Some notable events
Introduction, Foundation of the parish, The church, The presbytery, The clergy, Parish, Congregation, Spiritual, Education, Social and economic, Some notable events, Acknowledgements
1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1980s, 1990s
1854, 23rd August
Foundation stone of church was laid.
1855, 10th May
Permission granted from Rome for the Stations of the Cross. Translation
from the Latin of formal document: -
‘ Reverend Father,
A priest, Thomas Witham, from England, built a church on his property at Gainford, in the diocese of Hexham, for the worship of the holy Catholic religion and for the faithful of the mission. To this church, Your Holiness has already granted a privileged altar, with all the indulgences attached to it. Now the same petitioner, humbly prostrate at the feet of His Holiness, begs the faculties to erect the Stations of the Cross with the usual indulgences to be gained by the faithful under the necessary conditions.
By the apostolic authority granted to our order, we graciously grant the petitioner his request.
Rome, 10th May 1855
Vincent a Grano, Fr Minister’
26th June
Formal opening of church, with Pontifical High Mass celebrated by Bishop Hogarth, assisted by some thirty-six priests; there were six canons of the diocese. (Extract from Teesdale Mercury report of 4th July)
Bishop Wiliam Hogarth was the first Bishop of the Diocese of Hexham, formed at the restoration of the Hierarchy in 1850. In 1861 the title was changed to that of Hexham and Newcastle. Bishop Hogarth was based at St Augustine’s, Darlington. Hogarth House there is named after him. Previously he had been Vicar Apostolic of the Northern District and in 1847 had founded St Mary’s, Barnard Castle. For the first 74 years the Diocese extended right over to the Lake District, but in 1924 the counties of Westmoreland and Cumberland were transferred to the newly formed Diocese of Lancaster.
12th Sept
Bishop Hogarth performs first baptism at St Osmund. The child was: - Mary Eleanor Dobinson (born Sept 5th), daughter of Joseph & Elizabeth Dobinson (nee Wood). Godparents: - Thomas Dobinson & May Eleanor Wood.
1858, 20th October
Consecration of Altar by Bishop Hogarth.
Translation of transcript in Latin made by Miss Edleston of plaque removed from original altars on its replacement in 1898.
‘In the year 1858, on the Octave Day of St Edward, King, 20th October, I, William, Bishop of Hexham, consecrated this Altar in honour of St Osmund, Bishop and Confessor, and St Thomas Aquinas, Confessor, together with the relics of the Holy Martyrs Peter and Paul enclosed in it, and I have granted one year of true indulgence in the customary form of the Church to the faithful who visit this Altar today and forty days of true indulgence in the customary form of the church to those who visit it on the anniversary day of this consecration’.
1862, 26th Oct
First Confirmations at St Osmund’s, by Bishop Hogarth, of the following confirmands:-
Christopher Snailham, Peter Lyons, Ellen Snailham, Robert Snailham, John Pearson, Eliz. Snailham, George A Rickaby, John Graham, Frances Brown, Thomas Graham, Mary Pearson, Margaret Wilson, Jane Ann Graham, Teresa Mary Rickaby
Sponsors:-
Charles Rickaby and Mary Weighell
1863, May
Living Rosary established at St Osmund’s.
Transcript of hand-written notes in archives: -
Rules
- The Sodality of the Living Rosary is composed of several circles in each of which there are 15 members corresponding to the 15 mysterys of the Rosary. The members reflect a few moments every day on the mystery allotted them, they say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s & 1 Glory be to the Father in honour of that mystery to obtain of God through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin the corresponding virtue & concluding begging the prayers of the monthly patrons.
- The member who has the 1st Joyful Mystery eg the Annunciation must in addition to the usual prayers recite 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary & the Apostles Creed.
Many Indulgences are granted to those who belong to the Society of the Rosary, amongst the rest a Plenary Indulgence for everyone who approaches the Sacrament of Penance & Holy Communion & prays for the intention of the Church. Each member gains a partial Indulgence of 100 days every time they recite the part allotted them.
The members receive a printed ticket on the 1st Sunday of every month, the members are expected to give one halfpenny per month out of which the tickets are paid for, the rest is given to some charitable object.
One person is generally chosen to be the representative of each circle & each circle is placed under the patronage of some saint.
