Emmanuel Church, Lockwood

Emmanuel Church is the former parish church for the township of Lockwood and is situated at the foot of Taylor Hill in the area known locally as Salford.

History

The church was designed by R.D. Chantrell of Leeds and the foundation stone was laid in 1828.[1] The cost of around £3,000 was covered by the Church Building Act of 1818 and 1824[2], when £1.5m was made available by the government to build new churches following the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

The build was competed by 1830 and was consecrated by the Archbishop of York, the most Rev. Vernon Harcourt, on 27 August 1830. On the very same day, Sarah Ann Berry, daughter of Newsome clothier Joseph and Martha Berry, became the person to be baptised at Emmanuel Church.

The first recorded burial was that of 12-year-old William Garner of Crosland Moor on 14 November 1830.

It became a parish church in 1843[3] and was extended in 1848 by the addition of a chancel.

The church closed for a short while in 1862 for alterations and refurbishment, and was re-opened on 9 April. The Huddersfield Chronicle reported the interior had been repainted by Mr. Brighouse of the Lion Arcade, Huddersfield, with "the walls painted salmon colour, and the pillars and arches stone colour."[4] The re-opening service was given by the Lord Bishop of Ripon.

By the mid-1860s, the original graveyard was full but extra land had been purchased to the north side of the church for £130, which Sir John William Ramsden contributing £50, and this was duly consecrated in July 1866 by the Lord Bishop of Ripon.[5] The extended graveyard sufficed until the nearby Lockwood Cemetery opened circa 1900.

In March 1879, a stained glass window was installed by Messrs. Morris and Co. of Queen's Square, Bloomsbury, London, as a memorial to the late Rev. T.B. Bensted, who had served in the parish for three decades. The inscription at the foot of the window was "To the glory of God, and in loving memory of Thomas Barton Bensted, M.A., for 30 years incumbent and rector of this parish. Obiit 1st Jan. 1878, ætat 68."[6]

Huddersfield Daily Chronicle (15/Dec/1880)

The church bell was repaired in 1880 by Tom Brook, founder of T. Brook & Sons, Engineers at Folly Hall.[7]

1880 also saw improvements made to the church organ, carried by organ builder Mr. Butterworth of William Street. The new organ was unveiled at a service in December.[8]

A new brass lectern was installed in November 1881, bearing the inscription "In pious memory of a loving mother, by James Priestley."[9]

In 1884, the Rev. W.H. Girling authorised the installation of a new boiler and heating apparatus for the church, at a cost of £150.[10]

The church closed for six weeks in late 1887 for refurbishment. Replacement pews were installed and the heating system was improved with the fitting of "Milan's new patent hydro-pneumatic radiator".[11]

A new organ was installed in 1898 at a cost of £500 by Messrs. Peter Conacher and Co. of Huddersfield, featuring 24 stops and five couplers. A further £200 was spent on redecorating the interior and on external repairs.[12]

By the 1990s, the building had been converted for commercial use.

Further Reading

Records

Gallery

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Location

Notes and References

  1. According to chapter 9 of The History of Lockwood and North Crosland (1980) by Brian Clarke, there is a long-standing rumour that the architect accidentally mixed up the plans of Lockwood and Netherthong churches, so the real Emmanuel Church was built in Netherthong!
  2. Wikipedia: Commissioners' church
  3. London Morning Post (23/Aug/1843).
  4. "Emmanuel Church, Lockwood" in Huddersfield Chronicle (12/Apr/1862).
  5. "Lockwood: Consecration of Additional Church Burial Ground" in Huddersfield Chronicle (07/Jul/1866).
  6. "Memorial to the Late Rector of Lockwood" in Huddersfield Daily Chronicle (18/Mar/1879).
  7. The History of Lockwood and North Crosland (1980) by Brian Clarke, chapter 9.
  8. "Emmanuel Church, Lockwood" in Huddersfield Daily Chronicle (17/Dec/1880).
  9. "Lockwood: Emmanuel Church, Lockwood" in Huddersfield Chronicle (03/Dec/1881).
  10. "Emmanuel Church, Lockwood" in Huddersfield Daily Chronicle (16/Apr/1884).
  11. "Re-opening Services at Lockwood Church" in Huddersfield Daily Chronicle (18/Nov/1887).
  12. "Organ Opening at Lockwood" in Huddersfield Chronicle (14/May/1898).