Laying the foundation stones for the Wesleyan Chapel, Hutton Rudby in 1878

I particularly like the thought of them enjoying their "sumptuous tea" at the end of the proceedings:

Northern Echo: Monday 5 August 1878

Laying Foundation Stones at Hutton Rudby 

Last Friday was a red-letter day in the village of Hutton Rudby.  For some time the Wesleyan Chapel in that place has been rather faulty in repair, and as the site is not a very good one efforts were put forth to obtain the necessary funds to build a new chapel, and have been so far successful that the work has already been commenced, and the foundation stones were laid on Friday last, in the presence of a very large congregation.  

The new chapel is to be Gothic style, erected from designs by Mr Harbottle, of Great Ayton.  The whole of the work has been entrusted to Messrs W. and T. Hodgson, builders, of Osmotherley and Brompton, and promises to prove an ornament to the village.  The dimensions are 46ft by 35ft, with schoolroom behind, and is calculated to afford accommodation for about 230 persons.  

The proceedings commenced by singing a hymn, after which Mr Miles, of Stokesley, read a portion of scripture as a lesson; and the Rev R W Butterworth, of Stokesley, offered a prayer, at the conclusion of which he called upon Mrs Richardson (Mayoress of Stockton) to lay the first stone; Miss Wilson (on behalf of Mrs Wilson), of Hutton-Rudby, to lay the second; Mrs John Kidd, of Edinburgh, to lay the second; and Miss Mease (on behalf of Miss Mewburn, of Banbury) to lay the fourth.  In a cavity under each stone was deposited a bottle containing current newspapers, list of trustees, and coin of the realm.  

In place of the usual presentation of silver trowels, a handsome copy of the Bible and Wesley's Hymns was presented to Mrs Richardson by Mr Peacock, to Miss Wilson by Mr Braithwaite, to Mrs Kidd by Mr William Weighill, and to Miss Mease by Mr Miles.  

After the conclusion of the ceremony, the Rev C H Gough, of Darlington, delivered an excellent address, in the course of which he remarked that it was just about 120 years that day since John Wesley held his first meeting at Hutton Rudby, which seemed to have been a favourite place with him, as no less than eleven distinct visits to Hutton Rudby were recorded in his journal.  

At the close of the address the National Anthem was sung, after which a sumptuous tea was served in the old chapel, to which full justice was done by a large number of people.  

In the evening the Rev C H Gough delivered an interesting lecture on "A Tour in France and Belgium." Mr T E Pyman presided, there being a good attendance.

Note: Thomas English Pyman of Linden Grove, Hutton Rudby, like his father George, was a prominent Congregationalist.

Photographs of All Saints', Hutton Rudby online

For those of you who are virtual rather than actual visitors to Hutton Rudby, this is a link to a set of beautiful photographs on flickr of the interior of the parish church (and the King's Head)

The planting of the trees on Hutton Rudby Green

In 1878 three young men of Hutton Rudby – two of them were the brothers John and Joseph Hutchinson of Toft Hill – conceived the idea of beautifying the village by planting avenues of trees along the Green and North End.  They explained their idea at a public meeting where they were met with an enthusiastic response.  Donations were called for and a fund-raising concert was planned.

Hutton Rudby Green

They were possibly inspired by the lime trees planted on Stokesley West Green in 1874 to commemorate the marriage of Miss Caroline Marwood of Busby Hall and Mr Wynn Finch of Stokesley Manor.  The main Green at Hutton Rudby had always been a bare grassy expanse with a wide view across the rooftops towards the Cleveland Hills.  The trees planted in 1878-9 would grow to become one of the most recognisable and beautiful features of the village.

Meynell family of Hutton Rudby

I've just amended the blogpost of 25 October 2012 on the Roman Catholic population of Hutton Rudby c1780 to 1830, as a keen-eyed reader spotted an error I had made on the Meynell family - so, if you've looked at it before, you might want to check it out again!

Hutton Rudby between the Wars: in newspaper cuttings

These notes were taken years ago, from a scrapbook that somebody lent me.  I think, as is often the way with newspaper clippings, they were mostly undated (I don’t like to think that I didn’t copy out the dates!) but I think they are interesting all the same …and I have been able to date most of them ...

The funeral took place at Hutton Rudby yesterday of Mr John Barnabas Smith, one of the best-known residents of the parish, and the proprietor of one of the oldest businesses on Teesside.  Mr Smith, who was 73 years of age, had all his life enjoyed excellent health, and as recently as Saturday he spent his leisure hours digging in his garden.  On Tuesday morning he got up at his accustomed time, and after breakfast set off, as was his wont, to walk to Potto Station.  So regular had he been in his habits that many residents of Hutton Rudby have set their clocks by him as he passed to the station in the morning when on his way to business.
Shortly after passing the Village Hall in course of erection in Lodge-lane [it was built in 1927], Mr Smith was seen to fall to the ground.  He was taken into Mr McKinney’s house, and Dr Proctor was called to him …

[Sister: Mrs Scaife.  Niece: Miss Finlayson.  J B Smith worked for Joshua Byers & Co, timber merchants of Stockton, which was taken over by Mr John Wilson Watson, and J B Smith finally became proprietor of the business.  He never married and in the 1911 Census was living at Jubilee Cottage on North Side, near to the (Wesleyan) Methodist Chapel]

Joseph Mellanby Mease

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January 1928
Mr Joseph Mellanby Mease, of Leven Valley House, the oldest inhabitant of Hutton Rudby and the oldest reader of the Northern Echo, has died at the age of 100 …

[He attributed his great age to an open-air life, plenty of sleep and always having been abstemious.  Never smoked until he was over 80, and after that had a cigarette after supper every night.  In early days was chief clerk at the chemical works in Jarrow owned by a member of the Mease family.  Came to Hutton Rudby in 1858 as manager of a corn mill, on the site of which the police constable’s house now stands.  Three years later he lost his arm when his sleeve was caught in the machinery.  When the Northern Echo had its jubilee in 1920 he was one of the 3 or 4 people who proved they had taken the paper from its first number, and he was presented with a silver teapot]

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Hutton Rudby Bridge
Reporting to the Highways Committee of the North Riding County Council with regard to the Hutton Rudby bridge, the County Surveyor states:-

The property on the south side of the river which obscures the view at the foot of Hutton Rudby bank is offered for sale at £1,750.  The property consists of a mill and 4 occupied cottages.  If the property were pulled down a good improvement would be effected.  The cost of clearing the site and making good would probably be covered by the value of the scrap material from the buildings.  The property adjoins the Bridge road which is maintained by the County Council.  The continuation of the Bridge road in either direction is a district road between Stokesley and East Rounton.
[The Mill and cottages were demolished in the 1930s to widen the road, which was dangerously narrow at that point]

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More research to do ...

I've been working my way through my files and boxes of notes and I've got more to come, but I'll be posting it up less frequently over the next few months ... I have a lot of research and writing up to complete!

Paintings of Runswick Bay and Staithes by Jennifer Wyse

For lovers of the North Yorkshire coast: a couple of paintings by the Sadberge artist Jennifer Wyse.

Across the footbridge, Staithes, by Jennifer Wyse

You can find out about her inspiration and more examples of her work on her website.

Prices start at £15 (plus p & p) for a 10" by 12" mounted and backed print.  Other sizes are available - for details, email wyse_jennifer@yahoo.com

Runswick Bay street, by Jennifer Wyse