Holy Saviour RC Parish, Nelson:
A Brief History
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A Growing Community
Throughout the ensuing years the parish seemed to go from strength to strength. This ever increasing community which by 1940 recorded adult attendance at Sunday mass as approximately 500 not only "prayed together" but worked together to maintain and improve their parish. Various parish groups included; Mens' and Womens' Confraternities, Guild of St. Agnes, Children of Mary, St. Vincent De Paul, Needlework Guild, Boys' and Girls' Brigades as well as a very active choir, dramatic society and billiards team.Through the support and tireless efforts of these groups and the generosity of individual parishioners, the parish was able to replace the church organ (1930), repair and re-lead the church windows and redecorate the interior of the church (1931-1933). Special donations included new lamps for the sanctuary, Our Lady's altar and the Sacred Heart altar.
The Mens' Confraternity presented the parish with a new Monstrance (1933) which was used for the first time on the feast of Christ the King. Three years later (1936) they also purchased a new carpet for the sanctuary.
Monstrance presented by the Mens' Confraternity
In January 1941 the parish welcomed a large number of children, (approximately 180) evacuees from Manchester who were to be billeted here. By the end of that year 58 men and boys had left the parish to join the forces. A year later the number had risen to 64 men/boys and 7 women, all of whom received 10 shillings from the parish as a Christmas gift.
The Boys' Brigade had been thriving for some years when, in the early thirties a Girls' Brigade was formed and eventually a girls' band. The brigade bands practiced together and attended church parades every first Sunday of the month. Although the brigades were disbanded with the outbreak of the Second World War, the girls' brigade and band was later reformed by Nora Helm (nee Robinson) and Eileen Lloyd (nee Burns).
Apart from resuming the traditional monthly church parade, the brigade also raised funds for the parish by giving concerts and organising cabaret and dance evenings. The girls' band was so successful that they even, on one occasion, brought home a cup for third place from a band contest in Blackpool at which they had competed against several regimental and well renown bands such as the ATC (Army Training Corps) and WAAF (Womens' Auxiliary Air Force).
[ Girl's Brigade members pictured with Fr. Byrne include;-
Joan Whitham, ----, Connie Moxham, Kathleen Irvine, May Butler,
Winnie Huthersal, Joan Murray, Sheila Singleton, Elsie Irvine, Doreen Melloch,
Sheila Stockdale, Jean Yates, --, Molly Fitzpatrick, --, --, Kathleen Williams,
---, Teresa Smith, ----, ---, Stella Huthersal, Jean Plant,
Lily Williams, ---, ---, Margaret Williams, Nora Helm, Eileen Burns, Stella Burns,
Sheila Liversey, Joyce Shorrock, Vivian Binns,
Pat Keoeh, Kathleen Mayor, ---, ---, Eileen Yates, Margaret Gribble.]
[ Boy's Brigade members pictured here with Fr. Byrne include Albert Mayor (Captain), John Helm, Harold Eccles, Tommy Eccles, Lewis Diggins, Matthew Wilcock, Tom Williams, Jack Eastham.]
The men of the parish had also built up a very strong Billiards team who regularly returned from competitions as proud winners and holders of trophies.
[Team members 1946-47 Jimmy Holden, Pat Murphy, - -, Gordon Todd, Jack Hesketh, Denis O'Hara,
Tony Cardus, Fr. Hargreaves, Jack Metcalfe, Fr. McCarron, Charlie Walmesley.]
Throughout the forties repairs were necessary to the right wall of the church, the stairs to the organ loft and the porch panelling and the organ itself had to be replaced.
Just prior to the Jubilee celebrations a young man offered his services as church organist and began a long and loyal association with the parish.
The parishioners never failed in their responsibilities to meet the costs of these necessary repairs and willingly and joyfully prepared to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the parish in 1946.
The celebrations both liturgical and social included:-
Concert in the Regent Cinema - October 6th
Requiem Mass for deceased priests and parishioners - October 24th
Golden Jubilee Ball in the Imperial Ballroom - October 25th
Solemn High Mass - October 27th
In the Golden Jubilee souvenir booklet, Father Hargreaves wrote "the future of our ever-growing parish would appear to be bright, and perhaps in the not too distant future with the co-operation of priests and people there may arise that finished church which I know is your great ambition."
