Does anyone have any information about the Welsh Chapel that used to be in Wheeler St or any information about the Welsh community in Birmingham. I am researching family history and the last 3 generations of my family were members -I was also christened there. I know that there is a booklet re the history of the chapel (in Welsh) held at the National Library of Wales and the Record Office in Birmingham -does anyone know of any other copies? Would be grateful for any information. Diolch yn fawr.
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Welsh Chapel Wheeler St
- Thread starter pectwal
- Start date
hi pectwal and welcome to the forum...i am that up on the welsh chapels im afraid but this pic was taken in wheeler st...what i am not sure about is was this your chapel or just a building telling folk that the chapel was still open for business as it does not look very chapel like to me.. during the 1960s birmingham was in the midst of mass demolision...there was also a chapel in nearby guildford st and gt king st..not sure if you live in birmingham but i am sure the central library in town would be able to help you with information about the welsh chapels in birmingham and will have a record of who was christened there..
if our map expert mike spots this thread maybe he would have a map pinpointing where the chapel in wheeler st was..
lyn
if our map expert mike spots this thread maybe he would have a map pinpointing where the chapel in wheeler st was..
lyn
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Key Hill Brian
Proud Brummie
Hi Lyn
That is a rear view of the 'old' people chapel in Great King st - It had two large halls to the rear, one downstairs, one upstairs.
You can just see part of the chapel roof top right of the main roof.
A new chapel was built further up Gt King St which is still there.
An old dirty, uncomfortable place - but hold many good memories.
The Welsh chapel is now in the Gun Quarter - in Loveday st, on the corner around from the Bull - They were kind enough to help translate a welsh headstone in Key Hill cemetery.
There have been welsh chapels in Birmingham for many years.
There were welsh baptist meetings in an upper room at 38 John Bright St in the 1930's ran by a railway Supervisor
The Welsh Congregational church began in 1860 in the Temeperance Hotel, Moor St, moving 2 years later to Anne St (became Colmore Row).
Since most members lived in Lozells where there was a small 'welsh' community, land was leased in Wheeler St and a the Church moved into a schoolroom built there in 1868 for them. The Chapel it self was built in 1870, fully opening in 1872, later schedules for demolition in 1948, although they celebrated their centenary there in 1960! It suffered much vandalism by than and the Church was assisted by Lucas's and allowed to meet in their Sociakl club Hall on Soho Hill - itself a former Congregational Church!
LOveday St was opened on 7/2/1970.
Welsh Presbyterians or Calvinists seperated and met at Bethel Church, Holloway Head, having been also in Rea St, being rebuilt in 1968. There is one now in Albion St in the Jewellery Quarter - you would walk past the door barely knowing - looks like a factory entrance!
Most info on Welsh from "Religion in Birmingham" by Norman Tiptaft Ltd, Warley. published 1972, and hard to find - I have it if you wish to use it.
Brian
That is a rear view of the 'old' people chapel in Great King st - It had two large halls to the rear, one downstairs, one upstairs.
You can just see part of the chapel roof top right of the main roof.
A new chapel was built further up Gt King St which is still there.
An old dirty, uncomfortable place - but hold many good memories.
The Welsh chapel is now in the Gun Quarter - in Loveday st, on the corner around from the Bull - They were kind enough to help translate a welsh headstone in Key Hill cemetery.
There have been welsh chapels in Birmingham for many years.
There were welsh baptist meetings in an upper room at 38 John Bright St in the 1930's ran by a railway Supervisor
The Welsh Congregational church began in 1860 in the Temeperance Hotel, Moor St, moving 2 years later to Anne St (became Colmore Row).
Since most members lived in Lozells where there was a small 'welsh' community, land was leased in Wheeler St and a the Church moved into a schoolroom built there in 1868 for them. The Chapel it self was built in 1870, fully opening in 1872, later schedules for demolition in 1948, although they celebrated their centenary there in 1960! It suffered much vandalism by than and the Church was assisted by Lucas's and allowed to meet in their Sociakl club Hall on Soho Hill - itself a former Congregational Church!
LOveday St was opened on 7/2/1970.
Welsh Presbyterians or Calvinists seperated and met at Bethel Church, Holloway Head, having been also in Rea St, being rebuilt in 1968. There is one now in Albion St in the Jewellery Quarter - you would walk past the door barely knowing - looks like a factory entrance!
Most info on Welsh from "Religion in Birmingham" by Norman Tiptaft Ltd, Warley. published 1972, and hard to find - I have it if you wish to use it.
Brian
morning bri im glad you spotted this thread...gosh you are right i can just make out gt king st chapel roof on the previous pic i posted...here is the front of gt king st chapel...im sure pectwal will be very grateful of all the info you have posted and we still need to find a pic of the chapel in wheeler st..
lyn
lyn
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Thank you for that information. I was born into a Welsh speaking family in Birmingham but we moved soon after and I now live in Wales. I have memories of going to the Wheeler St., Welsh chapel in the 1950's and being taken to the Eisteddfod in Birmingham. My grandparents house in Guilford St was demolished in the early 60's. Thanks again for your help.
pectwal here is a pic taken from farm st looking up guildford st..pretty sure that the chapel is on the left of the pic..one of our members mike ingram who lived in guildford st would be able to confirm this...just as a matter of interest what was your family name from guildford st..if you happen to know what number your grandparents lived at i have posted a lot pics on the guildford st thread prior to demolision...my gt grandmothers daughter married a welsh man arthur davies in the 1930s and they lived in nearby bridge street west..
