Historic Colliery Mission building in Whitehaven to go up for auction

The Colliery Mission on Preston Street in Whitehaven will go under the hammer next week with a guide price of £30,000.

The building opened in 1961 and once had a very active congregation but membership has now dwindled to just three people. Church services were still regularly being held there until April this year.

The building was still being used for church services until April this year (Image: Cumbria Auction House)

John Rule, of the Colliery Mission, said: “We don’t have any members. There’s only three of us left. It’s come to a point where I can’t do what I was doing.

“It’s got to be done. It’s unfortunate. People are saying, ‘what a pity’ but the truth is, if people aren’t going to attend, that’s it. It’s a shame, but that’s the way the country is going.

“There are two youth groups interested in it. It would be good for the town to continue this youth work.”

Inside the Colliery Mission building on Preston Street in Whitehaven (Image: Cumbria Auction House)

It is hoped that the Mission’s historic banners – some of which are more than 100 years old- will be stored at St James’ Church in Whitehaven.

The Mission at its current location, dates from 1961, but goes back much further. The first meeting was held in the YMCA on Irish Street in January of 1898 and formed what was known as the Ransomed Army, with ‘soldiers’ drawn from various congregations in the town.

There was a good following and people were regularly being ‘saved’ but with only open-air meetings being held the need for a proper venue became necessary.

A packed congregation at the first service marking the 1961 opening of the new Colliery Mission at Ginns, which replaced its previous home at the old Glass House. (Image: The Whitehaven News archive)

In 1900 the Ransomed Army became the Mission to Collieries – and the first indoor meetings were held in the Cart Road bath houses, the communal baths for the Ginns area.

Subsequently they were offered the upper floor of the old Glass House School at the end of Bentinck Row. It belonged to the Whitehaven Coal Company and was used as a joiner’s workshop but had not been a school since 1875 when pupils were moved up to Monkwray School.

An Open Day at The Colliery Mission to display the restored banners in June 2012. Mayor Peter Tyson pictured with the exhibition goers. (Image: The Whitehaven News archive)

The congregation of the Colliery Mission grew and grew and was very active. It saved too, until, in 1961 it had enough money, £7,000, to build a new hall at Ginns.

The building will be sold by public auction on Thursday, September 5 at the Halston Hotel, Carlisle. For enquiries, contact Cumbria Auction House: cumbria@auctionhouse.co.uk