In his visitation report of 1868, Fr Rodgers said that shortly after arriving he had established a Confraternity of the Rosary. It is not clear whether the above was it, although in a visitation questionnaire of 1902 Fr Knuckey lists the Living Rosary among the societies at St Osmund’s. Fr Dix had formally established a Rosary Confraternity in 1899. Perhaps the two titles were synonymous, and formal permission may not have been obtained for that of 1863, with Fr Dix regularising the position in 1899.
1864
Stations of the Cross erected, during an eight-day mission given by the Redemptorist Fathers.
Mission station established at Evenwood, administered from St Osmund’s, with Mass there once a month.
1874, 25th March
Registration for Solemnisation of Marriages. The formal certificate reads: -
I, John Dickonson Holmes, Superintendent Registrar of Teesdale in the Counties of Durham and York do hereby certify, That the Building named The Catholic Chapel situated at Gainford in the Parish of Gainford in the County of Durham having been duly certified as a Place of Public Religious Worship, was registered for the Solemnisation of Marriages therein, on 25th of March in the Year of Our Lord, 1874’.
25th April
First marriage at St Osmund’s, conducted by Fr Rodgers, of: -
Patrick Brydon of Hartlepool to Alice Snailham of Gainford.
Witnesses:-
Christopher & Elizabeth Snailham.1878
Fr Rodgers received Mrs Harriet S Edleston, wife of Dr Edleston, the Vicar of Gainford, and her daughter Miss Alice Edleston into the Catholic Church.
1882, 9th June
First burial at St Osmund’s cemetery. The deceased was: -
John Charles Snailham, died 5th June aged 15 months, infant son of Christopher and Margaret Snailham of Gainford.
A report in the Darlington & Stockton Times reads: -
‘The first interment in the new burial ground connected with the Gainford Catholic Church took place yesterday. It is rather a singular coincidence that the first Baptism, Marriage & funeral in this church have been connected with the same family.
It would seem that in this Parish there is not that spirit of liberality, which has so often been exhibited elsewhere when a nonconformist burial has taken place. At Gainford while the funeral was proceeding to St Cuthbert’s (sic) Catholic Church the time-honoured custom of tolling the (death) Bell at St Mary’s Parish Church was observed. This is a small incident, but it shows the way the wind blows’.
The first marriage, in 1874, was of Alice Snailham (probably an aunt of the deceased boy) to Patrick Bryden of Hartlepool. The first baptism (in 1855) was of Mary Eleanor, daughter of Joseph & Eleanor Dobinson (nee Wood), recorded by Fr Rodgers on the flyleaf of the 1861 register. The relationship of one or either of them to the Snailhams has not been established.
Oddly enough, the death and burial do not appear in St Osmund’s Mortuary Register, although the tombstone is on the right as you approach the church porch. From other evidence the priest of the time, Fr Rodgers, was somewhat erratic in his register entries.
1898, April
New altar installed. Transcript of notes made by Miss Edleston: -
28th March to 2nd April. New altar erected.
3rd April (Palm Sunday). First Mass at new altar.
22nd August. New altar consecrated by Bishop Wilkinson.
1899, November
Rosary Confraternity inaugurated at St Osmund’s, with the register listing 55 members, headed by Fr Henry Dix and Miss Alice Edleston. The preface to the register reads: -
‘The Rosary Confraternity was canonically erected in the church of St Osmund Gainford by virtue of a patent from the General of the Dominican Order, with the consent (in writing) of the Bishop of the Diocese, on the 16th day of November 1899.
Fr John Proctor O.P.
(Provincial)
1918, 19th December
St Osmund’s constituted as a parish. Until then, it had been a ‘mission station’.
1924
First Garden Party, held at Edleston House. This was to become an annual event for the next 42 years.
1936, 27th May
Church consecrated by Bishop Joseph Thorman. The document relating to this, translated from the Latin, reads: -
‘Joseph, Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle – Health and Blessing in the Lord to each and everyone who reads this document. The church of St Osmund at Gainford was duly consecrated by Us on the 27th day of the month of May in the year 1936.
Together with the church the main altar dedicated to St Osmund was consecrated by Us, and the relics of the holy martyrs St Modestus and St Honorata were enclosed in it.
