Ryde Social Heritage Group research the social history of the citizens of Ryde, Isle of Wight. Documenting their lives, businesses and burial transcriptions.
RYDE SOCIAL HERITAGE GROUP
Based at Ryde Cemetery Heritage & Learning Centre. Preserving, documenting and promoting the social history of Ryde on the Isle of Wight.
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Ryde Architecture

Congregational Chapel, at Weeks

WEEKS CONGREGATIONAL CHAPEL
(1848 – 1970’s)

This small chapel was situated where the roads of Longmead-road and Alfred-street, come together at Weeks-road.  Very little is known about the everyday life of the building or the congregation, just a few are listed below.  There was a list of service times in the local newspaper most of the time, alongside all the other churches and chapels.

18 June 1887
On Thursday night a tea and public meeting were held in the little chapel at Weeks, to commemorate the erection of a porch to the memory of the late Mr. John Lewis. The porch, which was designed by Mr. Josiah Cutler, is a great ornament to Weeks Chapel, and bears the following inscription : “This porch was erected by voluntary contributions in memory of John Lewis, who, after faithfully filling the office of superintendent to this school for 23 years, rested from his labours October 23rd, 1886, aged 56 years, and was interred in Ryde Cemetery.” About 70 sat down to the memorial tea, which was followed by speeches, singing, &c.

4 March 1899
In the obituary of Josiah Cutler who died 25 February 1899, it said he was a deacon of the George-street Congregational Church and formerly superintendent of the Sunday-school in connection with that place of worship. In his position he was also connected with the Congregation Chapel at Weeks.  Floral tributes at his funeral were sent amongst others, from “The teachers and scholars and friends of Weeks Sunday school.”

20 August 1904
The Hospital Sunday collections in the Ryde Churches last Sunday were about up to the average.
The Congregational Church collections amounted to £16.10s.3⅓d.  made up as follows: George Street, £23.10s.6d. ; Elmfield, £1.8s.10d. ; Langbridge, £1.4s. ; Haylands, 13s.5⅓. ; Green Lanes, 6s.6d. ; Weeks, 6s.  Weeks collection was the lowest, but this small chapel had a smaller congregation than the others.

22 July 1914
On Tuesday afternoon Mr. H. P. Wilton one of the Deputy Coroners for the Island held an inquest at the Congregational Chapel, Weeks, touching the death of Muriel Evelyn Bartlett, aged 4 years and 7 months’

29 December 1935
The funeral took place at the Congregational Church on Saturday of Mr. Herbert Peters, aged 55, of Victoria House, Ratcliffe-avenue. He was a retired sanitary inspector and had lived here for several years. He took a great interest in the Weeks Congregational Chapel and Sunday-school and actively associated himself with the young people’s work at George-street.

Some parishioners whose funeral services were held in the Chapel at Weeks.
Hiram Jenkins died 5 July 1893.  (more about Hiram Jenkins here)
Christopher Harold Cook died 18 Feb 1959.  (more about Christopher Cooke here)
Harold Ernest Walter Chappell died 11 Apr 1961.  (more about Harold Chappell here)

Note:
The image with this article is just one of two, that we have in the RSHG archive.  We have not seen any others, so if anybody does come across photo(s) and text of the Weeks Congregational Chapel, or people connected with it,  we would be pleased to hear from you.

Sources: IW Observer & RSHG Archive
Image: Roy Brinton Collection
Article: Ann Barrett