were effected in the interior of the
chapel, including the erection of a commodious platform; oak furniture
and elegant fittings being added, and the seats of the choir re-arranged.

The Rev. W. Rose followed from 1872 to 1878. He had been stationed at
Portsea, but visited Horncastle in July, 1872, to preach for Home
Missions, and was afterwards invited to undertake the ministry here.
Being a native of Boston, and having resided for some time in Spilsby, he
was glad to return to his native county, and commenced his ministry in
January, 1873. During his pastorate the old seats in the body of the
chapel were removed, and modern open benches substituted. In 1874 a plot
of land was offered by the late Mr. W. A. Rayson for new school premises.
Mr. Rose and the late Mr. J. E. Ward, as Treasurer and Secretary, took up
the matter, and the present schools were erected on the south of the
chapel. On the ground floor is a spacious room, 39-ft. long by 24-ft.
wide; there is a vestry for the minister, an infant classroom, and a
kitchen with convenient arrangements for tea meetings; above are six
large classrooms for boys and girls. These were opened April 29, 1875;
among the contributors being Mr. Samuel Morley of London, at one time
President of the Society, and Sir Titus Salt, who both, with Mr. W. A.
Rayson, gave 50 pounds each.

After Mr. Rose's retirement both he and Mrs. Rose still continued to take
a kindly interest in matters connected with the chapel. She was a member
of a highly respectable family in the neighbourhood, being a daughter of
Mr. Searby of Wainfleet. Her health, however, was latterly precarious,
and she died May 16, 1879, her husband dying Dec. 10, in the same year.
They were both interred at Spilsby. Mr. Rose was highly esteemed among
all denominations; was on cordial terms of intimacy with the Rev. Arthur
Scrivenor, then Vicar of Horncastle; and, among other duties, he acted on
a committee at Woodhall Spa, in connection with a Cottage Hospital for
the poor, in which he took great interest, and which was carried on by
the writer of these pages, then Vicar of Woodhall Spa.

Mr. Rose was succeeded by the Rev. W. T. Poole, of Paulers' Pury,
Northants; a former Scripture Reader at Reading, who ministered here from
1878 to 1880, when he was transferred to Bracknall, Berks. He was
followed by a Nottingham student, the Rev. W. Archer, from 1881 to 1885.
Then came the Rev. J. H. Dingle, of Ruskington, near