Page:History of the Fylde of Lancashire (IA historyoffyldeof00portiala).pdf/372

 Although South Shore is now intimately connected and associated with Blackpool as one town, there was a period, and not a very remote one, when it flourished as a separate and distinct hamlet, widely divided from its more imposing neighbour. The first house of South Shore was erected in 1819 by Mr. Thomas Moore, who speedily added about ten more to the solitary edifice. The growth of the village in earlier years was not characterised by any great rapidity, and in 1830 the whole of the buildings comprised no more than a thin row of respectable cottages overlooking the sea, with a lawn or promenade in front. In 1836 a church was built, partly by subscription and partly from Queen Anne's Bounty, and dedicated to the Holy Trinity. Twenty-two years afterwards, owing to the development of South Shore through the number of regular visitants who preferred the quietude of its beach to the greater animation which prevailed at Blackpool, the building was enlarged by the erection of transepts and a new chancel, alterations which supplied further sitting room for about 380 worshippers. The church is of brick, and contains a handsome stained-glass east window, representing the baptism of Christ by St. John the Baptist, another ornamental window being inserted in the south wall. The mural tablets are in memory of William Wilkinson, "who for twenty-five years was an indefatigable teacher in the Sunday Schools of Marton and South Shore,—he served his country in the battles of Talavera, Busaco, Albuera, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nive, Nivelle, and Toulouse," died 11th September, 1853, aged 66 years; and of James Metcalf, "curate of South Shore, who departed this life July 24th, 1875, aged 42 years, and was interred at the Parish Church of Bolton-le-Sands." The font is of grey stone, massive and carved. The first organ obtained by the congregation was purchased in 1847. In 1872 a tasteful lectern was forwarded to the church by the Rev. J. B. Wakefield, to whom it had been presented by his parishioners, as a token of esteem, about the close of his ministry amongst them in 1870. The burial ground encircling the church of Holy Trinity contains no monuments of special interest, if we except a stone pedestal, surmounted by a broken column, erected by public subscription to the memories of three fishermen, drowned off Cross-slack, whilst following their avocation on the 11th of October, 1860.