Mexborough and Swinton Times, May 13th, 1932
Mr. Walter Ridge
Mr. Walter Ridge, who recently resigned after many years active service from the Parish Church Council, is the oldest Goldthorpe and still residing in the district.
Mr. and Mrs. Ridge came to Goldthorpe 40 years ago and Mr. Ridge assisted Mr. John Oxley, then tenant of the Horse and Groom Hotel.
Goldthorpe at that time consisted of three farmhouses, the Horse and Groom, and two old cottages which stood where the Empire Theatre now stands. Sinking operations brought into being a few new houses.
It was then that the late Mr. John Dalton decided that something ought to be done to teach the Christian religion in Goldthorpe. There was a difficulty however. Goldthorpe was part of the ecclesiastical parish of Bolton-on-Dearne. The then Vicar of Bolton was approached and eventually, 38 years ago, Mr. Dalton held his first services in Goldthorpe. The services were held in an old barn on the farm of Mr. Roberts, now owned by Mr. Alex Moorhead. The late Miss Marden and Mrs. Wood, daughters of Mr. Marsden, who kept the farm at the bottom of straight Lane now occupied by Mr. Stewartson, and the children of Mr. and Mrs. Ridge, and Mrs Barham, were prominent in these first efforts to bring church life to Goldthorpe.
Soon afterwards Lord Halifax decided to open a mission church here and in 1897 Mrs. Dundas, sister of Lord Halifax, opened the St Alban’s Mission Church, the forerunner of the parish church, which now dominates the roofs of Goldthorpe. On that occasion one of the daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Ridge presented to Mrs. Dundas a bouquet and received in return a doll. From that time church work made rapid progress in the village and in 1916 the parish church was opened and Goldthorpe was made a separate ecclesiastical parish.
Mr. Ridge and the late Mr. Charlie Hough were active workers throughout and watched the growth right from the beginning. The mission church was eventually sold in sections. The altar cross was transferred to Highgate Mission Church.