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WILLIAM CRUTCHLEY AND SALEM METHODIST CHURCH, CHESLYN HAY

Documents

Salem Methodist Church, Cheslyn Hay, Staffordshire, 12th April 2018.

 

The church above is Salem Methodist at Cheslyn Hay in Staffordshire, which is associated with my 3rd great grand uncle William Crutchley, born on 10th August 1822 in Cheslyn Hay. William was the son of my fourth great grandfather William Crutchley (1775 - 1859) and his wife Sarah (nee Poyner, 1779 - 1842).

During his adult life William lived on the High Street in Cheslyn Hay and worked as a grocer, serving the local community. William was a devoted Christian who gave dedicated service to God at Salem Methodist, so the building above is a place of worship with which my family has a long relationship.

The building itself was completed in 1857, but is predated by an older building known as the "Old Chapel". This earlier church was built in 1806 and located approximately in the area of the present day front car park. However, worship in this place pre-dates even the Old Chapel, as a thatched barn that once stood on this spot was used by the local congregation prior to 1806.

The construction of the present chapel was overseen by an appointed building committee, one of whom was my ancestor William Crutchley (b.1822). During his life he was a regular preacher and leader of this church, also a guardian representative of the local Methodist New Connexion. For forty years he also served as Superintendant of the Sunday school here. When William died in 1894 he left two properties that he owned on this site to the church. The land on which these buildings once stood was used to accommodate a new caretaker's house, which existed until 1980.

William married Mary and together they raised three children, Sarah Jane, Aleathea and George William, who also served God as a Methodist minister. William and Sarah are both buried at Broomhill Cemetery on Pye Green Road in Cannock.

At Salem Methodist there are two memorials to William's association with the church, both can be seen below. One is on the exterior wall of the Sunday school, the other inside the chapel itself. Also seen below are two images of the interior of the chapel, and the grave of William and Mary at Broomhill.

Memorial

Salem Methodist Church Sunday School memorial, 15th May 2020.

 

Memorial

Salem Methodist Church memorial, 15th May 2016.

 

Salem Church

Salem Methodist Church, 3rd December 2016.

 

Salem Church

Salem Methodist Church, 3rd December 2016.

 

Grave of William & Mary Crutchley

The grave of William and Mary Crutchley, Broomhill Cemetery, Pye Green, Cannock. 9th June 2020.