Helston Meneage Street Bible Christian Chapel

The group photo at the top of the page was taken outside the Meneage Street, Helston, Bible Christian Chapel some time in the years before 1914. It seems to be an auspicious event where the visiting guest is the Rev. W. B. Lark, the dominant figure in the Cornish Bible Christian connexion at that time, former President of the Bible Christian Conference and later a President of the United Methodist Conference, who can be seen at the centre of the front row.

The number of rather impressive figures present and the complete absence of women and children suggests this was a special event of some sort. I have seen in the Cornishman Newspaper that Mr Lark preached at a Harvest Festival service in September 1909, but this photograph suggests a more formal event. Surely women and children would not have been excluded from a Harvest Festival photograph? Is it possible it was an event linked in some way to the 1907 merger that formed the United Methodist Conference?

I might add that  my grandfather (admitted a Local Preacher in 1911) and my great-grandfather appear in the photo – and I also have a parallel image of Mr Lark with a family group in their garden. It seems likely that Mr Lark was entertained by my great-grandfather at his home – which would have been an appropriate choice as he was a leading butcher in Helston and would have served a fine joint. Can anyone help me identify the event and any of the other dramatis personae in the photo?

Helston Bible Christian chapel, on the corner of Prospect Place, by 2016 was in use as flats. When it became a Grade II Listed Building in  it was in use as squash Courts. You can see a specification and picture here.

Grid reference:  SW6617927053