Exploring family history led to the discovery in Troway of a Methodist chapel belonging to the United Methodist Free Church. In 1910, Walter Smith was convicted of perjury relating to events following a chapel tea on Good Friday 1908. It was linked to responsibility for maintenance payments to Sabina Mallinder, with whom he was walking out.
The 1940 Inventory of Methodist buildings shows the chapel as active and in the Sheffield Surrey Street circuit. It is described as stone built with one other room in addition to the worship area. It seated 105 people on pews.
In 2024 the chapel has disappeared, but the site is identified by the boundary wall in front of the chapel.
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Troway UMFC chapel was built about 1860. By 1923 the cost the original construction and subsequent alterations and extensions was unknown. The premises consisted of a chapel seating 50
Derbyshire Record Office D1820 MJ/3.5 Special trust schedules and related papers, Chesterfield Circuit
The story of Walter Smith sounds fascinating. Is it possible to tell the full story of he two trials and and explain how a Methodist chapel came to be involved
The Calendar of Trust Deeds records that a trust was being set up in 1864, and the chapel was registered for public worship before 1867. Sadly the United Methodist Free Churches Magazine lacks any report of an opening, although local newspapers report on Sunday School anniversaries from 1866 onwards.
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