In 1846 I attended the Primitive Methodist charity sermons at Irwell Vale. We always met during the morning to practice the tunes and choruses, for afternoon and evening services. At that time the Society had no chapel, but they had the woollen mill kindly lent for the occasion. It was a long room and used as a store-room, so, for the better appearance at the sermons it was hung round with woollen pieces. This was a "Red Letter" day at Irwell Vale. Sunday turned out fine and warm, and the usual "processioning" was carried out before the service. The girls all dressed in white, sat in a rising gallery made for the occasion. The orchestra consisted of violins, clarionets [sic], trombones, “Cello” and basses. They had some rapid singing here; neither in the tunes nor the choruses was any power last [sic], but all kept up to double forti [sic]. The room was very hot, almost to suffocation, but in order to balance this, three persons were appointed to go round, each with a jug, one with ale, another with pop, and another with water, beginning at the bottom row, one behind another, until they reached the top. This going round with jugs, often caused many to smile, but it was truly needful, as everyone in the room could see. I visited Irwell Vale eleven years in succession, through my Uncle “Sam Lord,” who was one of the “Cello” players.