PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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The Laira Wesleyan Chapel, later known as the Zion Methodist Chapel, is located on the north side of Old Laira Road, adjacent to Wycliffe Road. Laira's original Wesleyan Methodist Chapel was located down by the Plymouth & Dartmoor Railway, accessed from The Avenue. It was still in use in 1897 when the site in Old Laira Road was purchased for a new, somewhat more central and accessible Methodist chapel. It cost £430 and Mr Isaac Foot, a staunch Methodist, gave £50 towards it. The foundation stone of the new Chapel was laid between June and November 1905 and the Chapel was officially opened on Wednesday March 21st 1906. The Lady Mayoress of Devonport, Mrs W J Moon, was supposed to have performed this ceremony but was indisposed so it was the Mayor himself who received the silver key from the trustees and declared the building open for worship. At the evening meeting it was announced that the project had cost £2,100, of which they had collected £650 11s 8d so far. During the opening day £99 9s was collected, including a cheque for £10 from the Mayor of Devonport. The Chapel was not declared to be free from debt until 1922. When the Zion Methodist Chapel in Zion Street, Plymouth, was destroyed during the Second World War, it was decided to use the War Damage Compensation payment of £24,000 to erect a larger Chapel at Laira. It was to be built on a corner of the site that had been left empty for expansion when the original Chapel was constructed. The foundation stone was laid on Saturday May 26th 1956 by Mr Isaac Foot, in the presence of the Deputy Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Plymouth, Alderman and Mrs T H Watkins. The building included vestries for the minister and choir, plus three smaller rooms for fellowship meetings and a kitchen. Construction was carried out by Messrs Godolphin Company Ltd, whose managing director, Group-Captain C L Pendlebury, presented the trowel to Mr Foot. A stone was also laid by Mr S W Cole, a trustee of the original Zion Chapel, whose name it now would take. The act of dedication was performed by the Reverend F A Rowe, chairman of the Plymouth Methodist District. In the evening a tea was held in the St Mary's Church Hall, courtesy of the vicar, the Reverend P C Clynick. It has now merged into the Laira United Reformed Church.
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