MULBARTON METHODIST CHAPEL
If you leave Norwich by taking the A140 (Ipswich Road) to Harford Bridge, turn right onto the B1113 sign-posted to New Buckenham and Mulbarton, you pass through the village of Swardeston into the village of Mulbarton. There on a bend in the road, next to the Worlds End public house, you will see the Methodist Chapel.
The Foundation
In the 1890s a group of Christians used to meet as a house group in Bracon Ash, the next village along the road from Mulbarton, and they were led to build a Chapel to give them more space to worship. It was never quite understood why the Chapel was built in Mulbarton on such a small site, other than to assume that the land was offered to them by the mill owner. At the time it was built, the Chapel was at the centre of the village: there was no motorised traffic and there were none of the large housing estates on the other side of the common.
The stone laying ceremony took place on August 8th 1899, and the stone was laid by the Rev. Calvert, then Superintendent Minister of the Queen's Road (Norwich) Circuit, on behalf of the Trustees. The Chapel was built by the Robert Trower firm of builders, and the Chapel was completed by 1900. The stone at the top of the Chapel reads: PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHAPEL 1900.
Some of the early Trustees were Mr. Robert Trower and Mr. Frederick Crown, a retired farm bailiff of Keswick. Mr. Ernest Scarlett of Kinsley Road, Norwich was also a Trustee: he was listed as a teacher. Mr. Emms from East Carleton was appointed Chapel Steward, and Mrs. Cooper of The Rosery, Mulbarton, was also a founder member.
There were two services every Sunday, one in the afternoon and one at 6.30 p.m. Adjoining the Chapel was a stable for the visiting preacher's pony, if he was fortunate enough to have one, otherwise the preachers used to walk many miles to take the services. It was said that after Mr. Emms got too frail to attend the 6.30 p.m. service, his housekeeper could be seen walking alone on the dark winter nights lighting her way with a hurricane lantern, and people could set their clocks by her, she was always so punctual.
The Inter-War Years
The late Walter Chilvers said that by the late 1920s the Chapel was almost closed down. Country Methodism depended very much on agricultural families and the congregation would fluctuate in numbers according to whether farm workers moved at Michaelmas or not. [In the autumn, when agricultural tenancies were - or were not - renewed.]
However, in the 1930s some young men from the Queens Road Methodist Church, Norwich, supported the Mulbarton Society by helping out with the Sunday School. Also in the 1930s, Mr. James Bobbin from Swardeston was asked if he would become Steward at the Chapel. Mr Bobbin's family had been worshipping at a small non-conformist Chapel in Swardeston but that had closed down. So began the long association of the Bobbin family with Mulbarton Chapel. At the outbreak of war in 1939 the young men from Queens Road Chapel were called up into the armed forces and Mrs. Gertrude Sturman, sister of Mr. Bobbin, undertook to teach in the Sunday School.
In 1944 Mr. James Bobbin died and his son Arthur became Senior Steward. He remained a faithful Steward until his death in 1991, a remarkable 47 years of service and witness. He was supported by members of his family, including his wife Ethel and son Patrick. With two services a Sunday, preachers would often be planned a double appointment, and they would then be hosted for tea at the home of Mr. & Mrs. Bobbin.
Alice Cooper, daughter of one of the founders, was organist. The caretaking of the Chapel was carried out by Mrs. Alborough and later she was helped by her sister Mrs. Lucas, and they were often responsible for the pretty flowers in the Chapel - flowers they had grown themselves.
Postwar decline & growth
In the early 1950s Mrs. Sturman retired from the Sunday School and at that time Rev. Perry was the Minister. The Membership was very low and he felt that it was inevitable that the Chapel would have to close. Mr. Arthur Bobbin was able to convince him and the Circuit that the Chapel should remain open. During the 1940s and 1950s Mr. William Trower Jnr. was treasurer for Mulbarton Chapel. Although he himself was member of a Church in Norwich, he was also one of the Mulbarton Trustees. It was always thought that he often met the assessment out of his own pocket, as the collections were so low.
Then in the years 1955/1957 the congregation numbers increased due to several families from Swardeston attending, namely Mr. & Mrs. Bailey, Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Bobbin and family, Mr. & Mrs. Gerald Bobbin & family, Mr. & Mrs. Lewis, Mr. & Mrs. Oliver Trory & family, Mr. & Mrs. Sadd, and Mr. & Mrs. Vincent. The Chapel fortunes improved, a new trust was formed, and the local Church took on the management of their own affairs in 1960. This was suggested by the then Minister, Rev. Loy. Mr Frank Sadd was elected as Steward in addition to Mr. Arthur Bobbin, and Mr. Vincent became the treasurer. Mrs. Vincent became the unofficial organist. A 'Women's Bright Hour' was started and Mrs. Bailey, Mrs Mary Bobbin, Mrs. Ethel Bobbin and Mrs. Ida Sadd were on the first committee. Later they were joined by Mrs. Peggy Swindells, who also worked hard in engaging the speakers. Again the numbers fluctuated, but several friends from the Anglican Church supported the meetings well.
