St Mary's Rostherne and Holy Trinity Little Bollington

THE REVD ROBERT THEWSEY

Many of you, I am sure, will be asking who is Robert, what has he done

and where is he from. So I thought that this article for the magazine

would be a good place to start, but you will all get to know me very

quicky. However, please remember that there are lots of you that I need

to get to know, and only one of me – so it will take me some time to get

to know all your names and which church you are connected to.

I was born just over the border in Stretford and attended Victoria Park

Junior School and then Stretford Grammar School for Boys. I left part

way through my A levels and instead got a job in National Westminster

Bank, staying with them for 14 years! I took voluntary redundancy when

I could no longer agree to their stance on sales and how they treated

their customers – Margaret was pregnant with our first child (Matthew)

at that time. I was then unemployed for 6 months but finally got my

dream job – working in a museum. Norton Priory Museum and Gardens

– Runcorn. I loved working there, but God had other plans for me, and

kept a constant niggle at the back of my mind to say that I should be

doing something more in the church. So……off I went to selection con-

ference and to my astonishment they accepted me. Margaret, Matthew

and I then went to Cuddesdon, Oxford for two years training, and it was

here that our second child (Rebecca) was born. After Cuddesdon we

returned to Manchester Diocese and I serviced my curacy at St

Clements, Chorlton cum Hardy and then my first parish, All Saints,

Stretford – both of these parishes boarded my home parish of St Mat-

thews, Stretford.

We then served in Cornwall for 8 years to the Boscastle Group of

Churches on the North Coast, a group of 8 churches at that time – an

amazing place to live and work. This was followed by another 8 years in

Oxford Diocese looking after 3 churches – Shiplake, Dunsden and

Harpsden, just outside Henley on Thames. Now we are here, returning

to our roots, being closer to our families and many of our friends. We,

as a family have lots of hobbies, but mine are mainly Icon painting,

needle work (cross stitch, crewel and gold work), reading, gardening,

walking, history, and music. It was music that brought Margeret and I

together as we both sang in the Cantata Choir at Manchester

Cathedral.

At the Vicarage you will be met with Rebecca’s little Miniature Poodle –

Jasmine, along with 5 hens in the garden. We all very much look

forward to meeting you all over the coming years.

With all Gods Blessings

Robert