A pioneering priest who spent several years of his childhood in Stalybridge has died aged 82.

Father John Musther was a well educated and well travelled man with a deep-rooted faith whose love and compassion for others shone through from an early age.

Although he was first ordained into the Church of England, in later life he became an Orthodox priest and formed a vibrant Christian community in Cumbria.

Born in Halifax, John lived in Stalybridge with his parents Philip and Phyllis and sisters Susan and Judith, from the age of eight to leaving home for university.

In December 1948 his father Philip Walton Musther had been appointed as the Stalybridge town clerk overseeing the day-to-day running of the local council - a senior post which he held for 16 years.

TOWN CLERK: Philip Walton Musther.

During the 1950s he was closely involved in the twinning of Stalybridge with the French town Armentieres. His wife Phyllis (née Chaffer) was a nurse. At first they lived on Darnton Road but later built their own home at Ashes Lane.

John’s caring nature was clear to those who knew him from an early age when he helped to look after Susan who had Down’s syndrome.

He attended Ashton Parochial School before going on to Manchester Grammar School.

Later he graduated from London University with a law degree. While there, he became a Christian and obtained a scholarship to study theology at Oxford University which led him to Mirfield Theological College, West Yorkshire and ordination as an Anglican priest.

Asking to be sent to the most challenging parish that his bishop could find demonstrated a love for those in need and his boundless energy and enthusiasm in everything he did.

While working in Crewe, Father John became increasingly fascinated in the links between the time of Christ and the church today. In his spare time he travelled all over Europe, visiting monasteries and churches and reading widely about the early Christian saints.

For 17 years he served as a monk helping to establish an Anglican monastery in Sussex. There he worked with his hands - milking cows, felling trees, cooking and other essential chores. His favourite place was the library, taking the opportunity to devour more knowledge about early Christianity.

After his mother’s death in 1993, John cared for his sister Susan until her death in 2001. His other sister Judith, an architect, lives in Norway with her family. John and Judith visited each other regularly.

TOGETHER: Father John with his wife Jenny, who became Orthodox Christians in 2003.

Father John set up an open house on a notorious housing estate in Brighton which he ran 24/7 from 1994 when he met and married Jenny, a hospice matron, until 2007.

He helped many people who came to him with broken lives, as Jenny recalled.

“Many had addictions or mental health problems or were homeless. He had a clothing store, a furniture store, a well stocked fridge, and most of all, a heart full of love and compassion,” she said.

In 2003 John and Jenny officially became Orthodox Christians and soon afterwards John was ordained as a deacon.

In 2007 they retired to Keswick and John fulfilled his dream of having a tiny frescoed Orthodox chapel in the attic at their cottage.

A year later Father John was ordained as an Orthodox priest at St Bega’s Church, Basenthwaite.

“To his amazement, a thriving parish emerged, now meeting in the former Methodist church in Braithwaite,” said Jenny.

“It has become known for its warm welcome and fervent worship, attracting many young families and singles from all over Cumbria, from vastly different lifestyles and of diverse nationalities. His legacy there looks set to flourish.”

Being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2012 did not stop Father John travelling all over Scotland and the North in order to write his third book Sacred North.

In recent months his health deteriorated. Cared for at home by his devoted wife, he remained steadfast in his faith and died peacefully on February 4.

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