Dukinfield Moravian Church facts for kids

Dukinfield Moravian Church was started in Dukinfield, England, in 1755. It's a special church that grew from the work of people called Moravians. They began sharing their beliefs in the area way back in 1742. Today, this church is part of the Tameside area in Greater Manchester.

The Church's Story

How it All Began (1740s-1785)

Around 1740, some people, like David Taylor, traveled around Lancashire, Cheshire, and Derbyshire to share their Christian faith. They formed a group in Dukinfield. Taylor met Reverend Benjamin Ingham, who was a big supporter of the Moravian Church. In 1742, two Moravians, George Prosky and David Heckwälder, visited Taylor. This meeting led to a Moravian group forming in 1743. This group followed Moravian ways of worship and sharing their faith.

In May 1751, they laid the first stone for their chapel on Old Road. Then, in 1755, the group officially became a full Moravian Church congregation. Francis Oakley from St John's College, Oxford became their first Minister.

In the 1700s, Moravian churches often had special "settlements." These were like small, self-contained communities. They usually had a chapel, and separate houses for single men (Single Brethren's House) and single women (Single Sisters' House). There were also houses for widows, schools, and even an inn. People lived, worked, and worshipped together in these houses. A settlement might have its own doctor, bakery, and other shops. The church members were also organized into groups called "Choirs," like the Married Choir or the Single Sisters' Choir.

The Dukinfield chapel was meant to be the center of such a settlement. They bought land for a burial ground. A house became the Single Sisters' House, and rooms were used for the Brethren's House. In 1758, bigger houses were built for both groups. A girls' school started in 1761, and a boys' school in 1769. The chapel was made bigger in 1764 because so many people came. On Easter in 1769, two thousand people attended a special dawn service in the burial ground.

The Dukinfield church was very active in sharing its message. They started new preaching places in towns like Macclesfield and Manchester. Their work in Oldham eventually led to the creation of Salem Moravian Church in 1825.

However, it became hard to get more land in Dukinfield to expand the settlement. So, in 1785, the Moravian leaders found new land at Fairfield in Droylsden. The single men moved there first. Then, on June 10, 1785, the whole Dukinfield congregation had a farewell gathering. On June 15, the new chapel at Fairfield was opened.

Continuing in Dukinfield (After 1785)

Even though the main settlement moved, worship continued in Dukinfield. In 1788, Samuel Watson became the Minister. The Sisters' House was reopened, and a girls' boarding school started in 1792. By 1802, the Dukinfield church was allowed to have its own communion services again and manage its own affairs.

By 1820, the old chapel needed repairs. A new chapel was started in 1826 and opened in November of that year. An organ was added in 1827. A house for the Minister was built in 1836. Gas lighting was installed in 1841, along with a heating stove.

Charles E Sutcliffe, who was Minister from 1852 to 1870, was a very good speaker. Many new members joined because of his sermons. The 1826 church building became too small. So, in 1859, they laid the foundation stone for an even newer, bigger chapel. This new building opened in May 1860. It cost £1,120, but the community quickly raised all the money. In 1867, a larger organ was installed.

Some Dukinfield Moravians moved to the Westwood area of Oldham. They helped start a new church there in 1865.

In 1907, the church was renovated. They put in pews instead of benches and added a new boiler. In 1908, a big meeting of Moravian leaders was held at the renovated church. Two Anglican Bishops also attended to talk about working more closely with the Moravian Church.

After the First World War, the church continued to grow. They had many social activities like a Men's Institute, Football Club, Cricket Club, and a Dramatic Society. These activities helped the community connect, along with their regular worship.

In 1956, the Dukinfield congregation started a new location on Yew Tree Lane. A chapel was opened there in 1973, and the original Old Road site was sold.

The Day School and Charles Hindley

In 1853, a Day School was opened by the church. This school was set up so that the Moravian Minister would provide religious education. Most of the money for the school, and the land it was built on, came from the Hindley family, especially Charles Hindley.

Charles Hindley was a Member of Parliament for Ashton from 1835 to 1857. He had gone to a Moravian school himself and had even been a teacher. He had planned to become a Moravian minister, but he had to take over his family's cotton business. His most important achievement in Parliament was helping to pass a law that reduced the working hours in cotton mills. Before this, men, women, and children often worked fifteen hours a day. Thanks to his efforts, their workday was cut to ten hours.

The Dukinfield School, strongly supported by the Hindley family, was very successful. By 1866, there were 400 children attending. In 1923, the school was given to the local education committee. However, the church still used the building for its Sunday School.

Nearby Explosions

Across from the church, there used to be a mill. The church committee sometimes complained about smoke from its chimney and noisy workers during Sunday services. More seriously, in 1854, there was an explosion at the mill. The mill's steam boiler was thrown through the air towards the Minister's House. Luckily, it turned in mid-air, or the house would have been destroyed, and people inside could have been killed.

In 1917, an explosion at a nearby ammunition factory caused £165 worth of damage to the church property. Many people in the area went to nearby farmland because they were worried about more explosions.

Ministers

The Dukinfield Moravian Church has had many ministers over the years, guiding its community. The current minister, as of 2025, is James Woolford.