According to liturgical law the feast of the consecration of the church ought to be celebrated each year on the 27th day of the month of May, unless it yields place to a more important feast.
An indulgence of fifty days is granted to the faithful who visit the church on the feast of the anniversary of its consecration.
In token of this we have sealed this document and signed it with our own hand.
Given at Tynemouth
29th May 1936+Joseph
Bishop of Hexham and NewcastleRaymond Redmond, Secretary’
Kept with the document is a hand-written letter from the Bishop to Fr Dent dated 20th May 1936, which reads: -
‘My dear Fr Dent
Within a week of the ceremony I want to assure myself that all things are ready and to settle my own movements. For the former it will be all right if you have fulfilled in detail the requirements of Canon Chadwick. He knows the names of the Martyrs (SS Modestus & Honorata); if the old relics are re-enclosed, they do not obtain mention. The enclosing of the Relics should be done overnight; the one train open to me is the 5pm, due Gainford 6.31. My big bag I shall forward on Sunday from Durham, the smaller I shall bring with me. Will you provide that someone else shall celebrate the following Mass; I am not yet venturing a long ceremony fasting. Any accommodation will serve for me, St Osmund’s, St Peter’s or an Inn, but I would suppose that St Peter’s would be the place for Mass.
God bless you, yours devotedly in Christ.
+Joseph,
Bishop of Hexham & Newcastle’
Bishop Thorman died later that year. The reference to Mass at St Peter’s would relate to his private mass before the consecration ceremony.
1944, 27th April
Permission granted for Children of Mary Sodality.
Transcript of letter from Bishop Joseph McCormack: -
‘Dear Fr Dent
I hereby erect in the Church of Saint Osmund at Gainford, and recommend to the Father General of the Society of Jesus for affiliation to the Primaria, a Sodality of girls.
I also hereby approve the usual rules of the Sodality as contained in the approved Manuals.
And I hereby appoint you, and your successors in the office of Parish Priest of Saint Osmund’s, Gainford as Director.
I empower the Director at any time to delegate another priest, provided he holds at least temporary faculties in the Diocese, to receive candidates into the Sodality.
Will you please keep this letter in your Parish Archives so that your successors may know that the Sodality has been lawfully erected.
Your devoted servant in Jesus Christ
+Joseph, Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle’
1955, June 9th, Feast of Corpus Christi
Centenary of church celebrated, with Bishop McCormack presiding at Mass in the evening, after which parishioners were introduced to him on the lawn, followed by tea and supper provided by Miss Edleston to which the non-Catholics of Gainford were also invited.
1960, May 29th
Blessing of the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes.
A report in a local paper reads:-
“Incense floated through the tree-filled grounds of St Osmund’s Catholic Church, Gainford, last night, when over 100 people attended a service at which the parish priest, Father Peter Stanley, blessed the new Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes on the lawn outside his presbytery. He also unveiled the new stone statue which graces a niche above the altar there.
The Grotto, covered with flowers, and the blue, white and gold of the statue shining in the evening sun, made a beautiful background as the white-veiled children walked in procession from the church.
Originally intended to be ready for the centenary in 1958 of the apparitions at Lourdes in the Pyrenees to Bernadette Soubirous (now St Bernadette), the Grotto was paid for by voluntary subscription.
In stone, it was almost entirely built by a Gainford stonemason, Mr Harold Hodgson, whose wife is a parishioner at St Osmund’s. After the service, Father Stanley presented Mr Hodgson with a replica of the statue in the Grotto as a memento of his work.
Addressing the congregation, which included non-Catholic villagers who had responded to his general invitation to attend, Father Stanley said the opening of the Grotto fulfilled a vow he had made before he was even ordained.
Anyone is welcome to visit the grounds and see the Grotto at any time, he said.”
1981, Nov/Dec
First re-ordering of the sanctuary. A temporary altar was used while the work was in progress.
1990, Early October
St Osmund’s closed for renovation and second re-ordering. For the next few weeks, by the kind invitation of the Vicar (Rev Tim Ollier) and the Parochial Church Council, Sunday Mass was said in Gainford Parish Church of St Mary’s probably the first time that a Catholic Mass had been celebrated there for some 400 years.
24th December
St Osmund’s re-opened in time for Christmas.
