The Teetotal Experience Written by Nadine Moffatt
The Methodists were firm teetotallers and many joined other similarly minded organisations. The Rechabites had a junior section . John and I have a great grandfather who was a juvenile member.
Although there had been ale houses in past times, there were no licensed premises when I was a child. The diehards had to go to Crossens or Churchtown for a pint. Everyone knew who they were! Now the Shrimper and the “Hut” cater for the needs of drinkers.
My mother had already enrolled my brother and I as members of the White Ribboners and had signed
“The Pledge” on our behalf when we were babies.
The Temperance Hall
The Temperance Hall
John Rimmer, a lifelong Methodist and gatherer of local history remembers lantern slide shows for the children, I can also remember them, “ Black Bob” usually, with the ladies in the kitchen making tea, sandwiches and cakes. He remembers children’s concerts when the children were sent off to learn a “piece “ for the next week, reciting, singing or playing the piano.
My mother, like many others used to pay her burial fund money to the Rechabites here. Others paid life memberships to the society.
When I was little, I remember going to parties and concerts at the Temperance Hall. It was built by local villagers and the timber for the roof was donated by the Fleetwood Hesketh family, although I didn’t know that then.
The premises were rented by Marshside Road Methodist Church until about twenty years ago, My mother and later my nephew and niece attended Sunday School there. Services were also held for local people who had couldn’t get to the main church.
Temperance Hall
The following is an account of the Temperance Hall from Elaine Farr neé Wright who used to live across the road from the Hall
“From what I remember, the Temperance Hall was built by the Marshside fishermen as a meeting place and later a place of worship. There used to be Sunday School there every Sunday (both my children attended) and on a Sunday night a service. Don’t know who organised the preacher, I think it was Marshside Road Methodist, their resident minister sometimes took the service.
Don’t remember how often, but the Rechabites used to show films ( usually Laurel and Hardy) for the children members of the Rechabite Society on a Saturday morning. Don’t think the Rechabites had any connection with the hall but all Marshsiders being temperance people, they used to hire the hall. I’m a fully paid up member of the Rechabites (mum and dad paid in some pittance of a sum each month when I was little) They have now got new offices in Manchester.”
Don’t remember how often, but the Rechabites used to show films ( usually Laurel and Hardy) for the children members of the Rechabite Society on a Saturday morning. Don’t think the Rechabites had any connection with the hall but all Marshsiders being temperance people, they used to hire the hall. I’m a fully paid up member of the Rechabites (mum and dad paid in some pittance of a sum each month when I was little) They have now got new offices in Manchester.”
The old gentleman in the photograph is Elaine’s great grandfather Tom Rimmer nicknamed “Tom Pluck” He and his pals used to sit on the bench near the top of St Anne’s Road and yarn about the old days. He died at the grand old age of ninety eight.