St John's History Timeline
Below is a timeline for the history of the church and school. It is abstracted from the Centenary Commemorative Brochure published in 1998.
14th September 1878 a meeting was held at Hindley Vicarage to discuss the possibility of building a new school
23rd October 1878 a further meeting decided to go ahead with a design similar to Castle Hill School
23rd August 1879 School Foundation Stone was laid
11th November 1879 School was licensed for divine service
20th November 1879 School opened
1880s Mothers Meetings were held
1889 Idea of building a Church at Hindley Green began to take shape
March 1894 Roger Leigh promised a site for the Church and a Committee was formed
April 1898 plans for permanent church approved
11th June 1898 Church Foundation Stone was laid
November 1898 Reverend Miller was appointed Vicar of Billinge
28th April 1899 Reverend W. Martin came into residence as Curate in Charge
28th October 1899 new Church was consecrated
summer of 1900 the idea of a separate Parish took root
2nd July 1900 Committee was formed to raise money for the new parish
17th February 1903 the new Parish of St. John the Evangelist, Hindley Green was born
end of 1904 Mr JE Rayner gives the mineral rights to the land to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners
20th March 1908 Benediction Service for the new vicarage
November 1909 “Great Bazaar” held over 3 days raising money for an organ, a permanent pulpit, choir stalls and chancel furnishings
January 1910 new organ was dedicated and opened
1912 the first stained glass window was installed in the South Aisle
1920 Girls' Guild formed and became a thriving and well attended organisation
6th April 1920 first PCC meeting
12th September 1920 The Great War Memorial window and tablet unveiled and dedicated
1928 “Pearl the Fishermaid” operetta performed
1920s to 1950s Church of England Men’s Society
1920s Young Person’s Fellowship formed
27th March 1935 a design for a reredos and altar was submitted
27th October 1937 dedication of reredos and altar
3rd November 1937 Lady Chapel window dedicated
28th October 1939 dedication of Wardens Stalls
Christmas 1940 War Memorial restoration contractor’s premises bombed
1940 Boys’ Brigade And Life Boy organisations formed
27th October 1943 Lady Chapel dedicated
1944 Junior Girls' Guild Stained Glass Window on the South Aisle installed
23rd December 1945 Junior Girls Guild Stained Glass Window on the South Aisle dedicated
Summer of 1948 Sidesmen’s’ Benches, Baptistry Furniture and Back Seat completed
28th October 1948 new furniture dedicated including Baptistry seating, Sidesmen’s Benches and Centre Aisle pews
1949 Choir made a gramophone record to celebrate our Golden Jubilee
Late 1950s Side Aisle pews added
August 1958 Guide and Brownie packs formed
1958 Young Mothers' Guild was formed
1961 Young Mothers' Guild renamed the Young Wives' Guild
1965 derelict former school kitchen in Thomas Street acquired for Boys’ Brigade
1966 May Queen Festival organised
1967 May Queen Festival became Rose Queen Festival
1960s Young Person’s Fellowship closed
Early 1970s the West Window curtains caught fire
1973 current Boys’ Brigade premises acquired
11 March 1974 Men’s Fellowship began
1979 the cleaning of the church was formally adopted as a Lenten Project for the Parish
Early 1980s second Guide and Brownie packs formed
January 1983 Ladies Fellowship born
1987 installation of an Aumbry in the Lady Chapel
April 3rd, 1988 opening of the new Parish Hall
December 1988 Madonna and Child introduced into the Lady Chapel
1989 Friendship Club formed
Early 1990s Induction Loop System installed in the Church and Parish Hall
1996 West Window depicting the True Light installed
1996 Women’s Guild closed
1997 Refurbishment of the Parish Hall
1998 / 1999 Centenary Celebrations
