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Thomas Hazlehurst (chapel builder)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Hazlehurst was known nationally as "the Chapel Builder" and more locally as "the Prince of Methodism
" or "the Prince of the Wesleyans".
He was given these titles because of his generosity in paying wholly or largely for the building of some 12 chapel
s and three schools in the area of Runcorn
, Widnes
and the villages in north Cheshire
. His father, also called Thomas, had founded a profitable soap and alkali
manufacturing business, Hazlehurst & Sons
, in Runcorn in 1816.
on her 28th birthday leaving a fortune which was said to be of the order of £60,000. In addition he had a substantial income from the family business. Between the years 1859 to 1875, when the partners in the business were the two youngest brothers Thomas and Charles, each took home around £6,000 each year. During that time the business was run mainly by Charles, leaving Thomas to concentrate on religious matters.
s or "discourses". But he is best known for his generous donations to the Wesleyan Methodist movement, in particular his paying for the building of chapels and schools. In addition he was frequently invited to lay the foundation stones for chapels and schools both locally and further afield. On each occasion he was presented with a silver inscribed commemorative trowel or mallet. In all he collected almost 100 of these tokens and displayed them with pride, mounted in a large wooden frame in the lounge of his home.
parish church
of Runcorn was being demolished and rebuilt. Thomas bought the pulpit
from that church and donated it to the chapel at Farnworth. Some years later he donated an organ to Brunswick chapel. In 1857 he paid the greater part of the cost of a new chapel in the Appleton area of Widnes.
Then came the following for which he paid the complete cost, unless otherwise stated (the stated costs are approximate):
In all, his donations to the Wesleyan movement are estimated to have totalled some £70,000. He is buried next to two of his brothers in Runcorn cemetery.
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
" or "the Prince of the Wesleyans".
He was given these titles because of his generosity in paying wholly or largely for the building of some 12 chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
s and three schools in the area of Runcorn
Runcorn
Runcorn is an industrial town and cargo port within the borough of Halton in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. In 2009, its population was estimated to be 61,500. The town is on the southern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form Runcorn Gap. Directly to the north...
, Widnes
Widnes
Widnes is an industrial town within the borough of Halton, in Cheshire, England, with an urban area population of 57,663 in 2004. It is located on the northern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form the Runcorn Gap. Directly to the south across the Mersey is the town of Runcorn...
and the villages in north Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
. His father, also called Thomas, had founded a profitable soap and alkali
Alkali
In chemistry, an alkali is a basic, ionic salt of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal element. Some authors also define an alkali as a base that dissolves in water. A solution of a soluble base has a pH greater than 7. The adjective alkaline is commonly used in English as a synonym for base,...
manufacturing business, Hazlehurst & Sons
Hazlehurst & Sons
Hazlehurst & Sons was a company making soap and alkali in Runcorn, Cheshire, England in the 19th century and in the early years of the 20th century...
, in Runcorn in 1816.
Wealth
His wealth was derived from two sources. In 1851 Thomas' first wife Eliza died from tuberculosisTuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
on her 28th birthday leaving a fortune which was said to be of the order of £60,000. In addition he had a substantial income from the family business. Between the years 1859 to 1875, when the partners in the business were the two youngest brothers Thomas and Charles, each took home around £6,000 each year. During that time the business was run mainly by Charles, leaving Thomas to concentrate on religious matters.
Religion
Like his father, Thomas was a pious Methodist. He held all the positions available to a layman in the church and was at one time the organist at Brunswick chapel. He chaired many committees for religious and charitable groups. During his life he wrote and distributed free a large number of sermonSermon
A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, religious, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law or behavior within both past and present contexts...
s or "discourses". But he is best known for his generous donations to the Wesleyan Methodist movement, in particular his paying for the building of chapels and schools. In addition he was frequently invited to lay the foundation stones for chapels and schools both locally and further afield. On each occasion he was presented with a silver inscribed commemorative trowel or mallet. In all he collected almost 100 of these tokens and displayed them with pride, mounted in a large wooden frame in the lounge of his home.
Chapel building
Thomas' first known gift of a complete chapel was in 1848 in Farnworth, then a village north of what is now the town of Widnes. At that time the ancient AnglicanAnglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
of Runcorn was being demolished and rebuilt. Thomas bought the pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
from that church and donated it to the chapel at Farnworth. Some years later he donated an organ to Brunswick chapel. In 1857 he paid the greater part of the cost of a new chapel in the Appleton area of Widnes.
Then came the following for which he paid the complete cost, unless otherwise stated (the stated costs are approximate):
- 1858 Eden chapel at Five Crosses, a hamlet to the east of FrodshamFrodshamFrodsham is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. Its population is 8,982. It is approximately south of Runcorn, 16 miles south of Liverpool, and approximately south-west of Manchester...
. - 1860 Hough GreenHough GreenHough Green is a residential area of the town of Widnes, within the borough of Halton, in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. Historically, it was part of Lancashire until 1974....
(DittonDitton, CheshireDitton is a residential area of Widnes, in the borough of Halton, England. It borders Halebank to the south and west, Hough Green to the north and north west and an area just outside of Widnes town centre to the east...
) chapel, Widnes costing £850. - 1861 Halebank chapel, Widnes costing £900.
- 1862 Camden chapel and school, Runcorn. It is not recorded that he paid the full cost for them but he certainly made a large donation towards them.
- 1864 Victoria Road chapel, Widnes. The largest chapel yet, costing £3,350
- 1864 Widnes Dock chapel, towards which Thomas donated nearly £3,000,
- 1866 St Paul's chapel, Runcorn. This was built on land donated by Thomas and his brother Charles on land adjacent to their factory in High Street, Runcorn. It cost £8,000 and was considered to be the finest Wesleyan chapel in the LiverpoolLiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
district. - 1870 Camden school was enlarged, the cost being met by a donation from Thomas and public subscriptions.
- 1871 Halton Road chapel, Runcorn. Another fine chapel costing about £8,000.
- 1871 Hurst chapel, KingsleyKingsley, CheshireKingsley is a civil parish and a village in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is approximately 5 miles south east of the town of Frodsham....
(a village east of Frodsham). Thomas paid over half the cost and also wrote off the outstanding debt on the old chapel. - 1872 Weston Point chapel, Runcorn.
- 1873 Trinity chapel, Frodsham. Another fine chapel with a spireSpireA spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
. The chapel cost £7,000. - 1873 Weston day school, Runcorn.
- 1875 Trinity chapel and day school, HaltonHalton, CheshireHalton, formerly a separate village, is now part of the town of Runcorn, Cheshire, England. The name Halton has been assumed by the Borough of Halton, which includes Runcorn, Widnes and some outlying parishes.-Geography:...
. This is the only one of Hazlehurst's chapels which is still in use as a chapel today.
In all, his donations to the Wesleyan movement are estimated to have totalled some £70,000. He is buried next to two of his brothers in Runcorn cemetery.