St Lukes Cradley Heath- Some history of the church

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St Lukes Cradley Heath- Some history of the church

Postby linell » Wed Sep 30, 2009 6:12 pm

In 1845 land was acquired for the new Parish Church of Reddall Hill which was situated on the corner of Four Ways Cradley Heath, bounded on the north-west by the highway leading from Four Ways to the Village of Rowley, and on the south-west by lands and buildings the property of Mr Cole, (afterwards to become the residence of Dr Standish and now known as Weston’s Dairies) on the south by lands belonging to the British Iron Company, possibly the largest Company in Cradley Heath at that time covering the whole of the area known as Corngreaves, now split up among various firms. A large number of the population was employed in these works and years later when this concern was dissolved it added very much to the unemployment and misery of the district. The land was handed over to the Commissioners for the building of the new Church by George Earl of Aberdeen and James Baron of Dunfermline executors and trustees of John William Baron Ward, Earl of Dudley for the sum of £86. At this time there was a small Cottage on the site where the Church now stands, and soon a new Cottage was built just above Stevens Bros on the Netherton side of the road to re-house the family. The area of this land was one acre and twelve perches. This would be enclosed by an imaginary line drawn from the end of Weston’s Dairy across to the bottom of the Vicarage Garden wall. By far the larger portion of the Churchyard was to be acquired later on. At the same time September 2nd 1845, an area adjacent to the Church, in area of two roods, was handed over under the same names for the sum of £40 for a Parsonage House, but over fifty years was to elapse before the present Vicarage was built on this site.

Meanwhile matters had been going ahead for the construction of the Church and very comprehensive and detailed plans and specifications were drawn up by the Architect Mr William Bourne. A contract was drawn up in August 1845 and signed on the 12th with Mr James Wilson, Builder of Handsworth. The work was to be undertaken in the sum of £2,550 and completed within 15 months of the commencement. On Friday the 24th October 1845 took place the ceremony of the laying of the foundation stone. The first Stone was laid by the Right Honourable Lady Ward and the address was given by the Rev J H Sharwood MA the Vicar of Walsall.
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Re: St Lukes Cradley Heath

Postby linell » Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:18 pm

The January magazine of 1890 gives the following description of the Christmas Tea:-

On Tuesday evening the 29th of December, the Annual Tea was given to those women who attend the Mother’s Meeting and Bible Class. Tea was provided for over a hundred. By six o’clock all were seated and partook of tea, cake, oranges etc., which had been provided for them. Tea being over they seated themselves quickly anxiously awaiting for the commencement of the entertainment. Songs recitations and readings were kindly given by a detachment of teachers from the Lomey Town School. Miss Gould, Miss Leach, Misses Mason, Miss Lucy Standish and Rev. John Jenkins Curate. Mrs deDenne was indefatigable in her exertions to make the evening pass pleasantly and the women all agreed that they had thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

In 1935 the Mothers Meeting celebrated it’s Golden Jubilee with the Holy Communion Service in the Church at 11 am and in the afternoon a service conducted by the Vicar Rev. T W Thirwell, with an old Vicar, Rev. H H Williams of Old Swinford as preacher. On this occasion the mothers sent a telegram of congratulations to their Majesties the King and Queen, on their Silver Jubilee. In the evening, after one hundred and thirty had been served to a meal, an excellent concert was given by artists who gave voluntarily of their services.
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Re: St Lukes Cradley Heath

Postby linell » Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:45 pm

EARLY DAYS IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH
As far as is known there is no precise documentary evidence of the actual ceremony and so we must assume that the Church was duly consecrated by Henry Pepys DD Bishop of Worcester on Feb 22nd 1847. The first Vestry Meeting was held on March 3rd 1847. At this meeting the first two Wardens were elected. Thomas Sidaway as the Vicar’s Warden and Jeremiah Laister as People’s Warden. These appointments were held only for a few weeks until the Official Easter Vestry held on April 6th when the Wardenship of Thomas Sidaway was confirmed and James Nock of Four Ways was elected People’s Warden for the next twelve months.

So begins the history of the life of the Church under its first incumbent Rev F Clarke, who was the Vicar of the Parish for the next twenty-six years. Of him personally little is known, for during the years 1847 – 1880 we have little data in minutes of what was taking place, there being no Church Council. The only recorded information we have is the election of Church Wardens and Sidesmen. One of the oldest Parishioners still living was Mr Joseph Dunn; he can just remember the Funeral Service in 1873 of the Rev F Clarke. It is said that the Rev F Clarke lived at Romsley and could be seen at an early hour on Sunday morning riding on horseback through the fields to the brook at Belle Vale, mounting the pathway at the bottom of Corngreaves Road and so up to the Four Ways. At this time the Four Ways presents almost a country scene with a Farm and Farmhouse on the site of Barclays Bank, Farmer Bridge at one time being the Tennant. Spinners End on the Church side consisted of fields. There were no railways in the district; all transport being done by draft horse and pack horse. Just off the Four Ways at what is now Mr Isaiah Collins Bakery was Yardley’s Chain Shop producing among many other items slave chains.
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