MISSION AND PREACHING ROOMS.
Little Charles-street Primitive Methodist Rooms.—Here, in a narrow street leading out of Kensington-square southward, is a very humble building—apparently a former dwelling house—converted into what are termed “Little Charles-street Day and Sunday-schools.” In the upper room the preachers of the Primitive Methodist Connexion hold services on Sundays—morning and evening—at eleven and half-past six. The congregation averages about 40, and the Sunday-school children number about 60.
Palace-avenue Room.—This is a large room sometimes used for other public purposes, at the rear of the King’s Arms Hotel, High-street, Kensington. It has lately been engaged on Sundays for religions worship and preaching, on a professedly unsectarian principle. Hours of service, eleven a.m. and half-past six.
Shaftesbury Hall.—At this hall, situated at the end of the Portland-road, Notting-hill, a mission preaching service is conducted on Sunday evenings at seven, by Mr. William Winton, attached to the City Mission in that district. Mr. Winton is an earnest man, and addresses himself to the working classes of the Potteries and vicinity, and generally has the hall, which will hold about 100, well filled at his services.
Blechynden-street Mission-school.—Here are day and Sunday-schools for the poor children of the Potteries, situated in the lowest part of that poor district. It is a separate building, and answers well its purpose. On Sundays, morning and afternoon, there is school, with an average of 30 to 40 in attendance, including infants. In the evening, at seven, there is preaching by Mr. Norris, a missionary in that part, who gathers a congregation of from 60 to 80. In the day-school, there are about 120 scholars, boys and girls.
Golborne Hall, Golborne-road.—This hall, situated in the new Golborne-road, Upper Westbourne-park, is capable of seating 200 people, and has been opened on Sundays for some twelve months past for Divine Service. It was first engaged for mission services by a clergyman of the Church of England, but is now held by the Rev. Mr. Davis, a Nonconforming preacher, formerly of the Kilburn-park Chapel. Here is something like the nucleus of a society or church, professing to be unsectarian. There is preaching at 11 a.m. and 6.30 p.m. on Sundays, and at 7 on Tuesday evenings, and the Sacrament is administered every first Sunday evening in the month. All the seats are free, and the cause is supported by voluntary weekly offerings. In the morning the congregation contains but few adults; but in the evening it reaches an average of 80 or 90. There is a Sunday-school, with about forty scholars of both sexes in attendance.
Wesleyan Preaching-rooms, Silchester road.—The Wesleyans formerly carried on service in the Silchester-hall, which they hired, but about six months ago adjourned to the present rooms, upon the occasion of the purchase of the hall by the Roman Catholics. Thus excluded from a very commodious place, the present rooms, adjoining Silchester-villas, which are not convenient, are only held temporarily, until a chapel or a better place can be obtained, for funds to provide which an appeal is now being made. There is a good Sunday-school attached, with 300 children on the books, and an average attendance of 100 in the morning and 200 in the afternoon. Between 30 and 40 members compose the society, and the adult public services are attended by numbers varying from 30 to 50 in the morning, and 50 to 80 in the evenings. The “rooms” are included in the Bayswater Wesleyan “Circuit,” and the preaching is arranged for on the plan of that circuit, and principally done by the “local,” with an occasional visit from the itinerant preachers.