Vol 2, pages 1-100 - My Primitive Methodist Ancestors

THE PERIOD OF CIRCUIT PREDOMINANCE AND ENTERPRISE.
in those days, considered one of the important streets of the town. Though very
narrow, many business and professional men had premises here ;
and at the top of this
street was the ascent to the parish church by a flight of one hundred and twenty-one
steps ;
while at the bottom of the steps, to the
right, was the famous " Packer Spout," a well noted
for its cool, clear, pure water.
The room over the cloth-dresser's in Packer
Street served the uses of the society until 1830,
when Drake Street Chapel was built, at first
without a gallery. This, in its turn, lasted until
1862, when the present chapel was built at a cost
of 2,500. Thus, for a generation right through
the mid-third of the century
" old " Drake Street
was the Church's centre in Rochdale for worship
and service. Many worthy people, of whom one
or two only we may recall, gradually grew old and
grey in attending upon its ordinances and fulfilling
their varied ministries.
Edmund Holt was, for many years, the choirmaster
of Drake Street. Here any Sunday he
might have been seen, surrounded by other
instrumentalists and singers, manipulating a huge concertina. This good though
eccentric man, it is said, was equally at home on the platform as in the singing
pew, and by his public addresses could play on the feelings of men, by turns evoking
tears and laughter. His name-sake, Thomas Holt, was of different type ; quiet, modest
in speech and act, a " son of consolation." Both survived until 1877. James
Whitehead was another official who rendered long and important service. He threw
EDMUND HOLT. THOMAS HOLT. THOMAS WHITEHEAD.
much energy into the discharge of his varied offices Circuit Steward, Sunday School
superintendent, class leader, and local preacher, and yet, when done, had a surplus
of energy left to draw upon. When he died in 1865, it was to the general regret of
the townsfolk of Rochdale, as well as of his own people. The portraits of these and
one or two other early workers are given in the text.