The next chapel we are going to look at is Radcliffe Hall Forward Movement Methodist Chapel in Penydarren.
In 1901, members of Hermon and Libanus Chapels in Dowlais started meeting in Penydarren Boys School, and started a Sunday School in the long room of The New Inn, Penydarren.
By 1902 numbers had grown sufficiently for the congregation to build their own chapel. Three cottages were purchased at a cost of £550, and converted into a meeting place which they called Samaria.
On 28 December 1903 Rev E R Jones of Machynlleth was inducted as the new minister. With the advent of the new minister the congregation flourished and it became obvious that a new place of worship was needed. A new building designed by Messrs Habbershon & Faulkner of Cardiff was built by Mr Samuel Evans of Dowlais at a cost of £2,344.
At the stone laying ceremony on 15 December 1904, Mr W Henry Radcliffe the owner of an important shipping company in Cardiff, and a prominent member of the Forward Movement contributed £100 pounds to the building fund. Radcliffe was born in Dowlais and had lived for a time near the site of the new Chapel. In recognition of his generosity it was decided that the new chapel would be called Radcliffe Hall.
On 3 September 1908 the elders of the chapel decided that the cause should become an English cause, and as a result, on 25 October 1908 Rev E R Jones gave his last sermon and announced his resignation due to a combination of ill health and not being happy with the change to an English cause.
During the spring of 1913, the congregation at Radcliffe Hall faced a dispute with the owners of a new cinema which planned to be built next door to the chapel. A committee was set up to oppose the scheme, and every other chapel in Penydarren rallied to support Radcliffe Hall. Due to the public support for the chapel, the committee won their case and the cinema, The Cosy, was eventually built further along the High Street.
Radcliffe Hall closed in 1964 and the building was destroyed by fire in 1976.
Went to Radcliffe Hall for many years. When i was a boy we had a youth club and Band of Hope in the hall under the church. The entrance was down the steep steps at the side. There was a strong sisterhood I can remember Mrs Williams from garden City her daughter Glenys went to youth club, there was Mrs Bale who’s husband ran a wholesale confectionary business from their house in Brynyfrys St, there was Mrs Tate who’s daughter Barbara played the organ and later played the organ in Hope and the in Hope/Market square churches. Mr Spurrier was treasurer he ran a shop top of Tyllwyd St opposite Fronwen Tce, I became the last Church Secretary before it closed and we all went to Hope. The last minister when I was sec. was Rev Percy Noble Brown. Lovely chap had very bad eyesight. In those days the minister and a lay person from each church would visit another and look into “the state of the cause”. it meant examinng the financial affairs and see that the church is running properly and promoting the Christian message. I had a motor scooter at the time and myself and Rev. Brown went to many churches in the Presbytery. He could not drive because of his poor eyesight.I remember William Pugh the undertaker in Penydarren telling ne that Rev. Brown was the only minister he knew that would not take a fee for a funeral. I loved that Church many happy memories