Derbyshire Methodist chapel memorial plaque finds new home at Midland Railway

The plaque dedicated to the memory of Joan and Peter Greasley had been a permenant fixture on the wall of Westhouses Methodist Chapel for many years. After the chapel was put up for auction and sold late last year, Joan and Peter’s sons were left in limbo as to what would happen to their parent’s memorial.

Son Andrew Greasley, regularly contacted the Methodist circuit, estate agency and auction house, which had authorised the sale of the chapel, in order to organise the safe removal of his parents memorial plaque.

Andrew and his brothers fought long and hard before a breakthrough was finally made in early June and they managed to get in touch with the current owner of the chapel who granted the brothers access to the property.

The local estate agency which had first organised the sale – Savidge and Brown estate agents of Alfreton – provided Andrew and his brothers with a spare key to the chapel and they safely removed the plaque.

It was now been given a new home, on a display board in St Saviours church at the Midland Railway, Swanwick Junction Museum Complex.

The church, made from corrugated iron once stood in the village of Westhouses before being dismantled and moved to the centre.

He said: “It’s a relief to see the plaque in quite an appropriate place. I’m hoping that quite a few people we go to see it. Not just to see the plaque but to have a day out at the preservation.”

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