The Mission Room (All Saints Church), Coldhabour Lane

By Diana Parrott & Geoff Woodward

Our Query about the whereabouts of the Methodist Tin Church attracted a number of comments which were, in fact, about the Coldharbour Mission Church.

Photo:Coldharbour Lane church from the Lane

Coldharbour Lane church from the Lane

Frederick Thurston, EM copy, LHS archives

John Seabrook wrote (in November 2011):

I remember All Saints' very well. It had a succession of lively and committed curates who were among my best contacts when I was a young reporter for the Harpenden Free Press. In the 1950s there were also regular Saturday night dances in the church hall, attended by local young people and their friends from all over Harpenden. Dancing was to gramophone records played by the 'resident DJ' Charles Hincks. These dances were very lively, friendly occasions and were a cheaper alternative to the popular dances at the Public Hall. At Coldharbour there was a lot of fun, no drunkenness (a few went along to the Red Cow, but most of us couldn't afford it) and a great many romances got started, often leading to marriages.

[By John Seabrook (26/11/2011)]

Theodora Wilson's  mention of the church in her journals might be appropriate. On November 30th 1887 she records the proceeds of a bazaar going towards a Mission room in the new part of ColdHarbour.

From "Theodora's Journals" edited by Amy Coburn and Ruth Nason

By Diana Parrott (15/03/2012)

I was baptized in All Saints Church in Coldharbour Lane on Easter Day 9 April 1955. I still have my baptismal card.

By Amanda Duncan (18/06/2013)

My grandparents, David and Dora Bacon, and also my parents for a while, lived at no.1 Coldharbour Lane. I was christened at the church in 1952 and still have my christening cert.

By Sylvia Castleman (14/01/2014)

 

Photo:Extract from 1901 map showing position of Mission Room in Coldharbour Lane

Extract from 1901 map showing position of Mission Room in Coldharbour Lane

annotated by Geoff Woodward

Photo:Coldharbour Lane church from SW

Coldharbour Lane church from SW

Frederick Thurston, EM copy, LHS cat.no. 10,722

Photo:Children's Party at Coldharbour Lane Mission church in the 1950s. Geoff Woodward has identified - from front left: Tom Wilson, Bill Wilson (sons of Pat Wilson), Ernie Almond. Peeping through a gap at the back: Peter Finch. Turned to face the camera from the next table: Sandra Woollatt. From front right: Robert Kidd, unknown, Penny Kidd. Front of photo: Christopher Humphries.

Children's Party at Coldharbour Lane Mission church in the 1950s. Geoff Woodward has identified - from front left: Tom Wilson, Bill Wilson (sons of Pat Wilson), Ernie Almond. Peeping through a gap at the back: Peter Finch. Turned to face the camera from the next table: Sandra Woollatt. From front right: Robert Kidd, unknown, Penny Kidd. Front of photo: Christopher Humphries.

LHS archives

This page was added by Rosemary Ross on 06/05/2014.
Comments about this page

My daughter was christened in the old tin church in 1961. The new church was built after this the other side of the road.

By Pam Cornwell
On 25/11/2014

To all who have memories of All Saints, we are celebrating our Golden Jubilee of the Church on Station road 1965-2015, and we'd love to hear from you if you have memories, photos to share or would like to come along to our Church Open Day on the weekend of 20/21st June or Flower festival late May Bank holiday. Were you baptised, married, sang in choir or other connection to All Saints - get in touch as we'd love to hear from you.

Ed: We would be pleased to pass on your information via enquiries@harpenden-history.org.uk

By Revd Linda Williams
On 27/01/2015
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