Licensed Classroom Baptism

[zetlander]

What was a Licensed Classroom in the 1850's.  A forebear was baptised in one. Is a Licensed Classroom part of the C. of E. or R.C. Church or Methodist denomination?
Thanks.

[CaroleW]

Linked post for background info only

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=816095.18

[Maiden Stone]

Linked post for background info only

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=816095.18

Have you read my reply #20, posted a short while ago on your original thread and the links contained in it?  They have further information about Clayton C. of E. Church and the school where the baptism happened. The school was used for religious services until the church was built.

[Maiden Stone]

The Places of Religious Worship Certifying Act 1852
The Places of Worship Registration Act 1855
Earlier Acts regarding places of worship were:
Toleration Act 1688 (Protestant Non-Conformists)
Roman Catholic Relief Act 1791

The Places of Worship Registration Act 1855 provided for a building (or room(s)) used by a religious congregation to be registered for religious worship.
"An Act to amend the Law concerning the certifying and registering of Places of religious Worship in England"
Territorial extent: England and Wales.  Royal Assent: 30th July 1855.  Status:  Current
NB Church of England and the Church in Wales are exempt.
Registration was not compulsory under 1855 Act. Registered places of worship gained financial advantage under the Charitable Trusts Act 1853.  An unregistered place of worship cannot be used for the solemnisation of marriage.
(Wikipedia)
1855 Act stipulated that a list of all registered places be published in 1856 "and at such subsequent periods as shall be …."

Exemption for C. of E.
"Introductory text
10. Nothing to affect churches, etc. of Established Church
Nothing in this Act shall affect or be construed to affect the churches or chapels of the Church of England, or the celebration of divine service according to the rites and ceremonies of the said Church of England, by ministers of such church, in any place hitherto used for such purpose, or being now or hereafter duly consecrated or licensed by any archbishop or bishop or other person lawfully authorized to consecrate or licence the same."
www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/18-19/81/contents

I assume from the above that the bishop licensed the schoolroom at Clayton for religious services.

[Maiden Stone]

Heatherjulie has posted a link, on the other thread, to a book about Droylsden which has information about the history of churches, Sunday schools and day schools.  Year of publication 1859.

Sunday schools in Droylsden:
"An interval of more than 40 years elapsed ere the Church resumed the sabbath school instructing the young. The Rev. P. Thompson, B.A., on 9th March 1845, commenced a Church Sunday school in the Queen St. School Room, then recently opened by him for divine service."  (The History of Droylsden" by John Higson, 1859, pages 122-123)

Roman Catholicism:
"Droylsden contains a considerable number of Roman Catholics ….  Their place of worship, St. Anne's Chapel …  The building was erected as a warehouse and contains three storeys …"    Boys' Sunday school was on the ground floor, girls' Sunday school on the upper floor and the middle storey was "fitted up for worship and opened as a temporary chapel".  (ibid. p. 138)

There was a shortage of church buildings and clergy of all denominations to minister to the increased populations in cities and industrial towns in mid 19th century.  There were also large numbers of children who were prevented by laws from working full-time. It was a time of expansion of education of working-class children through Sunday schools, day schools, Ragged schools.
The situation in Droylsden was mirrored in other places in Lancashire. My home area had a Catholic chapel in a mill in one town. Members of my family attended Mass in a schoolroom. Establishing schools was the priority; churches were built later, perhaps decades later, when a congregation had raised funds.