WESLEYAN SCHOOLS 1859
It was an obvious extension of the social witness of Abbey Street Methodists to provide for the education of children in the City. This was by any stretch of the imagination a very ambitious plan for the church members in 1859. The cost was estimated at £1,000, which in the mid-19th century was a noteworthy amount. However, the cost did not dim the vision of the Methodist leaders as they proceeded with their project to provide a ‘handsome’ schoolhouse. There was also concern that the condition of Abbey Street required betterment; this development had the added benefit of doing just that.
The Armagh Circuit Statistical and Financial Returns for 1866 – 1879 shows that the Wesleyan Day School had 3 teachers and 129 pupils in 1866, which increased to 209 by 1878.
The Toll Committee contributed £75 towards the cost of widening Abbey Street. An advertisement report in the local newspaper states that the Church “purchased at a considerable cost all those cabins adjoining the Chapel. We propose to remove them, widen the street, and build a handsome schoolhouse.” This demonstrates that urban improvement was not the invention of the modern day environmentalists. But what is most noticeable from the records was the obvious social concern - ‘the want of a Schoolhouse was painfully felt’. The newspaper cutting with the published list of donors illustrates the extent of the support amongst the community, including the Archbishop. The leadership of John Lynn is evident in this development and further highlights his remarkable influence in the growth of Methodism in Armagh City and District.
Explanatory Leaflet July 1859 - Wesleyan Schools Project
Local newspaper cutting from June 1859 - Wesleyan Schools Project
Extract from new Wesleyan Day Schools contributions ledger 1859
Sabbath Schools: Sunday Schools
The Methodist Church throughout its history has been a strong advocate of the Sunday School movement. They were originally schools to improve literacy, especially amongst working class children, many of whom were required to work in factories in very poor conditions. It was not until 1802 that some modest legislation was introduced which resulted in limiting the number of hours a child could work per day to 12! The working week included Saturdays so Sunday was the only day available for some learning. The English Anglican evangelical Robert Raikes (1725-1811) was the key promoter of the movement and it soon spread to America and other countries. Armagh Methodists embraced this ideal of social care and development for children and the opportunity to teach the Gospel. The Bible was the key textbook used for learning to read and write by copying out passages from the Scriptures. A catechism was also taught, as was the need for salvation, and following Christian values of morality. There were also spiritual practices, such as prayer and hymn-singing. Highlights included special children services, prizes for attendance, and excursions to the seaside for all the family.
In the 1800’s Abbey Street Church had an impressive Sunday School roll, and this continued into the 20 century with parents committed to sending their Children to Sunday School even though they may not regularly attend Church themselves. In 1885 the Armagh Circuit had 959 Children on its Sunday School roll. There were a total of 82 teachers on the Circuit, including attendances for morning and afternoon/evening. The Armagh Church had 37 teachers (covering morning and afternoon/evening) and 520 on the roll. Average morning attendance in Armagh was 119 and afternoon/evening 271. The ‘Band of Hope’ recorded 520 children as members. The December 1885 return proves how big an organisation existed, which of necessity required a committed Sunday School Committee to manage the work.
Below: Extract from December 1885 Armagh Circuit Sunday School Committee Records
For Armagh Methodist Sunday School, Wednesday 12th June 1889 is a date committed to memory as one of Armagh's darkest days. It was on this day that the Armagh Railway Disaster occurred when the annual Armagh Methodist Church Sunday School Excursion was on its way by train from Armagh to Warrenpoint. There were 89 fatalities across all denominations who went on this popular annual outing.
Historical source: 250 Years of Methodism in Armagh, written by Dessie Mitchell.