Ryde Social Heritage Group research the social history of the citizens of Ryde, Isle of Wight. Documenting their lives, businesses and burial transcriptions.
RYDE SOCIAL HERITAGE GROUP
Based at Ryde Cemetery Heritage & Learning Centre. Preserving, documenting and promoting the social history of Ryde on the Isle of Wight.
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St Matthews Church, Ashey

St Matthews Mission Church, Ashey

This little Church, fronting onto the main road through Ashey, was the Mission Church in the Parish of All Saints’ Ryde.  The Vicar’s of Ryde regularly officiated at services there for the residents of the Ashey area.

In honour to those belonging to the parish who made the supreme sacrifice in the first world war, a memorial was erected in May 1921 inside, at the west end of the small Church at Ashey.  It consisted of a large oak cross made from timber on the Oglander Estate, placed on a stone basis.  A bronze plate bore the names of the fallen heroes.  The dedication service took place with the Vicar of Ryde (the Rev. Hugh le Fleming) officiating, assisted by the Vicar of Brading (the Rev. C, W, Hampden Weekes) and the Rev. D. E. Hunter.

When the building ceased to be a church, the memorial was removed to Ashey Cemetery.

First marriage listed:  23 Aug 1922
Ernest Charles Phillips. 23. Bachelor. Stoker RN. Ryde. (fthr: Robert Phillips – Farm Labourer)
& Alice Mabel Gallop. 27. Spinster. Dom Servant Ryde. (fthr: George Gallop – Labourer)
witnesses: Percy W. Langford & Gertrude Gallop.

Last marriage listed: 28 May 1946
Frank Lee. 29. Bach. Soldier. Skipton Yorkshire. (fthr: Arthur Lee – Caretaker)
& Muriel Elsie Jolliffe. 21. Spin. Poultry Farmer. Ashey. (fthr: Harry George Jolliffe – Grocer)
witnesses: H. G. Jolliffe & A. Lee.

In the London Gazette of 20 November 1956 the announcement below was made:

NOTICE is hereby given that the Lord Bishop of Portsmouth under his hand and seal and with the consent in writing of the Archbishop of the Province of Canterbury has revoked annulled and made void the Licence for the publication of banns and solemnization of marriages in the Mission Church of Saint Matthew Ashey in the Parish of All Saints, Ryde, in the Diocese of Portsmouth, as from the 5th day of November, 1956.
GUY P. BRUTTON, Diocesan Registrar, 132. (106) High Street, Portsmouth

A statement in the register (10 Years later) after the last marriage, says:-
In consequence of the revocation of the licence for marriages in the Mission Church of St. Matthew Ashey, this and the duplicate marriage register are disused at this point by direction of the Registrar General.  The duplicate register has been placed in the custody of the Superintendent Registrar of the Isle of Wight District.
Date stamped 11th Dec 1956 General Registrars Office, Somerset House, London.

 

Note:
The little Church of St Matthews, is now a private residential property.

Sources: IW Record Office, IW Observer
Images: RSHG Archive and Roy Brinton Collection
Article: Ann Barrett