Research Notes

Parish Notes Northumberland

Newcastle St Thomas the Martyr

[Population 1911: none]

Church

Church: Newcastle St Thomas. Address: Barras Bridge. Accommodation: 1,000. Services: 10-45, 3, 7. Vicar: Rev. Marsden Gibson. Chaplain: Rev. T.B. Nichols. Patron: Corporation of Newcastle. [NEYB (1893) p.81]

St. Thomas's Chapel and St. Mary Magdalen's Hospital is situated at Barras Bridge. This beautiful structure was erected in 1830, from a design by Mr. Dobson, at a cost of £6,000. Since its opening its accommodation has been increased by the erection of galleries - a new organ has also been added. This church will accommodate 1,500 persons. Patrons, the corporation of Newcastle. [Whellan's History, Topography and Directory of Durham (and Newcastle) (1856), page 948.]

A brass plate near the entrance reads:

CHAPEL OF ST THOMAS THE MARTYR
CONSECRATED A:D: 1830.
RE-SEATED, AND EAST WINDOW FILLED WITH
STAINED GLASS A:D: 1881

REV. MARSDEN GIBSON. M.A. MASTER OF ST MARY MAGDALENE HOSPITAL.
REV. WILLIAM MOORE EDE. M.A. EVENING LECTURER

GEORGE JOSEPH BAGULEY.
JAMES MAY FOTHERGILL.
JONATHAN TAYLOR. CHAPEL WARDENS

An oak tablet notes the Masters of St Mary's Hospital:

MASTERS

RICHARD CLAYTON MA                      1826-1856
CLEMENT MOODY MA                        1856-1871
MARSDEN GIBSON MA                       1872-1894
ALEXANDER JAMES HARRISON MA             1894-1914
JESSE HICKLING ISON MA                  1914-1940
GEORGE EDWIN JENKINS MA                 1941-1947
ALBERT JOHN BENNITT MA                  1948-1969
JOHN LLOYD ROCHFORT CRAWLEY MA          1969-1974
IAN HARKER BA                           1975-1983
DAVID JOHN PARKER MA                    1984-1989
IAN DAVID HOUGHTON BA                   1990-1995
JOHN CHRISTOPHER WIDDOWS MA             1995-


I    N MEMORY OF CANNON A.J. BENNITT MA
   MASTER OF THE HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY MAGDALENE
                   1948-1969

A brass plate in what is now the vestry reads:

IN MEMORY OF
HERMAN CARL SCHIER
BORN MARCH 11TH 1856,
DIED FEBRUARY 16TH 1882.
HE FELL IN THE PERFORMANCE OF HIS
DUTY DURING THE EXPLOSION AT
THE TRIMDON GRANGE COLLIERY IN
THE COUNTY OF DURHAM

For whosoever shall save his life shall lose it,
and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake
shall find it.

A carved oak lectern, not now used, carries the inscription:

To the Glory of God and
in loving memory of the Rev.
Joseph Henry Bradshaw
who died February 11th 1897
aged 33 years
erected by his widow.

Two large candlesticks of modern design are dedicated to MICHAEL EDWARD COOPER 1950-1971

The elaborately carved oak reredos with figures of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, has the dedication: "To the Greater Glory of God and in memory of Emily Collinson the beloved wife of D. Mainland Dodd."

There are thirteen stained glass windows in the chapel, the first three of which are behind the altar:

IN MEMORY OF JOSEPH ARMSTRONG MAYOR OF NEWCASTLE 1861-2
SHERIFF 1856-7 FOR MANY YEARS JOINT PROPRIETOR OF THE NEWCASTLE
COURANT DIED AUG 28 1863 AGED 58 YEARS ERECTED BY HIS WIDOW & DAUGHTER

IN MEMORY OF THE REVEREND RICHARD CLAYTON M,A FOR THIRTY YEARS MASTER OF
ST MARY MAGDALENE HOSPITAL NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE AND DURING WHOSE MASTERSHIP THIS
CHAPEL WAS CONSECRATED A,D 1836 DIED OCTOBER 8TH 1856 AGED 54 YEARS +

DEDICATED TO THE HONOUR AND GLORY OF GOD + AND IN MEMORY OF MARGARET
MARY WIFE OF GEORGE JOSEPH BAGULEY BORN 2ND FEB 1838 FELL ASLEEP IN JESUS 20TH MARCH 1879
ALSO IN MEMORY OF THE ABOVE GEORGE JOSEPH BAGULEY FOR 43 YRS CHURCH WARDEN OF THIS CHURCH BORN FEB 24 1834 DIED OCT 31 19??

There are six stained glass windows in the south aisle. The first two have no dedication; the third and fourth were:

ERECTED BY THE CONGREGATION OF THIS CHURCH TO COMMEMORATE
THE FAITHFULL & DEVOTED MINISTRY OF THE REV. MARSDEN GIBSON M.A.
FOR 22 YEARS MASTER OF THE HOSPITAL OF ST MARY MAGDALENE
ON HIS PREFERMENT TO THE RECTORY OF CHUMLEIGH DEVON 1894.

The fifth and sixth windows in the south aisle are dedicated to the 43rd and 49th Royal Tank Regiments.

There are four stained glass windows in the north aisle.

