Jonas Pilling (1855 – 28 February 1926) was vicar of the former Church of St Mark, Old Leeds Road, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England, from 1905 to 1926.

[2] However, Pilling was a Manchester-born man, assuming a position of respect in Huddersfield, in an era of powerful inter-city rivalries.

Although his relationship with his congregation deteriorated disastrously over sixteen years, the Bishop of Wakefield failed to assist either Pilling or his flock during that period.

The 1881 Census shows him as a student in theology, aged 25 and single, boarding at Leigh Bank, Lees Road, Saddleworth, Yorkshire.

[17] On Thursday 27 August 1925 he officiated at Edgerton Cemetery, Huddersfield, at the funeral of twenty-eight-year-old gunner Walter Wood, who had tragically died in initially mysterious circumstances six days after he had enlisted.

The parties are apparently at loggerheads, for Thursday's meetings, one convened by the vicar, and the other by the churchwardens, Messrs H. Kilburn and A. Lawton, ended without anything having been done.

The vicar in conversation with a Press representative yesterday, when asked for his version of the affair, simply replied, "I have nothing to say on the matter," but he added that he had not read the report of the meeting called by the churchwardens, and he did not intend to do so.

"[20] On 23 April 1908 the Yorkshire Evening Post reported that the vicar was still unable to persuade parishioners to volunteer themselves as churchwardens, and that "from what transpired today, there seems but slight prospect of an immediate improvement in the situation."

[1] The Cornishman published the following explanation on 30 April 1908:[23] "A deplorable deadlock, which is having bad results for both the church and the people, exists in the parish of St Mark's Huddersfield, where the Rev.

It was alleged that Mr Pilling in certain matters had ignored the churchwardens, that he had stopped the publication of the parish magazine, discontinued the morning Sunday school, and that he took no notice of the invitation extended to him to preside at a congregational tea.

gentleman has carried on the parish work practically single-handed, and has enlisted the services of choir boys to make collections in the church.

It was hoped by those interested in the church that some understanding might be arrived at between the congregation and vicar at this year's vestry, and the Bishop of Wakefield expressed his willingness to preside and endeavour to bring about a more satisfactory state of affairs.

Last Sunday morning the vicar posted up a written notice (signed by himself only) in the church porch, that the annual vestry would be held at noon.

"[23]On Thursday 15 April 1909 Reverend Pilling presided over a vestry meeting comprising one parishioner, Mr J. Lockwood, and four representatives of the Press.

The Leeds Mercury commented, "The parish of St Mark embraces a poor neighbourhood, in which there is plenty of scope for church work.

[24] Referring to an incident of February 1912 between Pilling and a housekeeper, The Times printed the following:[25] [...] a case in Huddersfield County Court yesterday, in which the Rev.

Jonas Pilling, vicar of St. Mark's Church, Huddersfield, was sued by his late housekeeper, Miss Lily Jane Puttock, for £3 16s.

[26] At 10.45 on Sunday 12 April 1914 the annual vestry meeting appointment was attended by the verger and several representatives of the Press, but the vicar Rev.

[27][28] On 26 April 1916, the Daily Gazette for Middlesbrough reported that as of 1916 no parishioners had attended any vestry meeting for seven successive years, and that the dispute "is apparently as far from settlement as ever.

[29] The situation continued until Wednesday 20 April 1921, when the Bishop's Commission was convened again by registrar W. H. Coles at Huddersfield "to investigate and report on the desirability of uniting the benefices of Huddersfield Parish Church and St Mark's Church, Lowerhead-row [now Old Leeds Road], the latter of which is alleged to be in an almost derelict condition."