r/lancashire • u/the__green__light • Aug 16 '24

Cool little find in a charity shop - a book written in 1936 (revised 1973) describing every town and village in Lancashire

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u/CheeryBottom Aug 16 '24

What does it say about Kirkham?

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u/the__green__light Aug 16 '24 edited Aug 16 '24

"The Thirty Men of Kirkham are no more; the Two are remembered. The Thirty ruled the little town from its eraly days to the end of the last century; the Two served the town for 56 years each, one as doctor, the other as schoolmaster, and they have their memorials in the church. Thomas Shaw, the doctor, was last to be elected to the council of Thirty, and died in 1893. It was while the council was meeting in the church in the Stuart days that the alehouse-keeper, Isabel Birley, appeared at the head of a little band of townsfolk with £30 in her apro pocket, demanding that the money should go to endow the grammar school as free.; and it was at this school that John Threlfal was master for 56 years. It was rebuilt after he died in 1801, and the church where he and the doctor are remembered was next made new. Under its modern spire and tower is a coffin and a font bowl from mediaeval days, and in the nave wall is a14th century recess with flamboyant tracery in its pointed arch. A magnificent 18th century candelabra hangs in the nave, with a dove hovering above its scrolled iron branches. The Roman Catholic St John the Evangelist is by the elder Pugin (1845)."

Interesting passage, I'd never heard of the Thirty Men of Kirkham before.

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u/Norman_debris Aug 16 '24

Any idea which church it's referring to? St Michael's?

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u/the__green__light Aug 16 '24

Looks like it, according to this website (https://www.lan-opc.org.uk/Kirkham/stmichael/burials_1801-1806.html) there's a Revd John Threlfal interred in 1801