PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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EMBANKMENT ROAD BIBLE CHRISTIAN CHAPEL
The Embankment Road Bible Christian Chapel was situated on the south side of Embankment Road, adjacent to Tintern Avenue. It was at first proposed to construct an iron Church but the Town Council refused to allow it. A new plan was drawn up and the site purchased for £1,161 12s 6d. The memorial stone of the Sunday School was laid in 1897 and the School was opened on Wednesday October 12th 1898, when a service was held at the Greenbank Road Bible Christian Chapel followed by a luncheon in the new school. The building cost £3,250 and was used for morning and evening services and Bible classes in the afternoons on Sundays until the Chapel was built. By 1903 there were 1,300 children attending every Sunday and 52 teachers. The foundation stone of the Chapel was laid by Mr J T Bond in May 1898. It was opened at just before 11am on Wednesday April 29th 1903 by Mrs J T Bond, wife of Alderman Bond, who was unable to attend as he was visiting Egypt and Palestine. Also present was the Reverend John Dymond, president of the circuit, and the Reverend F W Bourne, a former president of the Bible Christian Conference, who was to preach the first sermon. A luncheon took place at 1pm, presided over by the Mayor of Plymouth, Mr H Hurrell. The Mayor said: 'It would be a very sad day for Plymouth and the nation when men and women forgot to keep the Sabbath holy.' The total cost of the site, the school (£3,455 8s 6d), the chapel (£4,570 6s) and the furniture (£60 6s), came to £9,247 13s. An organ built by Messrs Hele and Company was installed at a cost of £400. In the afternoon of the opening day, Mr George Hele Junior gave a recital on the organ. This was followed by some 700 people sitting down to tea in the school-room and in the evening there was a public meeting at which the architect and contractor were thanked but not named. Sources:
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