All Churches have many beginnings. In effect, St Barnabas’ Church started in 1870. On 1 May of that year, the Revd John Gouldie French was ordained by James Fraser, Bishop of Manchester, to become a curate at St James’ Church in Oldham. St James’ Vicar at the time was the Revd Septimus Gooday. He felt aggrieved that for six months he single-handedly had a long spell of cemetery duty in addition to his ordinary parochial responsibilities. In consequence, he applied for a curate to assist his work. Gouldie French was selected and moved to Oldham the very day after his ordination.
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After conferring with the Vicar and Church officers, Gouldie French was authorised to rent a room in Back Marsh Street just off Lees Road. This location was demolished some years after the War, but was then near the present-day Lees Road. He started a simple service each Wednesday evening, assisted by volunteers from St James’ School. History records the first helpers as Miss Swailes (who soon became Mrs Gouldie French); Miss A Scholes; Miss Berry; Miss Beilby; and Messers D Simmonite, Josiah Greenhalgh, Walker Whittaker and Joseph Holt.
It was soon evident that scope existed for a Sunday School. The Vicar sanctioned its opening and appointed Joseph Holt as its first superintendent.
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Gouldie French left St James’ Church in 1873 but later returned to become the Vicar of nearby Holy Trinity Church in Waterhead, for which he was Vicar for 48½ years.
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