Mrs Barbara Stevens, the granddaughter of Mrs Cooper, one of the founder members of the chapel, became a member when she attended from the l960s with her husband John and two sons.
From the end of the 1960s, the Chapel went to having just afternoon services, and it was then that Mrs. Tuck from Park Lane Methodist Church used to sometimes accompany the preacher and play the organ. She always sang a solo.
Links with Norwich and elsewhere
In its time Mulbarton Methodist Chapel was overseen by the Methodist churches at Queens Road, Norwich; Park Lane, Norwich; Bowthorpe Road, Norwich; Chapelfield Road, Norwich; and Hethersett. Over the years one could recall Ministers' names such as Revs. Perry, Loy, Thixton, Blount, Wedgeworth, Elworthy, Hopper, Dowson, Ream, Broadhurst, Wall, Sulston, Booker and Cole. All the Ministers in their turn supported the Chapel and encouraged the larger Churches to support the smaller one. Each in their own way guided the Mulbarton members and often tried hard to encourage new people in.
When in 1984 Mrs. Vincent moved to the other side of Norwich she still attended, but Rev. Wall arranged for Mrs. Mavis Bastin and Mr. Cyril Stevens to go on an organ rota. Later Mr. & Mrs. John Bastin transferred their membership to Mulbarton. Mrs Bastin ran the Sunday School at the Parish Church for many years.
The support from the larger Churches was much appreciated by the Mulbarton members. On some special occasions the Chapelfield Road choir, or the Hethersett members, or those from Park Lane, would help out at the service, and then afterwards tea and cakes would be served. The problem for the local folk was that with no kitchen the kettles had to be plugged into the sockets wherever they were available. One socket was in the pulpit: the preacher would be asked to switch the kettle on just before he announced the last hymn. Depending on the length of the hymn and the final prayer, it has been known for steam to be seen rising up out of the pulpit! Good Methodist humour prevailed, and with much laughter it was suggested that hot air was coming out of the pulpit.
The Final Years
Over the years the Chapel had been blessed with several retired people who became members, and they helped in whatever way they could. One recalls names such as Mr. & Mrs. Adcock, Mr & Mrs. Debenham, Mr & Mrs. Macrow, Mrs Fisher, and Mr. & Mrs. Sothcott. Both Mr. Adcock and Mr. Debenham held office as Steward, and were a great help to the Chapel with the outside maintenance.
Every year there would be a fund raising event known as the Spring Sale held always in May in the village hall, and everyone helped including several friends from the Parish Church. Arthur Bobbin's plant stall was particularly popular! Traditionally for a rural Chapel, the Harvest Festival was always followed by a short service on the Monday night and then the fruit & vegetables would be auctioned. Mr Aubrey Mayes was the very able Auctioneer, and the friends from the larger Methodist Churches supported this event well. Often the money raised would be sent to one of the missions. For many years a service was held once a quarter at the Cheshire Home, East Carleton, and the friends there looked forward to the meeting.
In the very late 1980s Mrs Gail Clifford moved to the area and her membership was transferred to Mulbarton Chapel. She and her husband Mike and two sons attended the family services which had been introduced by Rev. Booker. She became a Lay Worker in 1993, a position she held for over two years. Gail put a lot of work into the pastoral side and used to provide transport for members to the services. Mrs Macrow, Mr & Mrs Massey, and also friends from the Anglican Church were around to help, too.
When Mr Bobbin died in 1991*, Mr Debenham became senior Steward. He took on the job of opening up the Chapel on a Sunday and seeing the heating was switched on. However, it gradually became too much for him to walk the long trek across the common and it was decided that the services would be held in the Village Hall in the morning. This was a warmer venue and offered facilities for the occasional family lunch. So Mulbarton Methodist Chapel ceased to be used for worship from about 1993. The Methodist services continued in the village hall for a couple of years. It was at that time that Mrs Alice Cooper came back to live in Mulbarton and she attended the Methodist services: it was her mother who was one of the founder Members back in 1899. As it became apparent that the numbers attending the Village Hall services were decreasing, it was decided to cease services and to offer the remaining members lifts to Chapelfield Road Church. The members accepted this, and so Mr Peter Gaskin arranged a rota for lifts and the members then enjoyed the worship with a larger congregation.
On November 26th, 1995, the last Methodist service was held in Mulbarton Village Hall, followed by a luncheon arranged by Mrs Gail Clifford and her willing band of helpers, including of course her husband Mike and her sons. Rev. Gerald Cole was there, and also representatives from the Norwich Circuit and the local Anglican Church. All joined in the tribute to almost 100 years of Methodism in Mulbarton and to pay tribute to people keeping faith with their Lord.
(Edited version of an article by Evelyn Vincent - first written for and published in 'Woolgatherer', the Methodist Women's Network Magazine. Contributed by the author.)
* Arthur Bobbin's funeral in January 1992 was the last to be held in the chapel. It was a crowded, and decorous occasion, but some time afterwards the undertakers admitted that they had had to stand the coffin on end to get it to the back door of the chapel.... Mr. Bobbin himself was the only person who knew how to manoeuvre coffins into the chapel! (Information from his son)
