The first Incumbent of Saint James's was the Reverend William Fullerton Walker whose house, Dirtcar Cottage, stood in a garden on what is now Derker Street.
His neighbour was called John Hague, whose daughter he married. Under Mr Walker's care the first part of the school was erected in 1830, consisting of a
one -storey building eight windows long. A second storey was added in 1887.
After a ministry of nearly 28 years, Mr Walker died in August 1857. He was 55
years old. He was buried on the north side of the church yard. His widow outlived
him by seven years and was laid to rest in the same grave in 1864.
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The second Incumbent was the Reverend Richard Austin Tuckniss who came to the parish from Burnley. During his tenure of office not only was the Vicarage built in Spring Street (1863), in what was then a country road, but a further addition was made to the Schools, and Moorside became a seperate conventional district.
Mr Tuckniss, although of fine appearance, was a man of delicate health and after guiding the work of the parish for six years, he died at Southport in February
1864, aged 40, and is buried in the church yard of Holy Trinity in that town.
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Mr Tuckniss was succeeded by the Reverend Robert Septimus Gooday under whom yet another addition was made to the Schools, though perhaps the most striking feature of his incumbency was the installation in the west gallery in 1872 of the fine organ, which was built by Hills of London, and the cost of which, £1200,
was raised by subscriptions. Mr Gooday died in April 1878, and lies buried in Greenacres Cemetry, the church yard having been closed to new graves in 1857.
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The Reverend Thomas Lloyd Knapp was appointed as successor to Mr Gooday and under his care very important changes were made to the interior of the Church. The whole of the ground floor and part of the gallery was re-seated, new choir stalls and clergy desks provided, and commodious vestries for the clergy and the choir were built at the west end. Many smaller but no less important improvements were due to Mr Knapps's initiation, and their execution was only largely made possible
by his lavish and generous gifts. After twenty-four years of devoted service Mr Knapp felt the need of relief from the burden of so large a parish, and laid down
his work in 1902. He became Vicar of Threekingham in Lincolnshire, from where
he still took the kindliest interest in the affairs of his old parish.
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On Mr Knapp's retirement, the charge of the parish was given to the Reverend
H F Walker who, like all his predecessors, was educated at Oxford. One of the
first alterations under Mr Walker's guidance was the erection of the Barry Street gateway to the Churchyard in 1904, which had become possible by the removal of the old forge which stood at the end of Barry Street and completley hid the Church from the main road. This work and the general repair of the Schools and other parochial buildings was paid for by the efforts of the congregation. In addition, the body of the Church was lighted by incandescent burners, and the choir stalls and sanctuary with electric light.
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The text for this webpage has been taken from a Souvenir Handbook for a Grand Bazaar that was held by S. James's in the Co-operarative Hall on Huddersfield Road in 1909.
Considering that S. James's Church opened in 1829 and the church yard closed to new graves only 28 years later, this shows how different life was in those days. Life expectancy was much lower and there were some major mill disasters (health and safety not being as stringent as today) so the church yard filled up pretty quickly. The church yard was landscaped in the 1960's and declared as an open public space. Since that time, it has been maintained by Oldham Council although
remains under the ownership of the Church.
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