Emmanuel Church, Southport

Before his death in 1876, Rev. Charles Hesketh, Rector of North Meols, Lord of the Manor and owner of the Hesketh Estate, earmarked the site and chose the name Emmanuel for a church. His widow laid the foundation stone on 19th October 1895. Designed by R. Bassnett Preston (Manchester) to seat 1200, and built by Fairbridge & Hatch (Southport), Emmanuel was consecrated by Dr. Ryle, Bishop of Liverpool, on 16th April 1898. In 1900, Dr. Strickland of Roe Lane paid for the building of a tower with eight bells (the original service bell was situated in a small wooden spire), in memory of his father-in-law, Hinchliffe Hinchliffe. On 19th October 1901, the tower and bells (cast and hung by Taylors of Loughborough) were dedicated by Dr. Chavasse, Bishop of Liverpool. The bells were rehung in 1979. After the First World War, the south transept was converted into a Memorial Chapel, designed by W. E. Vernon Crompton. It is unfinished: the Vicar (Rev. F. W. Dwelly) insisted that Emmanuel folk should not attempt to complete a chapel they could ill-afford in the hard times of the 1920s.
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