0023. The Methodist chapel around 1930. The main building was put up in 1847, the school room on the far side was added later. Foundation stones of the schoolroom include in memory of John Whittle, died 1889 aged 20 and Henry Whittle, died 1895 aged 24 (see photo 0061). From the collection of R E and F M Banks (née Fairbrother).

Neil Cunnington has drawn together the history of Harby Methodist chapel -:

"The Primitive Methodists visited Harby and formed a small society, but when Mr William Orson, from Old Dalby, took up residence in the village, he converted his coach house for holding public meetings. A licence was granted for this on 7th April 1828 for this purpose, and services were held in the consecrated coach house for nearly twenty years. The first sermon was preached by Mr Orson. Mrs Orson was appointed to the office of Class Leader on the formation of the Methodist Society. The Society appears on the Circuit Books for the first time in December 1829. Mrs Ann Orson was the leader and some other members were William Orson, George Hall, George Hall Jnr., Sarah and Millie Rose, Richard and Sarah Knapp, Elizabeth Brian, Mary Harriman, John Orson, John Richards, Ann Stafford, Sarah Wesson and Mary Starbuck.

The congregation grew rapidly and so a new chapel was built on land donated by William Orson. Mr C H Clarke, a Nottingham solicitor laid the foundation stone in 1847 and the opening services were preached by the Rev. John Rattenbury, the Rev. Robert Newton and the Rev. James Everett. Trustees of the Chapel were John Orson, George Hall, H. Bonsar, T. Goodson, W. Kemp, E.. Hall, T. Baguley, G. Geeson, J. Baguley, W. Waite, R. Bailey and W. Braithwaite. John Orson, a generous worker in the cause of Methodism, died in 1874 at the age of eighty, and a tablet in his memory was placed in the Chapel.

The Chapel was thoroughly renovated in 1873, and three ladies of the village, Mrs. Lever, Mrs. Furmidge, Mrs. Glover and Mrs Whittle, organised a bazaar to raise money towards the expenses. The Schoolroom was built in June 1897 and opened by the Rev. Joseph Bush. In 1904 there was a purchase of new pews, an organ, a new window and a rostrum at a total cost of £150.

In 1926 a new two-manual pipe organ, built by E. Wragg & Son of Nottingham, was installed at a cost of £210. The new organ was chosen by Mr C. Doncaster of Bingham, who played the instrument at the opening ceremony after the unveiling by Mrs. Furnival, the wife of the Rector of Harby. After the ceremony a tea was provided by the ladies of the Chapel, namely, Mrs. T. Stokes, Mrs. Fairbrother, Mrs. W. Kemp, Miss E. Kemp, Mrs. Stread, Mrs. R. Stokes, Mrs. J. W. Bilby, Mrs. Mabbott, Mrs. Watson, Mrs. W. Oxborough, Miss R. Oxborough and Mrs. H. Moulds. The same evening Mr. Doncaster gave a recital on the new organ to a full congregation, and an interesting talk entitled "The Lighter Side of a Parson's Life" was given by the Rev. Warwick Armstrong.

Mr James Wright was a Chapel Steward and Sunday school teacher for fifty years. Mrs Mabel Stead played the organ for forty years and her daughter, Miss Barbara Stead, also played the organ for nearly thirty years, The Methodist congregation gradually diminished, but the Chapel today is still used for prayer and worship by the Vale Christian Fellowship."