History
The History of St Luke's Skerton
This history is brought to you with many thanks to Stephen P. Burrow. Who researched and wrote "St Luke's, Skerton 1833-1983, A Short History." Unfortunately it has had to be condensed down for the website, but I hope you still find it an enjoyable read.
The Vicars of St Luke's Skerton
1834 – Rev. Charles Bury
1840 – Rev. David Barclay Bevan
1842 – Rev. Thomas Barrow*
1844 – Rev. Stephen Davies
1848 – Rev. Edmund Clay
1850 – Rev. Robert Simpson*
1856 – Rev. Thomas Lodge
1860 – Rev. Walter Bradbury
1871 – Rev. John Brack*
1902 – Rev. John Edgar Jelly
1916 – Rev. Thomas Ellwood*
1933 – Rev. Aubrey John Jervis*
1937 – Rev. Harry George Moss*
1963 – Rev. Thomas Stafford Whiteside
1968 – Rev. Paul Frederick Goodson
1974 – Rev. John Kenneth Robinson
1982 – Rev. Gerald Gordon Field
1987 - Rev. John Fairclough
1996 – Rev. Alistair Fuller
2001 – Fr. Gary Lewis
* Interred in the Church Yard
The Church’s Beginnings
"We do consecrate this edifice to the honour of God and the sacred uses aforesaid by the name of the Church of Saint Luke, in Skerton, in the parish of Lancaster, in the County of Lancaster, and declare that the same shall henceforth be called and denominated."
With these words, the Bishop of Chester, the Right Reverend John Bird consecrated the parish church of Skerton, on Monday, 7th October 1833.
The church was built, at a cost of £1, 030, by Mr Jonathan Dunn, one of the original trustees, who also gave the land on which the church stands. Mr Dunn and the other four trustees – William Housman, George Burrow, William Carus-Wilson and John Hull also provided: "a sum of one thousand pounds by way of endowment for such a Church."
The Church stood 90 feet long and 38.5 feet wide in its own church yard. It provided accommodation for over 400 people.
About half the pews were free, being provided for the poor of the parish, but the rest were chargeable. One pew was set aside for the use of the wardens. The first Vicar was the Rev Charles Bury, who began his duties as parish priest on 16th January 1834. He soon acquired a vicarage, which was given again by Mr Jonathan Dunn.
This vicarage, which stood at the bottom of the church walk, was used until the Rev. Cannon Moss had a new one built in the 1950's.
This, then, was the origin of St Luke’s Church, a building set aside to:
"Promote the worship of Almighty God according to the Liturgy of the United Church of England and Ireland."
St Luke’s Longest Serving Vicar
The Rev John Brack holds this honour, he took over in the early part of 1871, when St Luke's was at a low ebb.
Rev. Brack worked hard to earn the respect of his parishioners. In his annual report for 1874, the Rev. Brack remarked that the harmony between himself and his parishioners was "a matter of great gratification to him."
Besides bringing people back to St Luke's, the Rev. Brack also presided over several constructional changes in the Parish. In 1873, a church day school was built on land purchased from Mr Jonathan Dunn in 1837. In 1874, the Rev. Brack reported that the new school was making good progress. In 1882, the Church was restored at a cost of £1000. The Vestries were also added during the Rev. Brack’s time at St Luke's.
The Rev. Brack's time in St Luke’s also offered a sign of what was to come in the future. In 1871, the population of the parish was about 1700; by 1902, the population numbered about 7000. The Rev. Brack frequently stressed the need for a second church in the parish, but none was forthcoming. The Rev. Brack had to deal single handedly with an expanding Parish, although, for a time, he was helped by his youngest son, the Rev. Frank Brack.
The Rev. Brack’s work in the Parish earned him the affection of his congregation. In 1882, he received a bible from the Churchwardens and Sunday school teachers, "as a small token of their esteem."
In 1890, the rev. Brack and his wife celebrated their silver wedding. The congregation of St Luke’s presented the couple with a silver tea and coffee service inscribed thus:
"Presented by the Congregation of St Luke’s Church, Skerton, and friends, in token of their regard to the Rev. J. and Mrs Brack, and as a memento of their Silver Wedding, August 17th 1890."
The Rev. Brack died whilst at St Luke’s, on August 24th 1902. he was 65 years old. He was buried in the church yard. It is a mark of his popularity that almost a thousand parishioners paid their last respects to him at his funeral.
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