Joshua William Brooks, M.A. (b. ca. 1789/90 - d. 15 Feb 1882)
Ordained 1820, Curate of East Retford, Nottinghamshire 1821 - 1827, Domestic Chaplain to Viscount Galway 1821 - 1827, Vicar of Clarborough, Nottinghamshire 1827 - 1843, Rector of Grove, Nottinghamshire 1837 - 1843, Domestic Chaplain to Lord Fitzgerald and Vessey c. 1840
Vicar of St. Mary's Church, Nottingham 1843 - 1864
Prebendary of Lincoln 1858 - ca.1882, Rector of Great Ponton, 1864 - 1882
Brooks arrived in Nottingham to a closed church in a state of collapse, the former vicar as Archdeacon, and a parish in a poor state. Not an ideal start, however, Brooks was probably attracted by the opportunity for building new churches. He had some experience of this; as vicar of Clarborough he had built a new church. During his 20 years in Nottingham it became his overriding passion. He divided St. Mary's parish up, creating six new parochial districts, each with schools.
However, Brooks' immediate priority was the dilapidated state of St. Mary's Church. His Evangelical style alienated many old-style worshippers, but brought new blood into the church. A successful application to the Incorporated Church Building Society secured a £500 grant and, no-doubt, other donations followed. The restoration of the church was completed by June 1848. However, this was just the beginning of a long campaign which saw the openings of new churches - St. Matthew's, Talbot Street, 1856, St. Marks, St. Michael's Street 1857 and St. Luke's, Carlton Road, 1863, St. Ann's, 1864, St. Saviour's, 1864 and All Saints, 1864. Brooks successfully persuaded local rich Evangelicals to give £50,000, at a time when a new church could be erected for £2,000. By the time the patronage of St. Mary's was passed to the Bishop of Southwell in 1885, trustees were well in control of the daughter churches. The patron, Lord Manvers had seen to that. As a result there are few great cities where the diocesan Bishop has so little patronage, or where the patronage has not remained with the incumbent of the mother church.
The central section of the north window in the north transept was given by F.B. Gill in memory of Joshua Brooks. Designed by Clayton and Bell it was inserted in 1874.
Adapted with kind permission from The Anglican Church in the Industrialised Town, St. Mary's Parish, Nottingham 1770-1884 M.W.Bowen MA, M Phil, University of Nottingham, October 1997