Retford St Saviour

List of Incumbents

Vicars of Clarborough and St Saviour’s

Dates Name Notes
1829-1843 Joshua Brooks Already vicar at Clarborough when St Saviour's was opened
1844-1859 Charles Vere Hodge Took extended visit to New Zealand 1857 but was drowned in shipwreck off Anglesey October 1859 on his return journey
1860-1876 James William King Disney Retired 1876. Died 1877
1877-1913 Lawrence Davis Roworth Died October 1927, aged 82
1914-1927 Edwin Arthur Paxton Moved to Gamston
1928-1930 Frederick Charles Eddy  
1931-1933 Edward Hester  

At the end of 1933 Edward Hester took up residence in the Clarborough Vicarage in preparation for the separation of the two parishes. He remained as Vicar of Clarborough after St Saviour’s became an independent parish.

St Saviour's became an independent parish on 10th February 1934. Previous incumbents had been licensed to Clarborough parish to which St Saviour’s was a Chapel of Ease.

Vicars of St Saviour’s

Dates Name Notes
1934-1943 Laurence Ashcroft Served as war chaplain 1940-41 but still retained his title as Vicar of St Saviour's. Invalided out December 1941 and resumed duties as Vicar of St Saviour's 1 January 1942. Resigned March 1943 to take up another appointment.
1943-1967 Thomas  Sydney Womack Resigned due to ill health
1967-1973 John Moore Moved to Buntingford
1973-1987 David John Tompkins Moved to Kidsgrove
1988-2018 Anthony Charles St John Walker  
2018- Benjamin Clayton  

From late 1940 the Rev Cyril Childerstone, a curate at one of the Worksop parishes, was loaned to St Saviour's, living in the parish. This arrangement was terminated on 31 December 1941 when Mr Ashcroft was discharged from the army.

On 1st January 2002 a Team Ministry was formed, combining the existing parishes of Retford St Saviour, East Retford St Swithun and West Retford St Michael the Archangel into a single parish known as the parish of Retford. The Rev Tony Walker was installed as Team Rector, with a clergy colleague as Team Vicar.