Mares Green Independent Chapel West Bromwich

[Lee Harris]

I am hoping someone can help me please with this enquiry.


Six children of my Harris ancestors were all baptized between 1796 and 1810 at the Mares Green Independent Chapel,located in Messenger Lane, West Bromwich. The family lived in ‘West Bromwich’ (first four baptisms) and ‘Handsworth’ (last two baptisms) as per the baptism info.


I need to find out exactly where the Chapel was located. West Brom was a series of villages about 1800. Around that time some of my Harris ancestors lived in Handsworth at Grove Lane.


As far as I can tell, Messenger Lane doesn’t exist now, but I think it may have become Messenger Road, Smethwick. (If so, my ancestors would have lived just a short distance from there, at Grove Lane).


Or was the Messenger Lane elsewhere in the West Bromwich area, and no longer exists?


I don’t have a street number (- not available in 1841 to 1861 Censuses) so am wondering which Grove Lane they lived in because there are two Grove Lanes – one in Smethwick, close to Messenger Rd/Lane, and the other is just a mile or two away in Handsworth near Church Lane and Handsworth Park. Perhaps years ago it was all one long lane and all classified as "West Brom' or 'Handsworth' back then. Some old maps I’ve checked aren’t showing details about this.


I’m hoping someone with knowledge of West Bromwich and Smethwick can help me please by telling me if the Mares Green Chapel was located in or nearby to the existing Messenger Road.


And would anyone know if Grove Lane ‘Handsworth’ in Censuses included the Grove Lane that now exists in Smethwick?


Thanks in anticipation.

 

[Astonian]

Possible long lane blackheath which still exist and on the back end and boundry of westbromwich still exist today
And the boundary of Smethwick /Tipton border
Best wishes Astonian,,,,,,,

 

[mikejee]

Lee
From the british history online site (https://www.british-history.ac.uk/):

[h=3]Mayer's Green Church.[/h]In 1785 or 1786 a few members of the Wednesbury Independent congregation withdrew after a dispute over the choosing of the minister. (fn. 151) Most of them lived in West Bromwich, and with a few friends they at first held prayer meetings on Sunday evenings in a private house in Spon Lane. (fn. 152) Later they rented a barn at Virgins End. The group was served until 1787 mainly from the King Street chapel in Birmingham, which belonged to the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion. The first regular minister, Hugh Williams, who took charge after his ordination in 1787, had served the congregation earlier while he was still a student at Trevecca College. The countess herself wrote to 'my well beloved congregation of the West Bromwich Chapel' in 1790, and Williams's successor, appointed in 1799, was recommended by her chaplain. (fn. 153) The new minister left in 1800 after failing to secure an increase in his stipend. The congregation then formed themselves into a Congregational church.
In 1787 Williams began building a small chapel in Messenger Lane, which was opened in 1788. It was lengthened in 1790 and a gallery was erected. Money was scarce at first, but help was given by William Whyley of the Oak House (d. 1800). (fn. 154) In 1805 side galleries were added to the chapel, but even so the accommodation remained inadequate. In 1807-8 a new chapel was built on the opposite side of the road, a brick building with a classical façade: even there side galleries had to be added in 1825-6. The materials from the old chapel were reused, and William Whyley's widow Jane provided a malt-house as a temporary meeting-place during the rebuilding. She also contributed towards the cost of the new chapel from the proceeds of a sale of timber on her Oak House estate. The site of the old chapel became a burial ground; it was bought by the corporation in 1914. (fn. 155) A Sunday school was established in 1804; a building was erected for it in 1807 and was extended to twice the original size in 1813. (fn. 156) Average Sunday attendance at the chapel in 1850-1 was 430 in the morning (evidently including some 190 Sunday-school children) and 340 in the evening; about 90 young children also attended a special service in the morning. (fn. 157) Adult membership at the beginning of 1968 was 63, and there were 35 children. (fn. 158) In 1968 the church was bought by the corporation under a compulsory purchase order; it was gutted by fire in 1969. The congregation was united with that of Ebenezer. (fn. 159)
A benefit club connected with the chapel was founded in 1808. About 1855 a Bible class was begun. It soon attracted men of different denominations and of none from all over the district, and particular attention was devoted to the study of the Bible in the light of contemporary criticism. In the 1880s women were admitted, despite much opposition. In the 1890s there were several clubs and societies, a library, and a gymnasium.
A mission chapel belonging to the church was built in Woodward Street in 1880-1. (fn. 160) It too was bought by the corporation under a compulsory purchase order in 1969. (fn. 161)

Messenger Lane was not the one in Smethwick. It seems, from the c 1890 map below, that it is now under West Bromwich shopping centre. The lane is marked in red to make it clearer. A larger scale map shows more detail. On the map it is marked congregational chapel

 

[Lee Harris]

Thank You Astonian and Mikejee, that certainly has answered my question. I looked at the original site on googlemaps and see the big new shopping mall sitting right on top of the old Messenger Lane. Still a few streets remaining like Reform Street and Teggles Lane.Beginning to think that back then my ancestors were living closer to the Chapel than Grove Lane. It would have been a 3 to 4 mile trip for them from there.

Your help much appreciated!