Opening of a New Chapel at Fowey Royal Cornwall Gazette, 16 September 1887, page 6 On Wednesday last week the new Congregational Chapel at Fowey was opened. The new premises consist of a chapel forty feet by twenty-eight inside, with an end gallery; and seating a congregation of two hundred and sixty. Behind the chapel there is an organ chamber, a lecture-hall, and class-rooms to accommodate a hundred and twenty-five scholars. The walls are built of brick and cemented, the front elevation being of limestone with granite dressings. The general style is Early English Gothic, the windows of the facade possessing some pretty tracery in that style. Over the main entrance rises a quadrangular tower to the height of fifty-five feet. The windows are of cathedral-tinted glass in lead quarries, with margins of geometrical patterns of excellent effect. The rostrum, which is of pitch pine, also adds to the beauty of the interior. The seats are open pitch pine benches. The cost of the work is £1,180, exclusive of land and architect’s fees. The architect is Mr. John Wills, of Derby; the builder Mr. Nathaniel Penter of Polruan; and Mr. Samble, of Fowey, acted as Clerk of the works, and performed the duties of that office in a very creditable manner. The opening proceedings commenced with a luncheon at the Town-hall, which was gaily decorated for the occasion, and the luncheon was well attended. The Rev. R. Gardner, of Falmouth, as chairman for the year of the Cornwall Congregational Union, presided, and amongst those present were:... Mr and Mrs Penter, Mr Penter.

The opening service at the chapel was at three o’clock. The sermon was preached by the Rev. C S Slater, of Sherwell Chapel, Plymouth, who took as his text Luke 1:4: “That though mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed.” Mr Slater spoke of the great importance in these days of certainty in religion. There were at all events great certainties upon which all agreed- life, sin, suffering, and death. Christ was also a certainty, for amid all the conflict of criticism His existence had never seriously been disputed. Christ was Christ was to-day the greatest fact in our world’s history, and the greatest certainty in the faith of Christ came of trust in him. Therefore, if they did not already do so let them make that day and that occasion memorable by trusting Jesus Christ, and they would then themselves come to know the certainty of those things wherein they had been instructed. A tea followed in the Town-hall, the ladies who took tables being Mesdames Thane, Collins, Lacey, Mutton, Couch, May, George E Piper, and W. Beale. In the evening there was a public meeting in the new chapel, which was well filled. The Rev. C R Gardner presided. ^[1]

Failure of Polruan Contractor Royal Cornwall Gazette, 5 January 1899, page 5 "A Case for Further Enquiry Nathaniel Penter, builder and contractor, of Polruan and Fowey, met his creditors on Friday at the Official Receiver’s Office, Plymouth. Debtor estimated his gross liabilities at £1,353 of which £158 was fully secured and £1,195 unsecured. Including a surplus of £46 from the property held by the secured creditors, he valued his assets at £545, leaving a deficiency of £619.

He commenced business sixteen years ago with a capital of £600. Recently he had been pressed by creditors, and three months ago an execution was levied on his effects. To meet this he borrowed £60 from his father-in-law, and on November 18th executed a bill of sale on his furniture to secure a loan. In reply to the Official Receiver, debtor said the cause of his insolvency was taking contracts too cheaply. Competition between contractors had been very keen lately.

On his marriage, in April 1886 he settled three houses at Polruan on his wife. Asked if he was solvent at that time, debtor said he was going on all right then, just as he had been up to now. Twelve months ago he took a contract for the erection of nine houses at Fowey. Though there was no competition he took the contract too cheaply. This work had been stopped for the present. If he was allowed to complete it he should make a profit of £200. - The official Receiver said he had the property surveyed by an independent architect, who advised him that it would cost more to complete the buildings than the amount due on the contract. - Debtor, questioned further, said he took a contract for premises at Falmouth. Under the terms of the contract he ought to have insured the property against fire, the the architect told him not to do so, as the owner would do it. He accordingly did not take out the policy. When the building was two-thirds completed a fire broke out and the premises burnt down.

He had not been paid for the work done under the contract. - The Official Receiver expressed dissatisfaction with debtor’s explanation of the Falmouth affair, and invited creditors to furnish him with information before the public examination, which was fixed for January 9th."^[2]

A Polruan Failure "Nathaniel Penter, builder and contractor, Polruan and Fowey, attended before Registrar Bridgman, at Stonehouse Bankruptcy Court on Tuesday, for his adjourned public examination. It was stated that the goods and cash account ordered by the court had not been filed, and Mr. Bennetts of Truro, for debtor, explained that it had been prepared by Mr. H. Davey, of Plymouth, but bankrupt had been unable to pay his fee of ten guineas, and the accountant refused to part with it until it was paid. - The Official Receiver (Mr. T. H. Geake) pointed out that the order of the court was upon the debtor personally, and if he had not the means to employ an accountant he ought to have prepared the account himself. It was really an important matter, because the deficiency, which bankrupt estimated at £649, actually amounted to £1,200. - Debtor now expressed the belief that he would be able to get the money to pay the accountant’s fee, and on that understanding the examination was further adjourned until March 21st, the account to be filed within a week."^[3]