Developments in the schools were also being made throughout these years. In the thirties the education authority made much needed repairs to the 'new' and 'old' (i.e. Bankhouse road and Priory street buildings) school playgrounds. The floor of the infants' school was completely renewed (1935) and most needed electric lighting was installed (1936) in the infants' school (to replace the original gas lighting which had been in use since it opened).The side wall of the infants' school also had to be made safe when it parted from the ceiling by some three quarters of an inch and proved to be dangerous (1936). A new gas heating system was installed (1941) to replace the coke and coal fires which had been in use rather unsatisfactorily since the opening of the school.
By far the most significant development during the late thirties was however the first meetings of the three Nelson parishes held to consider the question of building a new senior school. In order to make such a proposal financially viable, the parishes of Colne, Brierfield and Barrowford were included in the proposed scheme. Three sites were considered, none of which were very suitable, but the best of the three, the one near Bott Lane was agreed upon subject to the price being reasonable. This choice of site was however opposed by the local education authority because it was outside the Nelson boundary, the railway had to be crossed to reach the site and the price was considered exorbitant. Following further discussions of the other two sites at Rakeshouse road and Walton lane, the parishes finally agreed upon the Walton lane site with the exception of Father Aspinall (Colne) who formally withdrew from the scheme ending any idea of a joint school for Nelson and Colne. The other parishes went ahead with their planning and a final decision was made (1938) that the new senior school would be built on the Walton lane site to accommodate 160 pupils from Nelson, Brierfield and Barrowford parishes. The land was purchased by the Nelson Corporation and building was about to being when war broke out and the entire project was deferred.
The next major development which took place had to cater for the raising of the school leaving age to 15 years as from April 1947, and had to take into consideration the possibility of delay in providing the desired provision of a catholic secondary school for the area. A temporary scheme was therefore submitted in 1946 and the school managers and local education authority resolved that;-
1) a) The R.C. infant schools are retained in their existing premises,
b) Utilisation of St. George's and St. Joseph's R.C. mixed schools solely as a junior and infant/junior school respectively and the consequent transfer of junior scholars thereto from Holy Saviour R.C. mixed school.
c) Utilisation of Holy Saviour R.C. School, Bankhouse Road Nelson, solely for children of 11 plus years of age and the consequent transfer thereto of such children from St. George's and St. Joseph's R.C. schools.
2) That in so far as the accommodation of Holy Saviour school permits, arrangements be made for the transfer of children of 11 plus years of age to Holy Saviour R.C. school from Holy Trinity (Brierfield) and Ss. Peter and Paul (Barrowford) R.C. schools.
3) That approval to the above scheme of temporary reorganisation is given on the distinct understanding that the rights and obligations of the Managers and the L.E.A. in connection with the proposed permanent scheme of reorganisation of the R.C. schools in the Division (under the Development plan of the Lancashire Education Authority) involving the provision of the new R.C. Junior and R.C. Modern schools are not, in any way affected thereby,
4) That the proposed temporary scheme of reorganisation be forwarded to the Divisional Executive with a view to their consideration thereof and recommendation to the Lancashire Education Authority.
Significant Developments
A parish which arose from the humble origins of a disused barn, having rejoiced in celebrating its Golden Jubilee was quite rightly proud of the achievements made but was still not satisfied and held fast to the vision of a completed church and appropriate school provision for its children.By the late forties adult attendance at Sunday mass was averaging in excess of 700 and in fact reached a peak in 1955 when no fewer than 900 adults were regularly present at Sunday mass.
The dramatic society was very active around this time staging, very successfully, quite adventurous performances such as "Mother Goose" in 1949.
The Cast included: Bernard Rothwell, Pat Astin, ? Whalley, Edith Ennis, James Ennis, Eileen Wilkinson, Irene Haygarth, Jack Meyer, Stella Meyer, Kathleen Lever, ------, Jack Almond (drummer) and Herman Eccles (not pictured) was the pianist.
