The Risen Lord Preston

St Matthew

The Parish of The Risen Lord Preston

St Matthew
A Short Historical Background

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1838	St Mary's Church opened in 'New Preston' "The general characteristics of its inhabitants were an immense capacity for bad language, a power of imbibing alcholics, and a supreme contempt for all.that was decent and reputable" - Canon Smith, incumbent at St Mary.
1861	The Rev G. Alker, Vicar of St Mary, prevailed upon Mr Rogerson, the late Sexton of the cemetery, who was erecting two cottages, Nos. 82 and 83 in New Hall Lane to leave out the inner partition walls: opened as a branch school of St Mary's in late 1861.
1862	207 scholars of the eastern branch school walk in the Church of England procession at the Guild.
1873	18 September, The Derby Memorial Schools were opened, on land valued then at close upon Ł1,000, given by the Earl of Derby. The School was licensed for worship, and there was sufficient land for the erection of a church.
1877	Attendance at the Derby Branch School on week days was 700, and at the Sunday School was close upon a thousand, alterations were necessary to make one large downstairs room, at a cost of Ł200. The Male Adult Bible Class erected a "wooden erection" adjoining the school costing Ł100.
1878	The Rev James Pimblett, senior curate at St Mary, appointed to take charge of the district and at an early meeting it was decided both to build a church and to call it St Matthew. The church to seat 1,200 worshippers and the cost budgeted at Ł10,000.
1880	Saturday 16 October. The foundation stone of the church laid by Mr Hermon M.P. for Preston. Alderman James Hibbert, architect of the Harris Museum and Library, designed the church on "Gothic" lines.
1881	Four cottages in Delaware Street were rented to accommodate a temporary school numbering 120 children.
1882	1,072 scholars walked from St Matthew's in the Church of England Guild procession. Monday 23 July, at 11.15 am the church consecrated by the Bishop of Manchester with 28 attendant clergy. The church designed in cruciform shape, only the body of the church, which provided seats for 700 worshippers was completed with fine pitch pine pews. Half of the seats were let at pew rents, another half were free seats.
1883	Furnishings of the new church. A harmonium lent by the Rev W. Ritson of Rivington. Oak communion table, communion chairs, lectern and reading desk, pulpit, oak footstool, communion clothes and altar linen and font all donated by generous individuals. The cost of the new church, Ł6,000 made up of Ł1,000 donation from Horrockses & Miller & Co., Ł1,000 from the Harris Trustees, Ł1,400 from a grand monstre or bazaar following the laying of the foundation stone, Ł500 from Mr Edmund Hermon M.P., Ł1,800 raised by parishioners leaving Ł300 still on its opening to be raised. Mr Richard Newsham gave Ł1,000 for the endowment of the Living. Looking to the future: Mr W. Shorrock, Warden of St Matthew, speaking at the Congregational Tea Party, 7.30 p.m. Wednesday evening 26th July, set out the task for the mainly working class parishioners, they should "give up the idea of the penny offertory as now sufficient. The sums which had kept them afloat in the old place would not the new. They could not as yet rest on their oars for they had great work before them. The schools would require to be enlarged, they had the church to finish, and a parsonage to build.

Vicars of St Matthew

1883-1910	James Pimblett
1911-1923	Christopher Townson
1923-1926	Clement E. Davies
1927-1929	John H. Ward
1929-1954	Thomas Redfern	Centre with Rev Harry Walton (Curate) on left
1955-1963	Harry Walton
1964-1977	Eric V. Jones
1978-1986	Mark Titterington
1986-1993	Michael Burgess
1994-2006	Phil Tyers
2008-	Peter Nunn