"The first mention of Goole in the Act Book of the Diocesan Registry at York," according to a letter written by the then Diocesan Registrar of York, Arthur Hudson, and dated 6th August, 1830, when "permission was granted to the Rev’d Edwin Martin, Clerk M.A., to perform Divine Service in a place properly fitted up for that purpose, situate at Goole, in the Parish of Snaith, belonging to the Aire and Calder Navigation Company, until a Church be built and consecrated there".
"The next entry is dated April 28th, 1838, when David Wheeler, Clerk B.A., was licensed to perform the office of Stipendiary Curate in the Chapel at Goole, in the Parish of Snaith, with a yearly stipend of £54 12s (provided by the Aire and Calder Navigation), plus Pew rents, on the nomination of the Trustees of the said Chapel, by, and with the consent of, the Vicar of the said Parish."
The publication Lawton's Yorkshire, published in 1840, reported that "there are two Chapels, one in Old Goole, and the other in New Goole, the latter is not yet consecrated." Goole seems to have been served from Hook, though it stated elsewhere that Goole was in the Parish of Snaith.
In 1843 Goole was formed into a new district and the foundation stone of
the present Parish Church was laid by Thomas Henry Sutton Sotheron, MP
for Devizes, on June 28th, about
17 years after the declaration of Goole as a port. The church
was designed by Messrs. Hurst and Moffatt,
Architects, of Leeds and Doncaster, and the work was carried out by
Messrs. J. and J. Sykes, of Leeds. The stone for the building of the
Parish Church was obtained from the Bottomboat Quarry, Stanley, near
Wakefield, then in the possession of the Aire and Calder Navigation.
The Church, dedicated to St. John the Evangelist, was built by public
subscription and Mr. Sotheron, who laid the foundation stone, subscribed
£500 towards it, and surrendered his right as 'Patron of the Chapelry’
in which the old township of Goole was situated, in order that it might
be made an independent Parish. He also gave the one bell it had at a
cost of £100.
The site was given by the Aire and Calder Navigation Co., who subscribed
£4,854 towards the Building and Endowment Fund. They also supplied
stone to the value of £1,087, and other material to a great extent. The
total cost of the building was £9,160.
The Church is described as cruciform in the perpendicular style, with
Chancel, Nave and Transepts, with a lofty tower and spire, and also
clock. At its opening there were 1,000 sittings in the Church, of which
more than half were free. It would appear from the structure of the
walls that the Vestry was added at a later date, but there is no record
when this was done.
Previous to the formation of the Parish of Goole, the district was
partly in the Parish of Hook and partly in the Parish of Airmyn, both of
them Daughter Churches of Snaith. In 1830 there was a Chapel of Ease in
Goole, founded by the Aire and Calder Navigation, situated on the South
side of the Barge Dock, at the West corner of Quay Street. It was opened
on January 1st, 1831, and the Chaplains were appointed by the
Navigation.
The first Chaplain appointed to the Barge Dock Chapel was the Rev’d
Alderson, who worked from 1st January, 1831, to 29th
January, 1831. The Rev’d John Wilson was then appointed, and served from
1831 to 1837. Mr. Wilson made entries in the Hook Baptism Registers, and
signed himself as ‘Minister of Hook.’ He was followed by the Rev’d David
Wheeler, 1838 to 1840 and it was during his ministry that a full set of
Communion Plate, consisting of a large flagon, Chalice, a stand Paton
and flat Paton, was given, each piece bearing the inscription of
"Episcopal Chapel, Goole, Anno Domini, 1838."
The first entry of Baptism in the Parish Church of Goole is dated 29th
April 1848, “Ann Elizabeth, daughter of John and Hannah
Gravel, shipwright, of Old Goole,” and was certified by the Rev’d S,
Newbould, who was Chaplain to the Union at Rawcliffe. On 1st
March 1849, the new Chapelry district was assigned; until this time
entries are made as in the Parish of Snaith.
The first Burial recorded is on 11th March 1849, and the
first Marriage recorded on 15th April 1849: "William Baines,
a huckster, son of John Baines, to Mary Ann Hall daughter of John Hall,
and witnessed by Robert Forsyth, and Jane Forsyth. “ The marriage was
taken by Rev’d Wm. Shilleto. From 2nd June 1849, the entries
are made as the Parish of Goole.
The
Church Bells were originally installed in 1889 and were rung for the
first time on 4th January 1890. In 1929 they were taken down
for overhaul and re-tuning. The Westminster Chimes were added to the
church clock, which was set in motion by Sir John Eaglesome, KCMG, then
Managing Director of the Navigation, on 23rd January 1930,
when a special service was held in the Church for the re-dedication of
the bells.
The East Window, according to the Goole Times of 2nd February 1883, was “put into position this week”. It bears the inscription: “For the beautifying of God’s house, and for blessings received by John Drew Chantry, 1882. For I have loved the habitation of Thy house and the place where Thine honour dwelleth.”