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Michael_Ingram
gone but not forgotten
Bore da Pectwal, croeso i'r fforwm. That is the chapel on the left. At the time it was a factory run by Cowdrill's, who also had a wireless shop in Wheeler Street, just down from the Welsh chapel. I don't think that the Guildford Street chapel had any Welsh connections. I have seen details of it ond dw'i dim yn cofio ble, yn anffordus, (unfortunately, I can't remember where). I think it may have been a baptist chapel. I know my gran and mom went there. I was always fascinated by the Welsh chapel in Wheeler Street, I had a friend who lived down an entry by it, his family were the Twamleys, and I passed it on the way to my other gran who lived in Wheeler Street. It was not the one in the King Street photo, of course. I think it had Welsh text above the door, which I wouldn't have understood then. It may have been called Bethesda Chapel, which many Welsh chapels were called. By the way, the photo of Guildford Street was taken by my brother-in-law, Dennis Sanders who lived in Guildford Street as well and became a Methodist minister. He spent his last years as a minister in Cwmbran in South Wales were my sister still lives.
Key Hill Brian
Proud Brummie
Cheers Lyn,
The old peoples chapel must just have been about to be demolished in the earlier pic, since the new one opened, in 67.
What was the chapel top of wheeler St on the left just before Lozells Road, almost diagonally opposite St Pauls?
Would that be the Welsh place?
Bri
The old peoples chapel must just have been about to be demolished in the earlier pic, since the new one opened, in 67.
What was the chapel top of wheeler St on the left just before Lozells Road, almost diagonally opposite St Pauls?
Would that be the Welsh place?
Bri
Michael_Ingram
gone but not forgotten
Brian, the Welsh one was at the bottom near Farm Street
Wow - I am overwhelmed by the response! In reply to your question Astoness, my grandparents lived at 96 Guilford St. My grandparents were David and Kate Davies but both died long before I was born -probably in the 1920's. My aunt remained in the house until it was demolished and I used to stay with her as a child. I don't know of any Arthur Davies in our family though they probably knew him if he was Welsh and lived locally. Davies is of course a very common Welsh name! My grandfather had a joinery business that he inherited from his father-in -law William Evans but that is going back a long way.
I know the Welsh chapel was Annibynwyr i.e. Congregational but whether it had a name I don't know -there is no name on my christening certificate which I still have.
I know the Welsh chapel was Annibynwyr i.e. Congregational but whether it had a name I don't know -there is no name on my christening certificate which I still have.
mikejee has just sent me this map pinpointing where the welsh congregational chapel was in wheeler st..now all we need to do is find a pic of it...according to the kellys directory it was still there in 1967
pectwal yes im sure that my arthur davies could well have known your family...
lyn
pectwal yes im sure that my arthur davies could well have known your family...
lyn
Michael_Ingram
gone but not forgotten
Send many thanks to Mike. Yes that is dead on. If you look to the far right near the bottom you will just see 'Chap' which is the Guildford Street Chapel
oh well spotted mike i missed that...think i may have a pic of no 96 guildford st where pectwals grandparents lived but i am having to call on mikejee again to help confirm it before i post the pic...
hope you are well mike..
lyn
Michael_Ingram
gone but not forgotten
I'm fine Lyn thanks, hope you are too. Many thank Phil but if you look at Mike's map you will see the Welsh church marked in red. Move down to the bottom of Wheeler Street and you will see St Matthias's marked on the corner of Farm Street. Nice photo though
paul stacey
master brummie
I love the photo #2, "still on active service", surrounded by waste land from the slum clearances.
paul
paul
here you go pectwal and mike....i asked carl chinn if he may have a pic of the chapel and by luck he did so grateful thanks to him for sending it to me i really thought this would be a hard one to find...as a young girl i must have passed it hundreds of time while shopping with our mom..
the welsh chapel wheeler st dated 1965
the welsh chapel wheeler st dated 1965
Key Hill Brian
Proud Brummie
Cheers Lyn (& carl) Great Pic. Like you, must have passed it often as a child but can not recall it.
Nice looking frontage
Bri
Nice looking frontage
Bri
Michael_Ingram
gone but not forgotten
Great stuff Lyn.
I have enlarged it to see what the notice board might say but it looses resolution. Anyway its good to see it at last
I have enlarged it to see what the notice board might say but it looses resolution. Anyway its good to see it at last
F
Forward
Guest
"What was the chapel top of wheeler St on the left just before Lozells Road, almost diagonally opposite St Pauls?
Would that be the Welsh place?" - Lozells Congregational. My grandparents came from Abergavenny - the church wasn't Welsh as such.
Forgot to add they lived in Guildford St.
Ray
Would that be the Welsh place?" - Lozells Congregational. My grandparents came from Abergavenny - the church wasn't Welsh as such.
Forgot to add they lived in Guildford St.
Ray
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sistersue61
master brummie
Hubby says there used to be a Welsh Presbyterian chapel by A B Fletchers, so on Great Lister Street, he thinks.
Sue
Sue
its just like waiting for a bus for ages then two come along at once...just found another great pic of the welsh chapel wheeler st to go with the one on post 21...this one is taken earlier in december 1951...in this one we can see that little allyway between the chapel and the building next to it.
lyn
lyn
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sistersue61
master brummie
It's a lovely building Lyn, is it still there or has it been demolished for newer things?
Sue
Sue
