Tiverton Preedy
Encyclopedia
Tiverton Preedy was an English clergyman who worked in Yorkshire
and London from 1887 until his death, where he was noted for his work with the poor. He was particularly interested in the use of sport within ministry, and founded a church football team in the town of Barnsley
which became the modern Barnsley F.C.
In 1883 he moved to London
to become curate of a church in Islington
, and later opened a nearby mission. He opened a boxing club at the mission and organised dances for local flower sellers. In recognition of his work, he was appointed a prebendary
of St. Pauls Cathedral in 1926. He died two years later and is buried in Islington Cemetery. In the 1990s, supporters of Barnsley F.C. located and restored his grave.
in the county of Norfolk
in 1863, the second son of a local estate agent. He attended Bloxham School
near Sleaford
, Lincolnshire
before entering Lincoln Theological College
in 1885, where he trained to become a minister in the Church of England
. In 1887 he was ordained as a deacon, and in the same year was appointed to the position of Assistant Stipendiary Curate at St Peter's church in the centre of Barnsley
. The church had originally been set up as a mission to tend to the people of the poverty-stricken area, but was licensed as a parish in its own right in 1887. Preedy was engaged to assist the vicar, John Lloyd Brereton.
During his time at Theological College, Preedy had become keen on the concept of using sport to engender moral values, an idea much in vogue at the time and known as muscular Christianity
. To this end, he decided to join a local sporting club, through which he hoped to come into closer contact with the local people. He initially joined a rugby football
club, but resigned in protest at the team's decision to play a match on Good Friday
.
, Preedy demanded high standards of behaviour from his players, and once refused to allow St Peter's to play a match against local rivals Ardsley Old due to the conduct of the latter's supporters.
Preedy was also responsible for securing the use of the land on which the Oakwell stadium still stands. After being refused permission to hire a field belonging to the owners of the Barnsley Brewery, Preedy's appeal to the wife of one of the owners ultimately led to the club being granted permission to play at Oakwell. In 1891 Preedy was instrumental in the formation of the Barnsley Charity Football Association and the creation of the Barnsley Charity Cup. St. Peter's reached the inaugural final but were surprisingly defeated by underdogs Ecclesfield.
to become curate of St. Clement's Church in Islington
. Such was the regard in which the clergyman was held in the town that a civic reception was held to mark his departure, and tributes were printed in the Barnsley Chronicle. The St. Peter's players presented him with a walking stick, a pipe and a tobacco pouch. Four years after his departure, the club severed its links to the church and became known simply as Barnsley F.C.
Preedy spent four years at St. Clement's before being appointed to run a nearby mission in what was then an extremely deprived area of the city. At the time of his appointment the mission operated out of converted cowsheds and the house with which Preedy was provided had no furniture. Preedy once again endeavoured to use sport as part of his ministry and opened a boxing club at the mission. Future world champion Terry Allen
boxed at the club as a youngster, and among the wrestlers who trained there was future British champion and Olympic Games
competitor George MacKenzie
. Preedy also organised dances for the girls who sold flowers on local streets.
Preedy remained in contact with the football club he had founded in Barnsley and was a guest of honour at the 1912 FA Cup Final
, in which Barnsley defeated West Bromwich Albion
to lift the trophy. The victorious team presented him with the match ball, which he displayed in his study until his death.
In 1926 Preedy was appointed a prebendary
at St. Pauls Cathedral, in recognition of his work in Islington. At around the same time he began to suffer from heart problems, and died in his sleep in April 1928. His funeral was attended by several thousand mourners, and he was buried at Islington Cemetery in Finchley
. His obituary in the Islington Gazette described him as "a generous friend to the poor" and the Bishop of Stepney in his eulogy called him "a wonderful parish priest and a splendid friend", and made particular reference to his use of sport in his ministry.
In 1997 representatives of the club he founded located his grave in London and laid wreaths in the club's colours. Full restoration of the grave was later carried out by the Barnsley F.C. Supporters' Trust.
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
and London from 1887 until his death, where he was noted for his work with the poor. He was particularly interested in the use of sport within ministry, and founded a church football team in the town of Barnsley
Barnsley
Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and...
which became the modern Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
In 1883 he moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to become curate of a church in Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
, and later opened a nearby mission. He opened a boxing club at the mission and organised dances for local flower sellers. In recognition of his work, he was appointed a prebendary
Prebendary
A prebendary is a post connected to an Anglican or Catholic cathedral or collegiate church and is a type of canon. Prebendaries have a role in the administration of the cathedral...
of St. Pauls Cathedral in 1926. He died two years later and is buried in Islington Cemetery. In the 1990s, supporters of Barnsley F.C. located and restored his grave.
Early life
Preedy was born in HunstantonHunstanton
Hunstanton, often pronounced by locals as and known colloquially as 'Sunny Hunny', is a seaside town in Norfolk, England, facing The Wash....
in the county of Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
in 1863, the second son of a local estate agent. He attended Bloxham School
Bloxham School
Bloxham School is an independent co-educational day and boarding school located in the village of Bloxham, three miles from the town of Banbury in Oxfordshire, England. It was founded in 1860 by the Reverend Philip Reginald Egerton and has since become a member of the Woodard Corporation...
near Sleaford
Sleaford
Sleaford is a town in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It is located thirteen miles northeast of Grantham, seventeen miles west of Boston, and nineteen miles south of Lincoln, and had a total resident population of around 14,500 in 6,167 households at the time...
, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
before entering Lincoln Theological College
Lincoln Theological College
Lincoln Theological College was a theological college in Lincoln, United Kingdom.-History:It opened on 25 January 1874. It was also known as Scholae Cancellarii. The building on Drury Lane closed in 1995, after having its permit for ordination training withdrawn by the Church of England due to low...
in 1885, where he trained to become a minister in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
. In 1887 he was ordained as a deacon, and in the same year was appointed to the position of Assistant Stipendiary Curate at St Peter's church in the centre of Barnsley
Barnsley
Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and...
. The church had originally been set up as a mission to tend to the people of the poverty-stricken area, but was licensed as a parish in its own right in 1887. Preedy was engaged to assist the vicar, John Lloyd Brereton.
During his time at Theological College, Preedy had become keen on the concept of using sport to engender moral values, an idea much in vogue at the time and known as muscular Christianity
Muscular Christianity
Muscular Christianity is a term for a movement originating during the Victorian era which stressed the need for energetic Christian activism in combination with an ideal of vigorous masculinity...
. To this end, he decided to join a local sporting club, through which he hoped to come into closer contact with the local people. He initially joined a rugby football
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
club, but resigned in protest at the team's decision to play a match on Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
.
Formation of Barnsley Football Club
Shortly after his split from the rugby club, Preedy encountered by chance a group of young men discussing the idea of forming an association football club. Preedy was taken with the idea, not least because football was seen in the area as the "poor man's sport" and his involvement would therefore bring him into greater contact with the poor people he wished to help through his ministry. To this end he formed a football club in September 1887. Preedy acted as principal fundraiser and organiser of the club, dubbed Barnsley St Peter's F.C., and even played in its first match. A keen supporter of the Temperance movementTemperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
, Preedy demanded high standards of behaviour from his players, and once refused to allow St Peter's to play a match against local rivals Ardsley Old due to the conduct of the latter's supporters.
Preedy was also responsible for securing the use of the land on which the Oakwell stadium still stands. After being refused permission to hire a field belonging to the owners of the Barnsley Brewery, Preedy's appeal to the wife of one of the owners ultimately led to the club being granted permission to play at Oakwell. In 1891 Preedy was instrumental in the formation of the Barnsley Charity Football Association and the creation of the Barnsley Charity Cup. St. Peter's reached the inaugural final but were surprisingly defeated by underdogs Ecclesfield.
Departure from Barnsley
In 1893 Preedy moved to LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to become curate of St. Clement's Church in Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
. Such was the regard in which the clergyman was held in the town that a civic reception was held to mark his departure, and tributes were printed in the Barnsley Chronicle. The St. Peter's players presented him with a walking stick, a pipe and a tobacco pouch. Four years after his departure, the club severed its links to the church and became known simply as Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
Preedy spent four years at St. Clement's before being appointed to run a nearby mission in what was then an extremely deprived area of the city. At the time of his appointment the mission operated out of converted cowsheds and the house with which Preedy was provided had no furniture. Preedy once again endeavoured to use sport as part of his ministry and opened a boxing club at the mission. Future world champion Terry Allen
Terry Allen (boxer)
Terry Allen was an English flyweight boxer. During his career, he became British, Commonwealth, European and World flyweight champion.- Family :...
boxed at the club as a youngster, and among the wrestlers who trained there was future British champion and Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
competitor George MacKenzie
George Mackenzie (wrestler)
George MacKenzie was a wrestler from Islington.Mackenzie became British lightweight champion in 1909, winning the title again in 1912, 1922, 1924, 1932, and 1941. Additionally, he held the featherweight title in 1921 and 1922. He lost the title to W Schneeberger in 1923, but regained the title in...
. Preedy also organised dances for the girls who sold flowers on local streets.
Preedy remained in contact with the football club he had founded in Barnsley and was a guest of honour at the 1912 FA Cup Final
1912 FA Cup Final
The 1912 FA Cup Final was the 41st FA Cup final. It was contested by Barnsley and West Bromwich Albion. It took two matches to determine a winner...
, in which Barnsley defeated West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
to lift the trophy. The victorious team presented him with the match ball, which he displayed in his study until his death.
Later years
Prebendary
A prebendary is a post connected to an Anglican or Catholic cathedral or collegiate church and is a type of canon. Prebendaries have a role in the administration of the cathedral...
at St. Pauls Cathedral, in recognition of his work in Islington. At around the same time he began to suffer from heart problems, and died in his sleep in April 1928. His funeral was attended by several thousand mourners, and he was buried at Islington Cemetery in Finchley
Finchley
Finchley is a district in Barnet in north London, England. Finchley is on high ground, about north of Charing Cross. It formed an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, becoming a municipal borough in 1933, and has formed part of Greater London since 1965...
. His obituary in the Islington Gazette described him as "a generous friend to the poor" and the Bishop of Stepney in his eulogy called him "a wonderful parish priest and a splendid friend", and made particular reference to his use of sport in his ministry.
In 1997 representatives of the club he founded located his grave in London and laid wreaths in the club's colours. Full restoration of the grave was later carried out by the Barnsley F.C. Supporters' Trust.