Congregation's humble startin Felpham

Living at The Gables in Bognor Regis, Alice once remarked: 'Out east, Felpham is growing and there is nothing for folk out there.'

She started a small Sunday school at number 1 Sea Road in Felpham.

Unfortunately, due to the First World War and illness, her dreams were put on hold for a time.

But in 1932, she met another woman called Mrs Hole and together their plans recommenced.

Prayer meetings were held in an upper room at the Methodist Church in Waterloo Square.

This early prayer group consisted of six women, but they were forced to seek new premises for their weekly meetings when their room had to be redecorated.

One of the women was aware there was a small site in Felpham described as a tin hut.

The hut was situated in the Flansham area and the group contacted the owners, who were members of a sect known as the Loxwood Independents.

When the women told them they were in fact Methodist, the owners commented: 'We couldn't have anyone like that out here.'

Eventually, however, they were allowed to use the hall for a fee of a '˜shilling a week for a Sunday service, but they had to find the oil for the lamps'. These were the humble beginnings of the Methodist church in Felpham.

On October 2, 1932, when this small group of Methodists began their services, they were still without an organ, but one was offered to them at the last moment.

Without any form of transport, the organ was moved to their new little church in Alice Boyling's bath chair.

In actual fact, Alice and her maid trundled the organ the two-and-a-half miles to Flansham all by themselves. There were apparently 23 people present at their first meeting, 12 of whom had moved from the Bognor Regis Methodist Church to help and encourage this small group of enthusiastic worshippers.

As time past, word spread and so numbers increased.

At the time of their first harvest festival service in October, 1933, the congregation was of sufficient size to warrant a newspaper article, in the Bognor Post, advising the fruit and vegetables which had been donated were to be given to the Felpham Sunshine Home and the Bognor Hospital.

This little church was now becoming established and recognised locally.

According to reports at the end of the year, 770 adults had attended services, they had 34 Sunday school scholars and there '˜were 14 members on their books'.

The rent had risen to 4s 1d per week but the weekly collections of between four to five shillings per week helped to cover this sum.

The coming years saw many changes including the commencement in 1934 of a women's group named the Sisterhood.

As there was no provision within the hall for gas, water or even a stove for heating, the women brought necessary items weekly to allow them to have their much needed cup of tea.

This system continued for more than five years. Alice Boyling was appointed president and Mrs T Tregear of Aldwick was elected chairman.

In 1935 an evening service commenced for prayer and on January 24, 1935, a Band of Hope was formed for the children.

This proved extremely popular and soon became overcrowded.

It was decided to divide the children to form a Band of Hope for the smaller children with a Guild for the older members.

It is difficult to appreciate the problems these women had in the early days.

Some reports seem to imply Felpham was far removed from Bognor and comments like '˜Miss Boyling had to walk to the tin hut in Flansham to work at the Mission' do not improve this image.

Royal Jubilee celebrations took place in 1935 and the Felpham Sisterhood was sufficiently established to take part in these festivities.

A haywagon and horse were borrowed and a large barn was decorated in Outerwhyke Farm for the day's events. Afterwards everyone went to The Gables for lunch.

Numbers continued to rise at the church and it became evident the premises in Flansham were inadequate.

Mr J Rank, who had previously indicated he would help, was contacted. Mr Rank immediately offered to buy a site for the church and eventually two sites were found, one in Summerley Lane and one opposite the Southdown Hotel.

Hence Mr Rank bought today's site with financial assistance from others in the community.

Then the work really began. Funds had to be raised and furniture obtained.

First the small church hall in Flansham was closed. A final service was held after which they made their way across town to the Bognor Methodist Church in Waterloo Square. Here they were entertained and provided with tea; supplied apparently on special blue cups and saucers, which were decorated with the Felpham crest.

On June 7, 1939, the Methodists held their stone laying ceremony. There were actually six stones laid. Alice Boyling, the woman who had had the original dream, was now able to see it through to its conclusion by laying one of the stones.

The premises consisted of a church hall, a schoolroom, a vestry and a kitchen. Alongside this building there remained the 95ft frontage, which would eventually be the site of today's Felpham Methodist Church.

The hall was officially opened on September 27, 1939. During World War II, Felpham was a reception area for evacuees from south-west London and thus the church was used as a schoolroom for these children.

At this time Felpham Way did not exist and Downview Road was only a footpath.

The Felpham Methodist Church was built at a road junction which has seen many changes and the church has witnessed the increasing population of Felpham, Middleton and Elmer, an area Alice Boyling felt was '˜out east' in 1932.

Her dream created a base on which to allow the church to grow into the newly-fronted building we see today.

I am currently researching the history and development of some of our churches for a future publication.

I am asking for information on any church, church premises, or religions using non-religious premises, like schools or parish halls.

This includes all the smaller and lesser-known sites and religions. So if you belong to one of these groups, and this includes Muslims, Jehovah Witnesses, and Plymouth Brethren, I would be pleased if you could provide me with information on how long you have been in the town and the various locations you have occupied.

Thanking you for your assistance in this matter.