History
The history of St. Luke's begins out at the Redmires Reservoir (locally called The Dams). Just before the metalled road which continues Redmires Road and passes the Redmires Reservoir ends, two drives lead out of sight through woodland on the right, one leading to Stanedge Lodge away over the hill, and the other to Fairthorn Lodge. The latter was built in 1893 by a Mr. Daniel Doncaster. To the already existing house at the bottom of his drive, Fairthorn Green Farm, Mr. Doncaster added and furnished a Reading Room which he gave to the Parish. The Reading Room, of wooden construction, was fully used in those days by the families out there; concerts and plays were held as well as lectures, “at homes”, socials, movie shows, knitting parties and most importantly, religious denominations took turns to hold services there.
By 1912 many families had moved away from the area to lessen the danger of water contamination and possibly because of the severe winters sometimes experienced at Redmires. In 1919 the Redmires Reading Room was closed and then erected as a Mission Room in a field at Wyming Brook Farm, Soughley Lane, with access from Redmires Road. It was now called the Merryweather Memorial Mission in memory of Canon Merryweather, vicar of Christ Church, Fulwood, who died in 1916. At Wyming Brook the Memorial Mission had a most useful life for seventeen years.
However, by 1936 many new homes had been built at Lodge Moor and many of the cottages and farms had been vacated, again for reasons of possible water contamination. And so, in 1936 it was decided to move the Memorial Mission to the Blackbrook Road site. It was consecrated on 7th November 1936 by the Bishop of Sheffield as the Lodge Moor Mission. Very shortly afterwards the Mission hut became "St. Luke's Church" because of its closeness to the erstwhile Lodge Moor Hospital and in the context of our patron saint being “the beloved physician.”
St. Luke's first curate-in-charge was Rev. A. J. Ward who was appointed in June 1960.
For over sixty years the clergy and laity of Christ Church, Fulwood, organised and led the witness and preaching of the Good News in the “wooden hut”, as it was called by the older members of St. Luke's.
In June 1966 the sturdy little Mission hut which had been moved bodily from Fairthorn Green to Blackbrook Road was replaced by the new hexagonal church building of St. Luke's. The consecration plaque in the corridor speaks of the vision of Christ Church which brought the present St. Luke's Church building into being.
The church was a daughter church of Christ Church, Fulwood until 1 December 1987 when the new Parish of St. Luke's was created. In 1989 St. Luke's became a Local Ecumenical Partnership, representing the Anglican, Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed Churches in Lodge Moor.
During 1999 the Church Hall, kitchen and cloakrooms were completely refurbished and an additional meeting room and extra storage space were added enhancing the provision for users of the premises, and allowing several new activities to begin. In 2005 the Worship area was completely renewed and a Chapel and further meeting space developed. The foyer and main entrance were completely redesigned. The heating system was renewed and the roof replaced. St Luke’s is renewed and ready to reach out to the community for another 40 years!
