The Devil’s House tattoo studio in Fox Street, pictured earlier this month, has a long and colourful historyplaceholder image
The Devil’s House tattoo studio in Fox Street, pictured earlier this month, has a long and colourful history | Submit
If you should walk down Fox Street these days you will observe that the premises at the corner of St. Wilfrid's Street are undergoing renovation and a tattoo studio now operates within, writes historian Keith Johnson.
According to the signage it is to be known as the 'Devil's House' a seemingly appropriate name often associated with the premises since the Mormons came to town.
In July, 1837 a ship arrived in Liverpool and among the arrivals were seven Mormon Elders, namely Heber Kimball, Joseph Fielding, John Goodson, Isaac Russell, John Snyder, Orson Hyde and Willard Richards. They had set sail from New Orleans to carry abroad the message of the 'Church of the Latter Day Saints'. Almost penniless, but in good spirits they obtained lodgings at the home of a widow thanking their God for finding them shelter and as they unburdened their souls the message they received was - ‘Go Forth To Preston’.
They were invited to Preston by Fielding's brother, the Rev. James Fielding, minister of the Vauxhall Road Chapel. Joseph Fielding, along with his two sisters Mary and Mercy Fielding had accepted the truth in Canada. The missionaries were welcomed warmly as they arrived in Preston from Liverpool by stagecoach on the Saturday afternoon. It was market day and also election time in Preston with bands playing, flags flying, people frolicking and playing. As they descended from their coach they unfurled a large banner which in bold gilt letters proclaimed ‘Truth Will Prevail’.
While the other brethren took up their lodgings at No.3 Fox Street, Joseph Fielding went in search of his brother. It was a joyous reunion and the Rev. James Fielding invited the visitors to hear him preach to his chapel congregation the next day. Unfortunately, for the pastor when Elder Kimbell addressed the congregation later in the day his fervour won support and a number of the tightly knit flock switched their allegiance.
Fearing for his congregation the pastor closed the doors of his chapel to the Mormon Elders. Undeterred, they carried on their preaching in the homes of the newly converted. No time was wasted and despite receiving a hostile reception from many religious folk and preachers, the Mormons persuaded their first converts to their faith and a date for the first baptisms was set - the following Sunday, July 30th in the River Ribble.
The Devil's House in Fox Street has been boarded up for yearsplaceholder image
The Devil's House in Fox Street has been boarded up for years | Submit
News of the baptising of the first Mormons in Britain, soon spread and a large crowd gathered in the fields on the south side of the river, just upstream of the old Tram Bridge. In all nine were immersed that day in line with the ancient form of baptism. From then on people flocked to hear the Elders preach and although the doors of the churches were closed to them they got by, speaking in crowded houses and to large outdoor gatherings.
Mormons were baptised close to the old Tram Bridgeplaceholder image
Mormons were baptised close to the old Tram Bridge | Submit
The message of the Mormons soon spread countrywide and they received hostile receptions from the ministers of the established churches whose flocks dwindled as thousands of converts left the shores of Great Britain for the home of the faith in America.
The Elders’ stay at the Fox Street lodgings had clearly been a fruitful one for their religion, but according to what was revealed later they had undergone a test of their faith. In later life when he wrote of his time in Preston Elder Heber Kimble had this to say about their stay at their lodgings No. 3 Fox Street: “We spent the night prior to the baptisms in our lodgings wrestling with evil spirits who foamed at the mouth and gnashed their teeth at us. We saw devils coming in legions, with their leaders who came within a few feet of us. They came towards us like armies rushing to do battle. They appeared to be men of full stature, possessing every form and feature of men in the flesh, who were angry and desperate; and I shall never forget the vindictive malignity depicted on their countenances as they looked me in the eye.”
Mormon Elder Heber Kimble claimed the devil had been at work at the Fox Street lodgingsplaceholder image
Mormon Elder Heber Kimble claimed the devil had been at work at the Fox Street lodgings | Submit
Some accounts tell us that Isaac Russell was the first target of the demons and Elder Kimble performed an exorcism to drive out the Devil, before he himself was attacked ferociously by demons leaving him unconscious. The Elders are said to have then gathered together in prayer and faced the terror filled visitation together strong in their faith.
Thirty years later historian Anthony Hewitson wrote about the repercussions of the Mormons introduction to Preston and the rural region in a 'Preston Chronicle' feature remarking thus: “Things soon got hot here; it became speedily known that Hyde, Kimball, and Co. were of a sect fond of a multiplicity of wives; and the missionaries had forthwith to look out for fresh quarters. They secured the old Cock Pit, drove a great business in it, and at length actually got about 500 converts.
The Mormons held meetings in the Old Cockpit on Stoneygateplaceholder image
The Mormons held meetings in the Old Cockpit on Stoneygate | Submit
“They were soon busy pushing Mormonism in the surrounding countryside. At Longton, nearly everybody went into raptures over the new doctrine; it caught up and entranced old and young, married and single, pious and godless ; it even spread like fire among the Wesleyan's, who at that time were very strong in Longton and their chapel was almost emptied. To this day the village has not entirely recovered from the shock of Mormonism. During the heat of the conflict many Longtonians emigrated to America embracing their new faith, but several of them soon wished they were back in Preston.”
Hewitson went on to explain that the sect had begun life in Ohio, then got established in Missouri and by 1869 in the valley of the great Salt Lake. Likewise, in Preston they had moved a lot, after the Cock Pit they had migrated to an old joiner's shop on Park Road, then to a sizing house in Friargate, onward to a Lawson Street premises before ending up using a room in the Temperance Hotel on Lune Street. It was there he attended a service on a Sunday and reported that they had 70 members and were happy to welcome strangers into their fold and their zeal for their belief was obvious.
In 1987 to mark the 150th Anniversary celebrations of the Preston baptisms, a marker recounting part of the Latter Day Saints history was placed in Avenham Park, Preston. Lancashire is obviously still significantly important to the 'Church of the Latter Day Saints' as their landmark Mormon temple was opened in Chorley in 1998. The largest temple in Europe it is the hub of their worship, missionary work and research to this day.
The Mormons recalled in Avenham Park at the Japaneses Gardensplaceholder image
The Mormons recalled in Avenham Park at the Japaneses Gardens | Submit
The old lodging house at No.3 Fox Street was by 1863 occupied by James Winder, solicitor and life assurance agent, 30 years on Winder's had been joined by Mr. Lancaster, a tax collector. By Edwardian days auctioneer J. H. Logan operated from there and by 1917 William Knowles estate agent was the proprietor. By the 1930s John Cookson & Son solicitors were well established there, and the premises in the decades ahead became known as Russell Chambers with properties for sale part of their family business.
The Devil's House in 2021placeholder image
The Devil's House in 2021 | Submit
In recent times books and blogs have earmarked the premises as part of Preston's haunted heritage, perhaps because of its derelict and decaying look since the turn of the century. In April 2021 it was in the news when declared unsafe and cordoned off whilst repair work took place. It seemed to have a new dawn in November 2023 when it was launched by BGreen as a renewable energy centre, but that was short lived. Now it seems the devil will be in the detail as the tattoo artist gets to work and brings new life to a building with a haunted past.
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