Stop A6: Caretaker’s Cottage
Click on the above to listen to audio of the Caretaker’s Cottage
The Derrick family’s legacy
The Caretaker’s Cottage was built in 1914 by the Ronald A Derrick, the secretary of the Wesleyan Sunday School. It was erected with the boundary wall along Little Lonsdale Street for a cost of £850. The architecture is faithful to the Gothic Revival features of the original 1850s church buildings designed by Joseph Reed. The cottage was still home to a caretaker until the late 1990s.
The dedication of the Derricks
The Derrick family had a long association with the Wesleyan Church. Albert James (AJ) Derrick was an architect and the first organising secretary of the Wesley Central Mission. He had seven children and two of his sons, Ronald A and Edgar Marsh, were involved with the Church and the Mission. AJ published several books on the history of the Wesley Church and the Central Mission.
Uncover more about Edgar Marsh here
Image Reference
- Original drawing of the Caretaker’s Cottage, 1914 Source: Wesley Church Archives
