The "Ranters"came to Feltham in 1872, in a skittle alley at the rear of a shop near the railway crossing. Thus Feltham had its first experience of Primitive Methodism. They met following a meeting held in Hounslow, as a result of which six brethren promised to come, despite the greetings of local lads, who made presents of rotten eggs and other convenient missiles. Soon after this, a Mr Ebenezer Drake bought a house in what became known as Southville Estate and offered a home to the fellowship. The friends continued to meet until about 1875, from which time records were lost for a while.
We next hear of the Primitive Methodists of Southville in 1884, when Mr John Wilson, a lay agent responsible for starting many new societies and building new churches in the area, bought a plot of land. In August of that year, Feltham Primitive Chapel was opened in Tachbrook Road. Many still remember the "Iron Building (or the tin chapel, as many affectionately called it!) It is reported that when the chapel opened the cost, including ground, building, furniture, etc, was £289.00, of which £200.00 had already been raised. The remaining dept was cleared quickly - a link with the cheerful and generous givers still to be found in Southville today!
The founder members were Mr and Mrs W. Drinkwater, Mr and Mrs G. Bushnell, Mr and Mrs E. Emmett, and Mr Miller, and the first Circuit Superintendent was Recd G. Talbot of Richmond. Soon after this, Southville became one of the four churches of the Hounslow Circuit, with Brentford, Southall and Hounslow.
Southville became a venue for camp meetings for friends from the Circuit churches and further afield, and in an account written in 1934, our Jubilee Year, friends spoke of up to fifty persons on their knees seeking God's blessing.
A name associated with the Chapel since early days is that of Drinkwater. One of the founder members, W. Drinkwater, combined several offices. He seemed to be chapel keeper, cleaning the lamps and the church on Saturdays, then becoming Society Steward on Sunday and often preacher as well. Sadly we lost our last active link with the Drinkwater family this year, with the passing of Connie, the widow of Horace herself was a steward, and a new pulpit has been presented in her memory.
An almost invariably comment from visitors to the chapel is ".and they can't sing!" The first organ was purchased for the sum of £10.00, and a Mr Moore who travelled from Hounslow to play first led the music. Some of the early preachers must have been characters; former members remembered men