Anglican church. Rev John Ellison was instrumental in establishing the Church. On 12th July 1865, the corner stone was laid. On 13th July 1865, Mrs H. A. Norris laid the foundation stone for the Church.
The Church opened in April 1866 as a chapel of ease for Christ Church, Sowerby Bridge.
The Church cost £900 to build.
The organ was built by W. Hawkins of Walsall. Details can be found in the National Pipe Organ Register.
On the night of Saturday, 17th February 1866, three weeks before the opening, vandals attempted to break into the Church and caused considerable damage to the main doors. A reward of £5 was offered for the apprehension of the culprits.
The infant son of Rev J. Ellison was the first person to be buried in the graveyard.
It became Norland Parish Church in 1877, when Rev Charles Livermore became the first Vicar.
The Vicarage stood in Sowerby Croft Lane.
Rev William Christopher Bell was said to have been heart-broken when the independent parish of Norland was discontinued and St Luke's Church amalgamated with Christ Church, Sowerby Bridge. He died shortly afterwards The 2 parishes amalgamated in 1923.
In Spring 2006, St Luke's reverted to being an independent ecclesiastical parish.
The records for the Church are held at the West Yorkshire Archive Service office in Wakefield (Collection WDP93): Baptisms [1866-1995], Marriages [1880-1996] and Burials [1866-1987].
Whitaker, Jabez
[1847-1917] Son of William Whitaker.
Born in Norland.
He was a worsted spinner [1861]; a cloth fuller [1871, 1881, 1891]; a cloth fuller (woollen) [1901]; sub-postmaster of Norland Post Office at Thorney Bank, Norland [1903 until 1911].
He was active in the public life of Norland: Overseer of the Poor for Norland [1896]; a member of Norland parish Council [1896-1901]; clerk to Norland Parish Council [1896]; Guardian of the Poor for Norland [1904, 1907].
Around 1904, he supervised the restoration of Norland Stocks.
He was also very active at St Luke's Church: long-standing organist [1896] and churchwarden [until 1899].
In 1901, he summoned John Eastwood of Canal Road, Sowerby Bridge, for assault, in a disagreement about burials fees at St Luke's Church.
In [Q2] 1873, he married Eliza Crowther [1850-1926] in Halifax.
Children: (1) Willie; (2) Hervey; (3) Henry Vernon [b 1880] who was a hair dresser [1901]; (4) Arthur W [b 1884] who was a stuff warehouseman [1901]; (5) Sarah Emma [b 1891] who was a confectioner, baker &c [1911] and married John Grayshan; (6) Roland [1895-1896] who died aged 9 months.
The family lived at 2 Berry Moor, Norland [1881]; 1 Thorney Bank, Norland [1891]; Thorney Bank, Norland [1901, 1911].
Living with them in 1891 was Jabez's widowed father William Whitaker
He died at Thorney Bank [17th May 1917] (aged 70).
Probate records show that he left an estate valued at £983. Probate was granted to sons Willie and Hervey.
Members of the family were buried at St Luke's Church, Norland
“If anybody would like to expand this series please do, I would just ask that you could let Sadexploration know first at churchmicro@gmail.coam so he can keep track of the Church numbers and names to avoid duplication.
There is also a Church Micro Stats & Information page found via the Bookmark list”