St Matthew’s is over 150 years old and in that time it has taken a battering by bombs, fire and Methodist preacher attacks! over the next six pages, you can see in pictures and text some of the events and incidents which have occurred. lets start with a letter Rev Witty sent to The Sheffield Telegraph.
November 29th 1856
Taken from the Sheffield Daily Telegraph
I wish to thank those kind friends who have generously subscribed towards the erection of the church of the newly constituted parish of St Matthew. Through their liberality and the efficient co-operation of Dr Sale, and W Butcher, Esq. the treasurer of the building fund, this neat and substantial church has been completed ; and but for the extras required by the church commissioners, and directed by the architect, the whole cost of the edifice would have been amounted to £229 13s 2d. Making the total cost of the church £3,297 12s 6d. We have paid £3,067 13s 2d. And towards the £229 we have in hand and promised £100. This leaves £129 due. The church has been consecrated a little more than a year, and yet large congregations attend its services, and a flourishing Sunday school is spreading its influence throughout the parish. My zealous churchwardens have voluntary engaged to appeal to those who have not yet subscribed, and contributions will be gratefully received through the vicar, Dr Sale, W. Butcher. Esq. and Reverend T Beast and the Reverend W Wilkinson.
Yours Sincerely, J. F. Witty - the first vicar of St Matthew's carver Street Sheffield
Above (Second) is Dr David Hope, the then Archbishop of York, celebrating mass. This happened in 1998 to mark the centenary of the blessed sacrament. Father Ommanney was reprimanded for his action and put under a ban by the Archbishop of York of the time. so it is fitting that his successor celebrated its centenary and gave benediction at the end of mass.To the left is a mass celebrated by the late Father Martin Linskill, The Linskill family have attended St Matthew’s for many years and have family members in the serving team and choir.
Concerts and functions
St Matthew’s 1912
Last Christmas eve, St Matthew’s Sunday school performed the annual Nativity play. You can see to the left pictures from over the years. Before the 1960’s St Matthew’s had drama clubs and a larger Sunday School and the annual Nativity was taken very seriously and it was practised for many weeks. The plays also had adults as actors. Do you recognise yourself or a relative? let us know!
Before the war (when there were many more people within the parish) St Matthew’s used to be able to process around the parish and right up to City road to commemorate St Matthew’s day and other special days of the Angelo catholic calendar. The pictures above show many servers and children holding banners . It is interesting to note that we still use the same banners and cross within The church.
Here are some pictures from the year 2000 restoration of St Matthew’s
Father Marcus was vicar of St Matthew’s during this period and helped make the church fit and well and ready for the new millennium.
Year 2000 Restoration
Masses at St Matthew’s
Processions
Nativity's
August 14th 1956
From the program “Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication”
The past seven years have seen a scheme of repair put in hand.
These are some of the things we have tackled:A new roof, a new heating installation, a new lady chapel, new furnishings for the Clergy and Choir vestry. A disastrous fire interrupted the work - August 14th, 1956. In 1957 the repair and reinstatement was again undertaken: this included new frontals, carpet, screen for the organ, new doors for the entrance porch, new floor for the baptistery, new lighting installation, the examination and renewal of all wood affected by dry-rot, re-plastering of the walls" cleaning of pictures and the decoration of the whole Church. This work has been carried out under the supervision of Me G. G. Pace, the Diocesan Architect.
Selected important dates.
Taken From the march 1936 edition of the “Sheffield independent”
Hundreds of people filed through St. Matthew's Church, Sheffield, yesterday afternoon and evening, to pay a silent, touching tribute to the memory of the late Father G. C. Ommanney, whose body lay in state in the chancel of the church.
It was an impressive tribute, paid by all classes of people. Here an elderly woman, in deep mourning, walked slowly through the church and left with tears in her eyes; there a young errand girl, touched by the emotion of the moment, left her basket outside the church to be collected after she had added her tribute.
March 1936
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