FEW of the more austere old nonconformist chapels are to be found today. Surviving buildings usually end up being converted into shops and assorted other businesses.

But they boomed, especially among mining communities, in bygone times.

And a century-old echo from those God-fearing times has been produced by 84-year-old reader Harry Walker, formerly of Mill lane, Sutton Leach, and now of Bernard Wood Court, Billinge.

It's an 1897 round, wooden artefact beautifully turned and with a silver commemorative shield on the side. The size of a crown green bowl, with a handle at the top, it looks, for want of a better term, like an outsized gavel.

In fact, it was originally used to tap down the foundation stone of a small Haydock place of worship, the inscription reading: 'Presented to Mrs. H. Trantom on the occasion of her laying the memorial stone of the Free Gospel Church, Haydock. July 10, 1897.'

It is now a treasured heirloom of Harry Walker's, having been passed down by his mother, Sarah Ann, adoptive daughter of Mrs Trantom who had lived at Eldon Street, St Helens.

He's no idea about Mrs T's Haydock connections or whether the particular church still stands (it's believed two Gospel premises once existed in Haydock).

"If so," he says, "I'd love to know whether that foundation stone is still in place."

ANYONE able to oblige Harry with information? If so, please drop me a line at the Star.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.