Bob Matthews was the new vicar of Beckindale upon the exit of Edward Ruskin. Aged about 30, he was the village's first young vicar for a long time. At first, several villagers objected to a younger vicar but soom came round to the idea, especially when churchwarden Annie Sugden said that Matthews would make a great vicar.
By February 1977, Matthews had been replaced by William Hockley as the village vicar.