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St Peter's Church Preston

A popular place for weddings

By Dennis Parrett

St Peter's Church Preston, was a delightful and very popular place for weddings. My wife lived with her parents at the Preston Park Hotel (as it was then called) in Havelock Road so we qualified to get married there on 11 September 1965. We were married by the Reverend Vernon Kyrke, a priest of great character I recall. He was never afraid to speak his mind and his sermons were certainly not dull. Our first son was baptised there in 1969 and he cried through most of the service along with a number of other babies who were being baptised as well.

We live away from Brighton now and were sorry to see that, some years ago, the church was no longer being used for regular worship but remains a consecrated building in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. Then, a couple of years ago, the trust magazine had an article showing that local people were striving to open it for visitors on a regular basis which is really excellent.

I thought I would get in first with a wedding photograph which is of course ours.

Wedding of Ros & Dennis Parrett

from the private collection of Dennis Parrett

This page was added on 27/04/2009.

Comments about this page

Hi Dennis, I wonder if your wife recalls the customer of the premises who used to sell winkles.
As a child in the late fifties, I used to have to push a pram loaded with the winkles we had collected from Black Rock, and which my Mum had salted and boiled in a galvanised bath, up to the Preston Park Hotel, where my Dad sold them to fellow drinkers to pay for his beer.

By Jeremiah (27/04/2009)

Sorry but my wife has no recall of that at all although she was living there at the time. Winkles were not her favorite food although I still like them with vinegar, pepper and bread and butter.

By Dennis Parrett (28/04/2009)

A memorial service for my grandmother was held in this church. She used to be a regular worshiper there, and my Father and I used to collect her after the service on a Sunday. I often visit the church, as it is conveniently open now. A lovely deeply spiritual building.

By Ben Saxlingham (28/04/2009)

My parents, Frank and Rosa Larkin were married here 2nd December 1939. Bitterly cold and snowing, so I am told!

By Judi Lunt (29/04/2009)

We too were married at St Peter's, Preston on the 14th september 1963. We were married by the Reverend R.M. Raper. I was living with my parents in Herbert Road. My sister got married at the same church a year later but from Havelock Road, my parents having moved six months after my wedding. Do you remember that guests were not allowed to throw confetti in respect of the graves that surround the church?

By Julie (29/01/2010)

I was also married here on the 6th June 1965. Sadly my wife passed away aged 44 and I moved away from Brighton.

By Rob Munro (10/12/2011)

Rob Munro. Your wife was my cousin and I was one of your bridesmaids, my husband was your best man. We were married there too the following year in March 1966 and are still together.

By Maureen (17/02/2012)

Hi Maureen, lovely to hear from you...

Dear Rob,
Sorry but we have had to edit your post. We are no longer allowing the posting of requests to find third parties, as sharing information like this breaches their privacy. We recommend you try Friends Reunited website if you want to track old friends or neighbours.
Comments Editor

By Rob Munro (19/03/2013)

When I was about 10 years old I used to come to the churchyard with my friend and this sounds really awful but when I saw flowers on a grave I felt so sad that the other graves didn't have any we used to share them out! I loved the church so much I asked my parents if I could be christened there so I was at aged 11 yrs (my parents thought I was mad!) but I went on to be married there in 1972 and am still married.

By Heather Fill (nee Worrall) (21/03/2013)