These are the history pieces which appeared in the Batley St. Mary of the Angels and Birstall St. Patrick’s bulletin during April 2026. As the parishes are jointly administered and a single bulletin produced, the history pieces are not solely focused on St. Mary of the Angels, although St. Patrick’s was not formed as a separate parish until 1905. Prior to that it was part of St. Mary’s.
As part of the St. Mary of the Angels One-Place Study I have written in more detail about some of these events, and where this is the case the link to the fuller piece is included.
04/05 April 2026
On Easter Monday, 09 April 1928, in what was described as probably a first for the history of Birstall, and indeed a first for the whole district since the Reformation, a public Easter Procession was held by the St. Patrick’s parishioners. Following Monday morning mass, they walked from Low Lane to the Market Place, where a square was formed around the steps and the hymn Tantum Ergo was sung. Father Russell blessed his flock and the town, and then they went back to Church for the final Benediction. The procession was one of the largest ever seen in Birstall. Headed by the Crucifix, followed by altar boys, school children, members of the choir, Children of Mary, the congregation, two Acolytes and two Thurifers, Father Russell carried the Blessed Sacrament, walking under a canopy borne by Messrs. James Lyons, John Lynsky, Michael Kenny and Willie Halloran.
Jane Roberts – Parish Historian, Website: https://pasttopresentgenealogy.co.uk
11/12 April 2026
On Sunday 17 April 1927, the parishioners of St. Patrick’s gathered to celebrate Sister Clarisse’s silver jubilee as a nun. The Jubilee Fund Committee included Misses B. Maguire, E. Judge, E. Aveyard, A. Freeman, T. McLoughlin, N. Crossley and W. Murphy, along with Messrs. T. Prendergast, T. O’Brien and W. Judge (secretary). The latter presented Sister Clarisse, who was also a teacher at the school, with a Certificate of Membership of the Yorkshire Brethren Society (value £10), an oak dining table (£10), and an illuminated address (£5) expressing the parish’s appreciation of her work and the esteem in which she was held.
Jane Roberts – Parish Historian, Website: https://pasttopresentgenealogy.co.uk
18/19 April 2026
On 24 April 1915 St. Mary’s parishioner Private Moses Stubley, of the 2nd King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, was killed during the 2nd Battle of Ypres. This battle marked the first German use of gas on the Western Front. News of his death began to filter home in early May, including a particularly blunt letter to his wife from a Corporal, which began “Just a few lines explaining why I am sending back your letter… Well, I am sorry to inform you that he got killed in action, and it is my orders to open all his letters and return them to the senders…” Official confirmation finally arrived towards the end of May simply stating that Moses had been killed in action, but no indication of the circumstances. Batley soldier Gunner Walter Waite tried to communicate these, but the censor crossed out the crucial lines. In June 1915 a letter from another St. Mary’s man, Private Patrick Gallagher, provided answers – his death was the result of a gunshot wound.
For more information about Moses Stubley click here.
Jane Roberts – Parish Historian, Website: https://pasttopresentgenealogy.co.uk
25/26 April 2026
On Wednesday, 30 April 1952, the Mayor of Dewsbury, Councillor John Edward McDonald (a former St. Mary’s pupil), attended the opening night of The Bohemian Girl. The opera was admirably performed by pupils from St. Mary’s R.C. Boys’ School, whose average age was nine. Principals were John Breslin, Robert Travis, Alex Roper, Gerard Wilson, Terence Mann, Brian Pickering and Anthony Colleran. Others taking part were Peter Ashton, Colin Brannan, James Cafferty, Bernard Colleran, John Connor, Edward Colbeck, David Freeman, Willliam Firth, James Foley, Michael Grogan, David Housecroft, Brian Kilroy, Dennis King, Dennis Mann, Bernard Maloney, Terence Waterhouse, Roger Smith, George Allen, Peter Bentley, John Chadwick, John Elders, Michael Ellis, Bernard Finneran, Peter Heaton, Colin Glazebrook, Leonard Kelly, James Lloyd, Peter Lemon, Terence Morley, John McNamara, David Preston, Michael Phillips, Brian Roberts, John Sheard, Barry Sheridan, Terence Windle, John Woodhead and James Varley.
For more information about this performance click here.
Jane Roberts – Parish Historian, Website: https://pasttopresentgenealogy.co.uk
Past To Present Genealogy 