top of page

 
Slemsman Index: M

B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

Ronald William Matthews

Gartness Hotel 1919-1921

St Anselm Hall 1921-1922

Ronald William Matthews was born in June 1895 in Gerrards’ Cross, Buckinghamshire, the eldest son of Arthur and Kate Matthews (nee Griffiths.)  Ronald had one younger brother, Stewart, born in 1898, and spent his childhood in Gerrards’ Cross where his father was a tailor and postmaster.  During the 1st World War, Ronald served with the 1st London Sanitary Company. A part of the Territorial force, the 1st London Sanitary Company was one of only two experimental Sanitary Companies. They served under the RAMC to enforce sanitation in the British Army.

After the end of the War Ronald entered the University of Manchester and was a student of Gartness Hall, before moving to St Anselm as a part of the 1921 merger. He appears on the 1922 electoral for St Anselm Hall, and graduated the same years with a B.A. After graduation Ronald went to St Stephens House, Oxford, where he trained for ordination. Ronald was made deacon in 1923 and his first appointment was to St. Fridewide’s, Poplar, where he was curate to Father Aglionby (incidentally the parishes mission house has more recently been used in as Nonnatus house in early series of Call the Midwife.)

In 1927, Ronald married Dorothy Haddon in her home parish of Amersham. They had one daughter together.


In 1928, Ronald was appointed senior curate of Hampstead Parish Church, foiling a burglary at the vicarage whilst the vicar was on holiday in 1932.  The Hampstead news described how ‘… On entry the rooms were found in great disorder, a suit case packed with silver was in the hall and a bottle of wine partially emptied in the dining room…’ From Hampstead, Ronald has positions at various parishes around London, including Winchmore Hill (Holy Trinity), Willesden and Finchley.  Ronald was rector of North Finchley until at least 1964. He died in a nursing home in Hindhead, Surrey, in June 1980.

Ronald Matthews

Harold Victor Moore

c.1919-c.1922

Born in Leicester, Leicestershire, in 1896, Harold was the eldest of the four surviving children of Thomas William Moore and Annie Elizabeth Hunt. His father was a gas worker who later worked as a gas stove fitter for the local corporation. Harold grew up with his parents and siblings in Leicester, although little else is known about his childhood.

During the First World Harold served as a driver in the R.A.S.C and afterwards entered the Knutsford Scheme, from which he proceeded to the University of Manchester and, presumably, St Anselm Hall, where he appears on the electoral roll for 1922.  After completing his B.A., Harold underwent theological training at St. Stephen’s House, Oxford, before being ordained.

In 1924, Harold was appointed to the curacy of St. Paul’s, Preston, and from 1926 to 1931 was curate of St. Peter with St. Paul in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. It was during this period, in 1927, that he married his wife Monica Golding. They would go on to have a son and two daughters.In 1931, Harold was given a new appointed to Buckminster with Sewstern, a parish composed of two villages in the north-east of Leicestershire.  He remained there until 1937, when he was given the living of Saxelbye-with-Grimstone, also in Leicestershire.

In 1941, Harold was appointed to the Benefice of Billesdon-com-Goadby and Rolleston. During his time there, he represented Billesdon on the Billesdon Rural Council and in 1945 he was made Rural Dean.  Harold’s final appointment was to Burnham Market, Norfolk, a post he held from 1946 until his retirement in 1966. On retirement, he lived in Holt, Norfolk, until his sudden death in August 1970.  In remembering Harold the local paper noted that he was as ‘a great lover of church music and a fine organist.’

Harold Moore
bottom of page