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN LOVING MEMORY OF JOHN AND GRACE DAY THIS
WINDOW IS DEDICATED BY THEIR DAUGHTERS, JULIA M. POWELL A. DE HENZELLE BABST 1903

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN LOVING MEMORY OF JOSEPH HENRY BAGULEY WHO FELL
ASLEEP ON THE FEAST OF SS MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS 1874 AGED 13 YEARS THIS WINDOW IS ERECTED BY HIS PARENTS

In loving memory of my dear husband
Wm Herdman who died Aug 27th 1890.

In loving memory of Agnes Jane Dean the beloved daughter of
Wm & Ann Herdman who died June 12th 1892.

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Townships

None. St Thomas's is a peculiar within the parish of Newcastle St Andrew's.

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The Parish Chest

The registers for St Thomas have not been deposited at the Diocesan Record Office. Those which survive at the church are: baptisms 12 Dec. 1897 to 21 Feb. 1999; marriages 20 Feb. 1971 to 17 June 1977 (the Registrar's copy has been deposited); marriages 23 July 1977 to 26 Sep. 1998 (together with the Registrar's copy - both still in use). Earlier registers which may have existed would appear to have been lost. [George Bell & Carol Yellowley, 12 March 1999.]

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Monumental Inscriptions

THIS MEMORIAL
IS RAISED BY HIS SORROWING FAMILY
IN LOVING REMEMBRANCE OF
ROBERT ANDERSON
WHO, AFTER A LIFE UNOBTRUSIVELY SPENT IN GOOD WORKS
FELL ASLEEP IN JESUS, ON THE 6TH DAY OF APRIL 1868
IN THE 60TH YEAR OF HIS AGE.

HE SERVED FOR TEN YEARS IN THE HON. E.I.C. MARITIME SERVICE,
AND SUBSEQUENTLY WAS, FOR 31 YEARS ENGAGED IN THE
MANAGEMENT OF BANK OF ENGLAND IN THIS TOWN.

"THEM ALSO WHICH SLEEP IN JESUS, WILL GOD BRING WITH HIM."
I THESS., 4 CHAPTER, 14 VERSE.

IN MEMORY OF
JULIANA STANLEY HAWKS
WHO DIED AT JESMOND HOUSE IN THIS PARISH
ON THE 18TH AUGUST 1868, AGED 26 YEARS
ALSO OF
EMILY STANLEY HAWKS
WHO DIED AT CHELTINGHAM
ON THE 24TH FEBRUARY 1865, AGED 32 YEARS

DAUGHTERS OF JOSEPH HAWKS ESQUIRE FORMERLY OF THIS TOWN
They were lovely and pleasant in their lives
and in their death they are not divided. FROM II SAM. 1.23.

THIS TABLET IS ERECTED BY THEIR SORROWING PARENTS

IN MEMORY OF
JOSEPH HAWKS J.P. & D.L.
OF GATESHEAD,
MANY YEARS RESIDENT IN THIS TOWN.
HE DIED AT CHELTINGHAM NOVEMBER 7TH 1873
AGED 82 YEARS.
THIS TABLET IS ERECTED BY HIS SORROWING WIDOW.
"I Thank my God for every remembrance of you."
ALSO OF
MARY
WIFE OF THE ABOVE
WHO DIED AT CHELTINGHAM NOVEMBER 7TH 1884.

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF
THE REV ROBERT WASNEY AM
BORN AT BEVERLEY IN YORKSHIRE ON THE 12 JULY 1772
EDUCATED AT CLARE HALL CAMBRIDGE
APPOINTED MINISTER OF ST THOMAS CHAPEL IN THIS TOWN
IN 1808 HE DIED ON THE 12 OF APRIL 1836
AND WAS BURIED IN ST NICHOLAS CHURCHYARD.

GIFTED WITH A DISTINCT AND COMMANDING ELOCUTION HE EARLY EVINCED THOSE TALENTS WHICH EVER DISTINGUISHED HIM AS A CHRISTIAN PREACHER ZEALOUSLY AFFECTED IN THE CAUSE OF EVANGELICAL TRUTH HE WAS INDEFATIGABLE IN SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES AND HIS LABOURS BEING SIGNALLY BLESSED HE WAS ENABLED TO DRAW FROM THE FOUNTAIN HEAD THE CHARACTERISTIC DOCTRINES OF CHRISTIANITY AND TO INCULCATE THEM WITH IRRESISTABLE EFFECT UPON THE MINDS AND CONSCIENCES OF HIS HEARERS HIS CONGREGATION AT FIRST FEW AND UNSTABLE GRADUALLY GREW IN NUMBER AND IN SPIRITUAL STRENGTH AND THE INFLUENCE OF HIS MINISTRY WAS FELT FAR BEYOND THE SPHERE OF HIS OWN PASTORAL LABOURS IN THE DIFFUSION OF GOSPEL TRUTH CHERISHING AND AFFECTIONATE VENERATION AND REGRET FOR THEIR DEPARTED PASTOR TO A MERCIFUL GOD WHO QUALIFIED AND SENT HIM TO SHINE AS A LIGHT IN A DARK PLACE A PORTION OF HIS HEARERS DEDICATE THIS MONUMENT IN THE HUMBLE AND FERVENT HOPE THAT AN EXAMPLE SO PRECIOUS MAY BE REMEMBERED AND FOLLOWED BOTH BY PASTORS AND PEOPLE IN ALL TIME TO COME

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