Mexborough and Swinton Times April 23, 1937
The news reached members and friends of the St Hilda’s church, Thurnscoe East last weekend that the Rev Joseph Henry Edwards will be leaving South Yorkshire in a few months time.
He has been appointed rector of St Aidan’s in the Bradford district of Manchester, where he will be instituted probably in June.
The Rev Edwards was educated at his home town, Wrexham, North Wales, and was inducted in 1928 to St Aidan’s Church, Birkenhead, by the Archbishop of Wales. After serving there for two years he took on the parish of Carlin How, near Middlesbrough, and 10 months later came to Thurnscoe.
He came to St Hilda’s church with the express purpose of building a fine, faithful body of churchgoers, and of erecting a beautiful church, and there can be no doubt in the minds of any have been to St Hilda’s church that he had succeeded in his mission and consolidated church work in the parish.
In 1931, Thurnscoe East was served by a tin Mission Church in Lidgett Lane, but inspired by the Rev Edwards and his helpers, this end of Thurnscoe built between 1934 and 1935, a fine example of modern ecclesiastical architecture – the present St Hilda’s Church.
With live and stimulating doctrine from the pulpit, and energetic encouragement to outside activities, the Rev Edwards has multiplied the congregation, of whom an unusually large proportion are young people.
Interest in Youth
He continued the original dramatic society, which had become increasingly popular during recent years, and gave a notable performers in the recent Doncaster Drama Festival.
Always taking a keen interest in juvenile organisation the Rev Edwards has encouraged the St Hilda’s branches of the Church Lads Brigade and the Girl Guides. Both these organisations are now under good leadership and progressing well.
A more recent innovation which has added considerably to the cultural life of the Church is the orchestral Society under the leadership of Mrs Jackson.
Outside the church, Mr Edwards has always taken a keen interest in Allotment Associations, and has indeed supported every movement and scheme which has had as its guiding principle the brightening of Thurnscoe.
No account of the work of the Church since 1931 would be complete without some mention of Mrs Edwards, who has taken a great interest in Church work and particularly in the Mothers Union. She has been very happy and popular among the people, as also have a two young daughters, Margaret and Brenda.
The Rev Edwards new parish is, like Thurnscoe, in an industrial area. It has a population of 13,000, and, to use Mr Edwards own words, is “about 4 ½ miles from the nearest blade of grass.”
The Rev and Mrs Edwards will be sorry to leave Thurnscoe – a district in which they have taken such a close interest for the last six years.