South Yorkshire Times, May 27th, 1944
Going To London
Vicar of Denaby’s Preferment
The Rev. S. Powley, vicar of Denaby Main for the past 17 years announced to his congregation on Sunday evening that he had been offered and had accepted the living of St. Mary the Virgin, of Plaistow, London
The Rev. S. Powley was inducted to the living, of Denaby Main on July 25th, 1927, after having served as a curate at the parish church of Thurnscoe.
When he first came to Denaby Main, there had been a suggestion that the vestry accommodation was inadequate and another pressing need was for a church hall. It was not long before a scheme was in operation for the vestry extension and the erection of a hall. Land was purchased for the hall and after the vestry extension had been completed work was immediately begun on the erection of the hall.
During Mr. Powley’s incumbency other schemes which have been carried out have been the beautifying of the Lady Chapel, the installation of an electric organ blower, the installing of a beautiful oak pulpit, the purchase of new altar curtains for the High Altar and a new heating boiler.
It may be towards the middle of August when Mr. Powley will leave for his new sphere of work. He will take the good wishes of all his friends and church members for a happy and successful ministry in his new parish. He has done much to foster the unity of the churches and has assisted at the non-conformist churches in Denaby Main where he has always been well received. He also formed a confraternity of ministers and meetings have been regularly held at the Vicarage.
Mr. Powley has always been keen on assisting charitable institutions and during the church has raised many large sums for the church societies and other causes. For the first three or four years of the war he was Head Warden at the A.R.P. services and is Hon. Chaplain to the St. John Ambulance Home Guard.
Mrs. Powley in her quiet way has done much good wok and, particularly during the war, has worked for many objects and served on several committees including the Mission for Seaman of which she has been local secretary.
The church of St. Mary the Virgin, Plaistow, is a large church with seating accommodation for about 1,200 and with a working staff in peace time of two curates, three lay readers, a woman worker and a Church Army Officer. The staff is somewhat depleted owing to the war.