Oxford educated Thomas Chambers, a native of Worcestershire, first came to Halewood Chapel (which was then within the parish of Childwall) as Curate in 1853-1854, he returned in 1864 as Perpetual Curate from Childwall Church and later became Rector. He was so popular at that Church that many of the prosperous Childwall parishioners followed him to Halewood and the chapel was often full to overflowing, as it was common then for whole families along with their servants to attend divine service regularly. Thomas Chambers also introduced more singing into his services, which further increased their popularity. Halewood Chapel of Ease as it was then, and St Nicholas Church as it is now, has a lot to thank him for.
During Reverend Chambers incumbency the Chapel was greatly improved, one lady alone was to pay £2,300 for the bell tower, a peal of eight bells and the church clock. Most of the stained glass windows were installed in his era, particularly those three behind the altar depicting, in the centre, St Nicholas of Myra with two angels, one each side. The background of roses in these three windows, from designs by Sir E Burne-Jones, recall Mr Chamber’s love of roses and these particular windows are dedicated to his memory. Six years after the death of Reverend Chambers in 1894 the transept roof and the nine windows there, were raised.
Halewood Chapel in the Parish of Childwall in 1839 when the Church was first built
(Right) One of the William Morris windows dedicated to Thomas Chambers
“The problem was how best to expend the money which had been collected for a memorial to the Rev. Thomas Chambers. The nine lights in the apse had always been a distinguishing feature of the building. To retain these, but to fix them higher by raising the roof and to place three new memorial lights in the centre seemed the natural course to adopt.”
The Education act of 1870 required an elementary school to be available for all children. The Tarbock parents wished a school to be erected in their district, but Mr Chambers persuaded them to agree that, if a good school were provided at Halewood, they would send their children to it. As a result of this agreement, the boys’ school was built in 1874.
For ten years Thomas Chambers represented Halewood on the Prescot Board of Guardians and walked to Whiston workhouse every fortnight to attend the meetings. He found that the Protestant inmates were in the habit of worshipping in the dining hall while the Roman Catholics went to Portico for the service. This seemed such a scandal to Reverend Chambers that he petitioned for the building of a chapel to be jointly used by Protestants and Catholics. The chapel was built and remained in situ, at what is now Whiston Hospital, until 2006 when it was knocked down to make way for the new hospital. It is hoped that following some fundraising the chapel will be rebuilt at Knowsley Cemetery.
Reverend Chambers remained at Halewood for 24 years until his sudden death at the age of 59 in 1888. In his will he left in excess of eight hundred pounds for the payment of church expenses and in particular for planting and keeping the churchyard in the same order and condition as it was then kept.
The inscription on his monument reads:
‘Sacred to the memory of Thomas Chambers MA
Twenty four years Incumbent of this parish
Died 1st September 1888
Father in Thy gracious keeping
Leave me now Thy servant Sleeping’
Pam Beesley
[My acknowledgement to Kathy Donaldson for her extensive research on Thomas Chambers]
