Rev William Manning was the longest serving Pastor of the Chapel. He took over the pastorate from Rev John Aston on the first Sunday of October 1880 and continued for 38years until his retirement in September 1918.
He was born in Taunton, Somerset in 1845 and had trained for the church at the Western College in Plymouth. His previous post of 6 years was at Stourbridge, Worcestershire. He married Susan Goodenough in 1876 in Liskeard, Cornwall. He trained at Western College, Plymouth.
Once the couple had settled in Eccleshill, Susan turned out to be as devoted to the work in the church as her husband. She helped to run various classes within the church and was a teacher of the Selected Young Women’s Class in the Sunday School for 20years and only resigned due to ill health. She sadly died on 12th November 1906, aged 61, and was buried in Chapel Street Cemetery.
Rev Manning led a busy and active life, preaching at both Eccleshill and Fagley. He held various classes at the church and at the Manse. He was the first President of the Free Church Council for Eccleshill, a post he held for 20years which brought the churches of Eccleshill closer together. He was also the Chairman of the Yorkshire Congregational Union.
On his retirement in September 1918, he stayed on at The Manse until a replacement was found then moved to Frizinghall. He died in Guiseborough on 16th May 1923, aged 75 and was buried in Chapel Street Cemetery with his devoted wife Susan. The Deacons commented that he was ‘a tower of strength in the religious life of Eccleshill, a fine preacher, a devoted, thoughtful and loyal man who lived for the church’.
In the grave adjoining the Manning's grave is Annie Eddison who was their faithful and devoted servant at The Manse, Tunwell Lane, Eccleshill for 16 years. She was born in 1879 at East Ardsley, the daughter of Seth and Elizabeth Eddison and died in 1911 aged 32.
Location: section 1 H1