted by construction to answer each purpose.
On Saturday afternoon the Schools were put to their first use, by a Tea Party being held in them. The Room itself looked very bright and cheerful as also did the 200 friends who were present, and many thanks are due to the kind helpers who so willingly and ably assisted in preparing and decoration the Room for the occasion. At 4.30 pm Mr Hulton who presided, rose and asked all present to sing “the grace” as usual. Every one was pleased to see Mrs and Miss Hulton there, and we are sure that every one most heartily endorsed what the decorators had expressed for them “Long Life and Happiness to Mr & Mrs Hulton.
Westhoughton Journal 9thJanuary 1970............
CHEQUERBENT SCHOOL – one week to go.
Junior schoolchildren at Chequerbent are to spend just one more week in the school which is to be demolished to make way for road improvements. The school is in the middle of the new development area where the new motorway link-road joins to the A6, and the children have been working to the almost incessant roar of heavy machines.
The Vicar of Westhoughton, the Rev. T. Davies told the Journal this week – “the children will be at the old school until Friday, January 16th, and they will go into the first part of the first phase of the new school on Monday the 19th. The final service at the present Chequerbent Mission Church of which the schoolroom forms a part, will be held on Sunday evening, and it will include the dedication of the two memorial gifts.
For a time thereafter, services will be held in the infant school across the road.
NOTE: Old Chequerbent Mission Church was built 1888. New St Thomas’s Chequerbent was officially opened April 1973.