Middle Lock Preachers

[Heartland]

Arthur Truby in his Towpath Tale, which starts with his walking the BCN towpath from the late 1920's mentions that the former religious meetings held around the spoil banks, near Spon Lane, Arthur recalled that they were called Middle Lock preachers. It would bde interesting to see if gatherings such as this existed elsewhere on the waterways network.

 

Ray Shill

[Derek R.]

Can't help but think of the Salvation Army as a prime suspect! They would gather every Sunday in various places often with a few instruments. But why at the locks? Good question, other than to bring some salvation to a spot between Iron Works, Wagon Works, and West Smethwick Cemetery.

 

I like Arthur's tale on the last page as told by his mate for a whooping cough cure - a ride on a working boat through Dudley Tunnel! "Ask any on um as is bin. It awliz waerked!"

 

A Black Country Society publication, ISBN 0 904015 14 9 (for the record).

[Athy]

Perhaps because boats were forced to stop at the locks, so they were guaranteed at least a temporary audience/ congregation?

[Hairy-Neil]

Met the modern day equivalent at Atherstone locks a couple of seasons back, pedaling the watchtower....

[Athy]

Met the modern day equivalent at Atherstone locks a couple of seasons back, pedaling the watchtower....

Holy lock-wheeling, eh?

[Derek R.]

Was it witnessed?

 

Seriously, preaching at locksides seems to be a bit of a non-starter. The Sally Army are more likely to have been gathering at corners and streets where they would be assured of a decent crowd, or where their presence was of no encumbrance. The latter comes to mind as on our estate in North London they would form a circle in Wellesley Road - a short dead end with a closed factory at the end (Sunday) and twenty eight dwellings, several of whom would come out and listen. After doing their 'piece' there, they would troop around to Spouter's Corner opposite the Nag's Head and repeat the performance. Off topic I know, but we would also get an escapologist do his tricks though mostly on Saturday - bigger crowd. That was before television caught on big time, and the dying remains of the Wood Green Empire were still extant.

 

But having re-read the passage in Arthur's booklet, it is mentioned crowds did in fact gather on the spoil banks to listen. So maybe the Salvation Army were involved, especially if there was a chance to hear some Brass being played. Nothing like a bit of open air music to draw the crowds - certainly truer back in the Twenty's at any rate.

 

Edited to add:

Let's not forget Brigadier Fielding and his wife, who between them encouraged a form of education through their boat SALVO, but that came quite a bit later.

Edited October 14, 2012 by Derek R.

[bizzard]

Met the modern day equivalent at Atherstone locks a couple of seasons back, pedaling the watchtower....

I Tried to read ''The Watch Tower''by I.C.U.Coming.

[Laurence Hogg]

Perhaps they were there to try and convert the "cut side sally's" to a more pure life!

[carlt]

Met the modern day equivalent at Atherstone locks a couple of seasons back, pedaling the watchtower....

...and the Jesus Army harassing you up the Long Buckby flight.

[Laurie Booth]

Peter a fab canal preacher, great chap.

 

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/Holy-water/story-11244356-detail/story.html

[Derek R.]

The OP's query has had me sifting through the few Birmingham booklets on the shelf, and Black Country Songs and Rhymes by Jon Raven has the only slight clue to preachers. Apparently Methodism had a strong foothold in the Black Country, but divided the Colliers from the opposition such that John Wesley had bodyguards accompanying him on his rounds. Wesleyans having amongst them some of the richer sections of society, set the locals against them which led to the Colliers of Wednesbury causing damage to property along with some serious assault. That was back around the latter 1700's, maybe descendants continued their open air preaching without any damage to property, and somewhere to 'leg it' if the going got 'hot'.

 

Perhaps that's just fancy. But Wesleyan Methodism did have a strong movement in the area, and I wonder if it's likely they may have held open air meetings. The following link is to Wesleyans in Cradley, and one person named A. J. Twiggs is mentioned in acknowledgement in the introduction. Perhaps it is no coincidence that in Jon Raven's booklet (Vol.1) there is parodied in song from Hymnal 574: "I heard the voice of Jesus say - " to: "I heard the voice of Twiggins say, 'come let us work no more. Lay down thy 'ommer and thy tongs and beg from door to door'. I wish I had a rifle tall to point into the sky - I'd never do a stroke of work, but live on pigeon pie . . ."

 

An anti-Wesleyan song as you may have guessed.

 

Perhaps they were there to try and convert the "cut side sally's" to a more pure life!

 

Were they any good?

 

Here we are:

 

"By 1847 the Wesleyans were organizing open-air preaching during the summer at four places in West Bromwich. (fn. 59) Between 1861 and 1890 John Skidmore, a Wesleyan lay preacher and missioner to the canal boatmen, held open-air services on Sundays from May to August at Middle Lock between Spon Lane and Bromford Lane. (fn. 60) In the early 1840s Wesleyan influence was felt in the collieries. According to a local Wesleyan minister butties belonging to the connexion were free from the dishonesty for which other butties were notorious. At one colliery, through the influence of a Wesleyan ground bailiff, prayers and scripture readings were held during the dinner hour, and there were rules against drinking and swearing. A Wesleyan miner, however, stated that 'pits that have praying companies in them are as few as parish churches'. (fn. 61)"

 

That's 'butties' as in miners.

 

The passage is from : - http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=36167

Edited October 14, 2012 by Derek R.

[matty40s]

I was blessed by the jesus army while going up the buckby flight a couple if years ago.

I was single handing on a very windy day and could see two people sat on the gate arm as i came along the long pound to the 3rd or 4th lock. I could also see light through the gates so knew the lock was in my favour.

i waved and made pushing motions as i got near,but they just sat and watched. I moored on the lock landing and walked up to the gate arm.

"Do you believe in god sir?" One of them asked,both still sat on the gate.

"No, but perhaps i would if a bit of divine intervention opened the gate for me. Move please"

Edited October 14, 2012 by matty40s

[Max Sinclair]

I was blessed by the jesus army while going up the buckby flight a couple if years ago.

I was single handing on a very windy day and could see two people sat on the gate arm as i came along the long pound to the 3rd or 4th lock. I could also see light through the gates so knew the lock was in my favour.

i waved and made pushing motions as i got near,but they just sat and watched. I moored on the lock landing and walked up to the gate arm.

"Do you believe in god sir?" One of them asked,both still sat on the gate.

"No, but perhaps i would if a bit of divine intervention opened the gate for me. Move please"

In 1959 the Salvation Army hads a pair of full length chapel boats at Sutton Stop next to Raymond and Nancy. See my photo gallery.

[Proper Job]

The god bother's quite often have sing alongs at the Wide at Thrupp

[Heartland]

A real translation of bringing religion and education to boat people was embodied in the Boatmans Missions, such as exist at Walsall by the top lock and at Factory, Tipton. Sadly many more missions have gone. At Wolverhampton by Little's Lane Bridge, all that appears to have survived is a part of a wall.

 

Ray Shill

[AMModels]

The one at Walsall found a more recent use as a museum until cut backs led to its closure.