Hythe Fields

This little Chapel has been used for the worship of God since 1897.

Changes
From the 1st April, 2010 the Hythe Community Church will be managing Hythe Fields Gospel Hall.

Hythe Fields Gospel Hall is now managed by the Hythe Community Church

Quote from the Hythe Community Church website:-

"At Hythe Community Church we believe in sharing Gods love with the community by providing a range of services for children, adults and families.

Our main service is held at 11 am on a Sunday morning at the Hythe Centre, Thorpe Road, Staines. This meeting is relaxed and family friendly. We worship God through music, communion, and by listening to a bible based talk, which we can be apply to our daily lives.

The children begin the service with us, and then go out for fun organised activities called Hythe Christian Kids.

You are always welcome to stay after the service for tea, coffee and biscuits and to spend time getting to know people and making friends.

You are always welcome to visit us, and we would love to see you."

Pastor Keith Pearce Hythe Community Church Leader

Tuesday Tots
Will commence at Hythe Fields Gospel Hall on Tuesday 4th May from 10 am to 11.30 am. Craft, morning tea and singing. To find out more telephone 01784 458677 or 01784 462833.

Please see the Hythe Community Church web site for more information.

Buildings

Today there are 2 buildings.

The Front Chapel is able to seat 50 people, and is comfortable with central heating and double glazing. The front garden has been completely changed, thus allowing easy access for wheelchairs and pushchairs.

Attached to the chapel is a small modern kitchen.

The Youth Hall seats 100 and is centrally heated. It has a baptismal pool

Hythe Fields Gospel Hall is not for hire. However, other church groups who have the same aims and objectives are welcome to use our facilities.

Timeline:

1897 Hythe Fields Mission Hall - chapel built
Later Army hut added.

1965 Youth Hall Built
1995 Renovation of chapel commenced
2005 Renovations completed

Future Plans to add ramp to Youth Hall

Plans to build a new toilet block including disabled facilities

People

Index of people
Mrs. Elizabeth Mercy Nicholson
Mr Frank H. Bustin
Mr. S. Douglas Stratton
Mr. Frank William Johnson

Mrs. Elizabeth Mercy Nicholson (1835-1927)

In the late 19th Century Mrs. Elizabeth Nicholson built 5 mission halls in the area

New Road Mission Room, Egham/Staines
Stroude (now a residence)
Old Windsor (now Old Windsor Methodist Church)
Bishopsgate (Now called Bishopsgate Evangelical Church) Englefield Green 1894
Hythe Fields Mission Hall 1897

In 1881 a census was taken showing that she lived at The Vicarage, in Egham, Surrey with her husband Rev.Wm.Trevor NICHOLSON aged 49 (born in Callan, Ireland in about 1832) and who was head of household and Vicar Of Egham.

Elizabeth Mercy NICHOLSON was born in London, Middlesex in about 1835 and was 46 at the time of the census. Mrs. Nicholson died on 30th January, 1927.

Rev. and Mrs. Nicholson had three servants in 1881:

A Mr. Gostelow took Gospel Services in a school room at Englefield Green for about 2 years. Mrs. Nicholson of Egham Vicarage, kindly came forward and built a substantial Mission Hall in 1984, seating nearly 200 at Bishopsgate. The work of the Mission was quite unsectarian, and had only one aim and object in view - "the Glory of God in the Salvation of precious souls, and the building up and strengthening of the believer in Christ Jesus".

From 1895-1896 The Cycle Mission visited the Mission Halls and had meetings in the Open Air. Mrs. Nicholson offers £3 towards buying 2 or 3 machines to be kept entirely for mission work - they proposed to buy a few second-hand cushion or solid tyred machines for about £3 to £4 each.

Hythe Fields Gospel Hall was built in 1897. Rev. and Mrs. Nicholson gave Elizabeth Sherman and Charles Hutton a Bible on the occasion of their marriage on 6th November, 1897 (we are privilege to have this Bible today). Mr. Hutton (a postman) and Mrs. Hutton became Caretakers at Hythe Fields. His wife Mrs. Elizabeth Anne Hutton died at the age of 86 on the 27th February 1956. She was a well known resident at Egham Hythe and was caretaker for 50 at Hythe Fields. Mr. and Mrs. Hutton adopted Ethel (Cheeseman).

