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The foundation stone was laid on June 1st 1854, and the church was consecrated on June 6th 1855 by the then Archbishop of York. In 1879 C R Job became the 2nd Vicar of St Matthew’s. not much is known about Reverend job but he was vicar for 3 years. In 1882 came Father George Ommanney, Under whose remarkable leadership St Matthew’s was transformed into a centre for teaching and practice of the catholic revival in the church of England. Father Ommanney’s long and distinguished ministry came to an end with his death in 1936. He was followed by Father E C Morgan, who had been an assistant priest at St Matthew’s for 18 years. His successor in 1941 was Father G C R Cooke. During the war years, the parish experienced the Sheffield blitz, with resulting casualties and destruction of buildings. This heralded the beginning of the end of a resident congregation. In 1949 Father W T Simpson became the new Vicar. Much repair and restoration work was undertaken. After a serious fire in 1956 many alterations were made, including new doors at the west end of the church.
Father J D Preece became vicar in 1960. The last remaining houses in the parish were being demolished, and the congregation now consisted entirely of those who chose to make St Matthew’s their spiritual home. In 1980 Father A V Longworth succeeded Father Preece. In 1982 Father Ommanney’s centenary was celebrated, and the occasion marked by great improvements to the parish rooms. A plaque in the corridor leading to the main room commemorates their re-opening. After Father retirement due to ill health, Father Eric Fisher became the vicar.
His special gift of healing resulted in St Matthew’s becoming a focal point for his ministry. His successor in March 1995 was Father Marcus Wakely, who organised the restoration of the church. Part of the restoration was the reredos, which had become covered in soot and grime. In 2001 saw the arrival of the current vicar of St Matthew’s Father Simon Griffiths, or Father Simon as we like to call him. Father Simon has started many different services which are loved by the ever growing congregation. The Family service has proved very popular with parents. The choir of St Matthew’s with the help of Andrew Linn and now Fraiser Wilson has made St Matthew’s a place for beautiful music. And of course Father Simon brought St Matthew’s into the digital age with this very site! the next 5 years see St Matthew’s being at the centre of the new retail quarter. we will be surrounded by new buildings and John Lewis will become our new neighbours. Any future vicar will have the chance to turn shoppers into new members of our wonderful church.
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