The area around Shipley expanded rapidly in the 19th century, as the Industrial Revolution brought industry and textile mills into the area - the most notable, of course, being Salts Mill in Saltaire.Towards end of the century, the Rev'd A W Cribb, vicar of St Paul's Shipley, (see yesterday's post) realised that there was a need for a new church, to serve Saltaire and the new housing developments in the Moorhead and Nab Wood area. A congregation began to worship in the Technical School in Saltaire in 1890 and, as numbers grew, people began to make gifts towards the building of a new church, eventually raising £9624, 8 shillings and 1 penny!
Construction of the daughter church, St Peter's, started in 1907, about a mile away from St Paul's. St Peter's was consecrated by the Bishop of Ripon on 1 May 1909. Initially it did not have a tower - that was added in 1937, with a single bell. The tower cost £2500 and apparently a peal of bells would have cost another £700 so they couldn't afford that! (Which means these days we use a horrible recorded bell-ringing and then ring the single bell for five minutes before each service. That's the only thing I don't like about 'my' church...but I got pretty good at ringing the bell, when I was the churchwarden for a few years.)
The parish of St. Peter now includes the western half of Saltaire village, the Hirst Wood estate and much of Moorhead and Nab Wood.
Still in your centenary year for another couple of months.
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame about the bells; there is something so English about church bells which a recording just won't catch. I see the book-keeper was paying attention, right down to the last penny.
ReplyDeleteAs you record West Yorkshire churches I seem to record West Yorkshire pubs. One day our paths are sure to cross.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad they added the tower! I would have thought this building was much older. It's lovely!
ReplyDeleteAlan, I'll probably get around to the pubs before long!
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