Canon J A Pyke

 (Second Rector - At "The Martyrs" 1868 - 1902)
 

(From 1921 Consecration Souvenir)


The advent of the late Canon Pyke to the parish began the happy association of a well-known Lancashire family with the English Martyrs, which has continued to this day, greatly to the benefit of the church and everything appertaining to it. The history of the parish is almost the biography of Canon Pyke. He was ordained at the English Martyrs, and it was his first and only mission. His generosity and hospitality were outstanding characteristics, and there were incidents in his career which illustrated his great love for his people. During the year 1888, a virulent type of small-pox broke out in Preston. So severe was the epidemic that 300 cases were reported within a week. The rapid infection created a panic amongst the inhabitants, who shunned everyone who was suspected of carrying the disease. The Dean took over the special work of attending to all cases of small-pox in his parish, leaving his fellow priests to look after the other clerical duties. Day by day, week by week, during the close, sweltering heat of that hot summer, he gave himself up wholly and solely to this noble work. As the heat subsided and the cold weather set in, the epidemic gradually wore itself out, and by October it had practically ceased to exist. The prolonged strain of this incessant and most harassing work by day and night at the Workhouse and the Ducker Hospital, told severely upon the Dean's constitution, and his Bishop ordered him away. . But the change came too late to prevent his yielding to a severe illness which utterly prostrated him for some eight weeks, and it was quite two years before he regained his strength.

The following is extracted from “Our Churches and Chapels”, by “Atticus” (A.  Hewitson), published in 1869.  The original transcription was by Peter Moulding and is available via www.gutenberg.net.

...the Rev.  J.  Pyke -is a small, mild gentleman, unassuming in manner, cautious, careful, quiet, precise, and, whilst attending to his duties regularly, he makes no bluster about them.  He was ordained at the Church of the English Martyrs, in September, 1868.  In the pulpit he is earnest, clear, and regular in his remarks.  He makes no repetitions, flings himself into no attitudes, assumes no airs, but proceeds on to the end steadily and calmly. 

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