Description:James Badnall was born in Wavertree, Liverpool in 1839. His father was vicar of Wavertree in the city, but he had family connections with the Staffordshire Moorlands as his grandfather was Richard Badnall, silk manufacturer and banker of Highfields, Leek.
Rev. James Badnall took up his position in Endon in December 1864. He was vicar of the parish for 33 years, during which time he worked tirelessly for the church and local community. One of his most important contributions was to campaign for renovations to the church soon after he arrived. The 1867 alterations were extensive, and included the addition of a new south aisle, porch and chancel. Rev. Badnall encouraged more worshippers to his services so only a few years after the building work, a new north aisle was added to accommodate the growing congregation. During the annual May Well Dressing Festival in 1868 he is recorded as having enlisted the services of visiting preachers to the village to give sermons in St. Lukes in order to highlight the importance of the church's role in the festival.