Mr. Frank H. Bustin

In 1928 Mr. Frank H. Bustin became the Superintendent of the work at Hythe Fields, Bishopsgate and New Road Gospel Halls.

Mr. Bustin shepherded the churches and helped needy people wherever the need arose. He wrote "Wrestling in prayer is for spiritual stalwarts only and one of the toughest parts of the battle can be the dragging of oneself out of the armchair, or harder still, turning one's back on some other duty. Presumably there are other duties that can have prior claim over doing our bit in the corporate prayer life of the Church and I trust and pray that if you do not attend the prayer meeting the reason is one of these. May I plead for a settlement of this question between you and God? Can you get down on your knees and tell the Lord your reason and rise satisfied? If you can, good enough."

Mr. Bustin ably shepherded the Church through the difficult 1939-1945 war years helping needy people whever the need arose. It was during this time that other people took over the work from Mr. Bustin at Hythe Fields but he continued to be Superintendent at the other two Gospel Halls.

Mr. S. Douglas Stratton (1914-1994)

Superintendent of Hythe Fields Gospel Hall

1944 to 1994

Mr. Stratton came to work in Staines in 1937 at the International Stores and shortly after married and came to living in Goring Road, where he always kept a lovely garden.

He and his wife first worshipped at Hale Street Hall, Staines. For a year Mr. and Mrs. Stratton were helping with children’s work at New Road Evangelical Church before being called to working with others at Hythe Fields Gospel Hall.

Mr. Stratton always had a great love for children and their families. He would organise convoys of coaches to Littlehampton and Bognor for the Annual Sunday School Outing.

After the war years, Mr. Stratton worked for Mr. Roberts as a travelling salesman, before taking over his business. In this job he met many families in their homes and there were regular visits to the warehouses in London to buy their needs. This gave Mr. Stratton lots of opportunities to meet people and tell them about the Lord Jesus Christ whom he loved.

In the early part of the 1960’s he and others worked every Thursday building the new Youth Hall at Hythe Fields Gospel Hall, which was opened on 1st May 1965.

Mr. Stratton always put his family first. Thursday evening was his special time to be with his three boys. They all enjoyed camping together in the school holidays.

Mr. Stratton was involved in the Counties Evangelistic Work by moving caravans all over the country, helping them by putting up tents and doing repair jobs. He also raised a lot of money by collecting stamps and selling them on - the proceeds going to C.E.W. However, this did mean bags of stamps packed high in the house awaiting sorting!

He always had a care for people and was involved in the work of "CARE" driving people backwards and forwards for hospital appointments.

As a Church Leader and Counsellor he was very well respected. His wisdom and integrity is challenging. He and his wife prayed for everyone in their family and in our Church daily, and their support was an encouragement to all. He was faithful, obedient and commited to the work of the Lord. His life has left us a very high standard and a great example to follow.

Mr. Frank William Johnson (1927-1987)

Sunday School Teacher

1941-1987

Mr. Johnson spent his boyhood days in Englefield Green. As a boy he attended Hale Street Gospel Hall, Staines with his parents and sister, and at the age of 14 came to Hythe Fields Gospel Hall with others to help teach the children in Sunday School.

He married Pat Day in 1949 and they had 1 girl and 2 boys.

From about 1956 he became an Elder at Hythe Fields Gospel Hall and worked as part of a team together with Mr. S.D. Stratton. He had various careers - nurseryman, farmhand, laundryman and an insurance man. He also became a member of Gideons International, visiting many schools and hotels.

In the early 1960s Open Air Services were conducted on the Lammas Recreation Ground on Sunday afternoons in the summer with Mr. Statton, Mr. Johnson and others from Hale Street. These were happy times, singing with the children accompanied by a mobile treddle organ, and telling the children Bible stories using flannelgraph pictures.

Mr. Johnson was a well known and loved local preacher.