Wakefield Family History Sharing
Extracts from
Walkers History of Wakefield
2nd edition 1939 (privately printed)
St. Peter's Church, Stanley
After the Battle of Waterloo, Parliament voted the sum of £1,000,000 out of the war indemnity paid to this country by Austria, as a thank-offering to God for the victory, in order that churches might be built in populous parts of the country. Grants from this fund were maid to build a church in each of the outlying parishes of Wakefield - Stanley, Alverthorpe and Thornes.
The first of the million pound churches in the area. A new parish was not constituted, but was designated as a Chapelry of Stanley; in May 1832 the church was known as the District Church of Stanley and it was not until July 1856 that an Act of Parliament that the Ecclesiastical District of Stanley became known as the Parish of Stanley with its own Parish Church. Now that Stanley had its own parish, fees that had previously been paid to the Vicar of Wakefield were now retained by the Incumbent of Stanley.
The church had its foundation stone laid in September1822 by Francis Maude and the church was opened and consecrated on September 6th 1824 when the Rev. G W Lewis was instituted as incumbent by the patron, the Vicar of Wakefield.
Vicars of St. Peters's, Stanley
George W Lewis instituted September 1824
P Ashworth served 1829-1831
the church was then served by curates from Wakefield Parish church
John Lister 1833
C D'oyley Aplin served 1844-1846
the church was then served by curates from Wakefield Parish church
Richard Burrell, MA, instituted Vicar of Stanley 1852 where he remained until his death, March 24th 1888. Richard during his time at Stanley removed the north and south galleries in 1862 and took out the old box pews, re-seating the nave with open stalls, and raised the floor of the chancel. The font which in 1834 had been purchased for £3, gave place to one presented by the ladies of Stanley. Further improvements took place including the addition of a chancel, oak side screens and choir stalls, erected to commemorate the jubilee of the church.
Henry Gason Ince, had been senior curate of Wakefield Parish Church before being instituted Vicar of Stanley in 1888. He served until 1902
Joshua Bower Bolland, instituted 1902. He resigned in 1917 on institution as Vicar of Ambleside. In February 1911 a disasterous fire occurred practically destroying the building, only the bare walls remained. The church was at once re-built under the direction of a Mr Caroe. The North and south walls were lowered in height, so as to form new aisles with barrel-vaulting; lofty Ancaster stone piers and arches were introduced. A new chancel 31 feet long was added to the east end of the original church and the western vestibule gave way to a stone-vaulted porch. The 'new church' was consecrated by the Bishop of Wakefield on July 5th 1912
Harold Ryle Baugh, MA, Instituted to Stanley September 29th 1917
Stanley Parish Records are available at the West Yorkshire Archive Service under the Ref WDP 191 baptisms 1824-1977, marriages 1832-1984, burials 1824-1947
To read fully the events read 'Wakefield its History and People' by J W Walker OBE FSA