Cleator CrackThe monthly news supplement for Cleator Moor
and district, from The Whitehaven News
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Number 118
Schools mark
Red Nose Day: p2
Sky's the limit
for new group: p3
Phoenix awards
picture special: p4/5
Public meeting on
future of MissionBY JULIE MORGAN
ONE of Cleator Moor's most
famous landmarks, Wath
Brow Mission Church, has
temporarily closed due to rot
and woodworm.
Painted in 1948 by LS Low-
ery, the mission now needs
�12,000 to enable an inspec-
tion of the building � how-
ever there are concerns the
situation could prove to be
much worse.
The Mission now only has
a tiny congregation, some of
whom have been attended
the church for 70 years, and
who are currently worship-
ping in the Masonic Room,
Wath Brow, each Tuesday
morning.
The congregation are sis-
ters Irene MacGregor and
Agnes Skelton, Janey Bur-
ney, Lydia Churmage, Mary
Farr, Doris Harvey, Mary
Shield, Joan Tyson and
Sadie Taylor.
Faithful late members of
the congregation were
Robert Burney (Janey's hus-
band), Edna Casson, Annie
Eilbeck, Evelyn Hewitson,
Betty Renfrey, Margaret Wat-
son and Peggy Wilkinson.
To highlight the Mission's
situation, a public meeting
will be held at St John's
Church, Cleator Moor, on
Tuesday April 28 at 6.30pm.
An open invitation is be-
ing made to "anyone who has
loved the Mission Church or
who is interested in its
fate.''
The mission was origi-
nally a Wesleyan Chapel
which was pulled down from
a previous site to be re-
erected at Wath Brow where
it received an additional
tower. It was licenced for di-
vine worship on November
24, 1881 by the Lord Bishop of
Carlisle.
The Venerable Richard
Pratt said: "The care of each
church is the responsibility
of the congregation and it
can be a heavy burden. The
�12,000 needed at Wath Brow
is for an initial investigation
only; sadly, repair work is
likely to be even more ex-
pensive.
"Wath Brow Mission
Church is part of the Cross-
lacon Team, which includes
Frizington and Arlecdon as
well as Cleator and Cleator
Moor. Although some of the
church buildings in the
Team have significant prob-
lems, there are encouraging
signs of growth, which is re-
ally good news, and we must
keep our eye on that bigger
picture too." For more in-
formation telephone Sadie
Taylor on 815398.
The Mission and Cowles
Fish and Chip shop were
painted by LS Lowrey in
1948.
The famous artist was a
friend of Geoffrey Bennett,
who became the manager of
the Cleator Moor Westmin-
ster Bank, and who worked
with Lowrey's cousin in Lan-
cashire. Lowrey also painted
The Market Square, Cleator
Moor, 1950, and the Westmin-
ster Bank, in 1951.
Red nose fun
to raise cash
FAR LEFT:
Joe Woolaghan
has a good
hair day to
help raise
money. For
more pictures,
turn to page
two.
LEFT: Mad
hair and odd
socks at
Frizington
Nursery and
Childcare
Centre for Red
Nose Day.
Pictured are
Ellie
Jenkinson, left
and Coby
McCarron
Pictures: Mike
McKenzie
PUBLIC
MEETING:
Lydia
Churnage;
Mary Shield;
Jane Burney;
Joan Tyson;
Sadie Taylor;
Doris
Harvey;
Irene
MacGregor
and Agnes
Skelton.
Picture: Mike
McKenzie

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