Despite having to find funds for essential maintenance of the church in the form of a new boiler and internal decoration (1948) as well as repairs to the roof and the organ (1954), the parish had managed to raise the first £1000 to be put aside for the church extension fund. Father Peter Arkwright who had become parish priest in 1953 eventually received approval from the diocesan finance board in 1955 to go ahead with the extension to the church.
Throughout the parish's Diamond Jubilee year (1956), all fund raising efforts focused on the extension of the church as the building work slowly but surely took shape.
The total cost of the extension £17,000 had placed a huge financial burden on the parish but once again the dedication, commitment and generosity of local Catholics ensured that this debt was cleared within five years. The parish had achieved the ambition of a "finished church" referred to by Father Hargreaves at the time of the Golden Jubilee.
Changes at this time were being felt throughout the catholic community. When permission was given for Holy Mass to be said facing the people, a new altar was purchased (1966) and just a few years later the new order of Mass commenced on the First Sunday of Lent 15th February 1970.
The parish had other reasons for celebration during these years. In July 1950 Father Norbert Turner son of Mr. and Mrs Turner of Edith Street Nelson returned to Holy Saviour's to celebrate Solemn High mass and give his blessing to parishioners just a week after being ordained to the priesthood at Mill Hill College London. A proud moment indeed for family, friends and the parish community.
Major developments were also taking shape at this time with regard to education provision for catholic children in the area. Whilst negotiations and planning continued in earnest to establish a new secondary school at the Bott lane site, existing provision for secondary education at the Bankhouse road site and for infants at the Priory road site gained authorisation as separate voluntary schools (1949) and later were granted Aided status (1951).
Just a few years later, hopes and dreams were realised when Holy Saviour's Bankhouse road site closed its doors to secondary students as they moved to the new purpose built secondary school Ss. John Fisher and Thomas More in Gibfield road in January 1960. This new school was to cater for Catholic children from Brierfield to Barnoldswick who did not proceed to Grammar schools. It is with gratitude that we record here the generosity of all the contributing parishes and the efforts made by the parish priests under the leadership of Father Patrick Lyster (St. Joseph's) to ensure that the long overdue reorganisation of secondary education first conceived of in the late 1930s was finally a reality.
Holy Saviour's parish was now in a position to relocate their infant school to more appropriate accommodation at the Bankhouse road site. This however was not to be! For on the evening of 31st March 1960 fire completely gutted St. Joseph's infant school, church and sacristy. The whole town and in particular the local Catholic community was devastated, but immediate relocation was needed for St. Joseph's primary school and so they and not Holy Saviour's infants were moved to Bankhouse road.
The dilemma now facing the infant school was highlighted yet again in 1962 when Her Majesty's School Inspectors officially reported that the school was still occupying "inconvenient premises" due to the planned relocation not having taken place. School managers had to yet again seek resources and approval for the building of a new school (this time for their infants) on a nearby site.
It took four years for permission to be given for phase I (3 classrooms for infants) of a new infant/junior school to be built on the Hodge House Estate. The original permit for building 5 classrooms of a 7 classroom school having been withdrawn because of the economic crisis being experienced in the county. Building work commenced, and was quite quickly finalised enabling Holy Saviours' infants to transfer to their new site in Reedyford road on 17th August 1970.
On December 8th 1970 -the feast of the Immaculate Conception- Father Birmingham celebrated Mass and blessed the new school. Only a month later twelve trees were planted in the grounds of the school. Quite apart from the environmental aspect surely this also symbolised the putting down of new roots.
But it wasn't just the educational needs of the young people which were being addressed in the Catholic community. Concern was being expressed that teenagers in particular needed to have a place of their own in which to meet and socialise. The diocese supported by contributions from local parishes purchased property at Every Street to be used as the Nelson Catholic Youth Club and moreover sent Father Joseph Leigh to Holy Saviour's as curate with special responsibility for young people. Anyone who spent their teenage years playing football / netball or dancing the night away at the Youth Club cannot fail to recall with affection and gratitude the energy and commitment of Father Leigh throughout the 1960's.
© Holy Saviour R.C. Parish. Nelson, Lancashire.
Holy Saviour RC Church - Nelson