Fond farewell, vicar

Photo: Helen Taylor

FAREWELL . . . from left, wardens Stuart Phipps and Wendy McCauley, Rev. Sydney Clayton and Rt Rev Mark Davies, Bishop of Middleton.

A poignant scrap book of children’s observations on a well-loved local vicar was presented to him on his retirement.

The Rev Sydney Clayton has been vicar of Denshaw for 33 years and served as chair of governors at Christ Church C of E primary school, the borough’s smallest school, and as a governor at Counthill School, Oldham.

Mr Clayton, who went to Manchester Grammar School, completed his formal education by winning a scholarship to Oxford, taking degrees in classics and divinity.

He could have taken up a post at one of the leading universities — he was an external examiner to Oxford and London — but chose instead to spend the whole of his career in the Diocese of Manchester.

At one point during his ministry at Denshaw he was offered high office in the church, but preferred to remain as a village parson.

As part of a weekend of celebration, parents, staff and governors joined in a special school assembly in church to present him with an inscribed fountain pen and bottle of vintage port.

One Year 2 pupil read a prayer she had written and all the children contributed to a scrap book of their thoughts about the vicar.

A school spokesman said: “We know the vicar will treasure their memories. He has been much-loved by everyone in the parish.”

At a packed service in the village church on the Sunday evening, the Rt Rev Mark Davies, Bishop of Middleton, highlighted Mr Clayton’s dedication to providing a high level of pastoral care and inspiration as “a true man of prayer”.

The Rev Clayton has had a large input into the education of generations of young people in the area.

The Bishop led choral evensong with musical items by the choir of St Peter’s, Bolton, where Mr Clayton had served as lecturer before being appointed incumbent at Denshaw in 1976.

Hymns were accompanied by Denshaw Brass, directed by Dr Nicholas Childs, principal conductor of Black Dyke Band, who lives in the village, and had specially arranged their music for this service.

Much to the vicar’s delight, the group concluded with an arrangement of Charpentier’s “Te Deum Prelude”, one of his best loved pieces of music.

Organist Janet Laycock read “Heraclitus” by William Cory which, the congregation was informed, was recited in Greek by Mr Clayton at the Oxford interview which gained him a scholarship to study “Greats” at Pembroke College.

The service was preceded by a buffet meal and social in Denshaw Village Hall for his friends and godchildren, where he was presented with a leather reclining chair to mark his retirement.

Councillor Alan Roughley, who attended the service, said: “His love of history and stubbornness in keeping to the older forms of Anglican service, quite against the modern fashion, deserves the gratitude of all who appreciate the grandeur of the English language at its best.”

Oldham East and Saddleworth MP, Phil Woolas, added: “Sydney is the embodiment of a good Christian — a kind, thoughtful and a deeply intelligent man.”