Our first contribution is from Sue Howe and dates back to the year that Chapel was built! Her great aunt wrote about it for Hope methodist magazine in the 1950’s.
Its a story about two Benjamins, one aged 16 and one a few months older at 17. They had been to the quarry at Ladybower and had a race to see who could be first back to the chapel buiding site. Benjamin the younger arrived back first and flung his hat in the air shouting “‘Hurrah! I’m first I’ve won!”
Meanwhile the other Benjamin had tipped his load and said ” I’ve beaten you; I’ve emptied the first load !” and as long as those two life long friends lived they each claimed the honour
My Great Aunt Emmie had questioned her mother about the story and had been told that her Grandfather had actually kept his cart to the middle of the road and when they were about 50 yards away he moved aside and told the boys to go for it. He knew if they had raced all the way it would have been dangerous for the boys, horses and load!!
The 16 year old was Benjamin Longdon son of Issac Longdon living at Upper House, while the other Benjamin was the son of Johnathan Eyre from Alport. (he was one of the Lay Preachers) Benjamin Eyre was my great Grandfather.
She also added the following :
The two Benjamins were life long friends.Benjamin Eyre died on a saturday night at 9pm, several months later Benjamin Longdon died on a saturday night at 9pm and those several months later made him exactly the same age to the very day as Benjamon Eyre had been when he passed over!
Woodlands Methodist Church 