These are the history pieces which appeared in the Batley St Mary of the Angels and Birstall St Patrick’s bulletin during November 2024. As the parishes are jointly administered and a single bulletin produced, the history pieces are not solely focused on St Mary of the Angels.
2/3 November 2024
On Saturday, 3 November 1945 Dean Peter Russell died of heart failure towards the end of an operation at Halifax Royal Infirmary. Described as a militant leader of Roman Catholicism, in 1905 he became Birstall St Patrick’s first parish priest, remaining at the parish until 1931 before moving on to become parish priest at St Mary’s, Halifax. Prior to that he had been curate at Batley, St Mary’s. His burial took place in Halifax on 7 November after a requiem mass at his last parish, but on Monday, 12 November a requiem mass was also celebrated at St Patrick’s.
9/10 November 2024
Batley St Mary of the Angels War Memorial commemorates 76 parishioners who lost their lives serving King and Country in the First World War. Their date of deaths range right from the beginning of the war in August 1914, through to April 1919 during the Armistice period. Some are buried in Batley cemetery. Others are buried in Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) cemeteries, or commemorated on CWGC War Memorials, in France, Belgium, Germany, Iraq, Turkey, Georgia and Malawi. The Memorials commemorate those with no known grave, and this applies to 27 of the St Mary’s men. There is no corresponding parish World War Two War Memorial.
More information about the men and the War Memorial can be found generally in the one-place study pages. I am also writing biographies for the War Memorial men, and for those added to date click here.
16/17 November 2024
On the weekend of 11 and 12 November 1933, after two months of rehearsals, St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Operatic Society presented “The Bohemian Girl”, an Irish Romantic opera. The cast, as chosen in September, were: Mr. Willie Hannan, as Thaddeaus; Miss Mary Mara, as Arline; Miss Hilda Booth, as Gypsy Queen; Mr. Michael Grogan, as Count Arnheim; Mr. Thomas Durkin as Devilshoof; Mr. Tom Pickles as Florestein; Miss Mary Colleran as Buda; and Mr. Joseph Callaghan as Captain of the Guard. Father Sweeney, of Ossett, and Father Kennedy, of Batley Carr, were guests.
23/24 November 2024
On 20 November 1939 Batley St Mary’s school finally reopened after the prolonged summer holiday. They had been forced to postpone their scheduled opening date of 4 September 1939, because of the outbreak of World War Two. The completion of air raid shelters for the children meant they were now safe to return to school, although half of the other elementary schools in Batley still remained closed for full admission, awaiting the building of their shelters.
30 November/01 December 2024
On Tuesday 1 December 1925, a whist drive and dance was held at St Patrick’s Catholic drill hall, when prizes were won by Miss K. Henry and Mr. J. McCarthy. The M.C.’s were Messrs. J. Maguire and J. Lyons (whist), J. Cunnane and T. O’Brien (dancing). Messrs. M. McLoughlin and J. Kelly played for dancing, and refreshments were served by ladies of the parish.
Past To Present Genealogy 