These are the history pieces which appeared in the Batley St Mary of the Angels and Birstall St Patrick’s bulletin during October 2025. 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 s 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 October 2025
On 10 October 1931, around 330 people enjoyed a splendid excursion to see the Blackpool illuminations. Organised by Batley Catholic Young Men’s Club, with James Harkin taking a lead role, travel was to and from Batley railway station in a special saloon train which left at 1.46pm and returned from Blackpool at 1am. The trip cost of 5s. for adults and 2s. 6d. for children.
Jane Roberts – Parish Historian, Website: https://pasttopresentgenealogy.co.uk
11/12 October 2025
This week in 1905, it was announced that the building in Low Lane, formerly occupied by the Birstall Conservative Association as club premises, had been converted into a residence for the Rev. Father Peter Russell, the Catholic priest for the newly founded parish of Birstall St. Patrick’s.
Jane Roberts – Parish Historian, Website: https://pasttopresentgenealogy.co.uk
18/19 October 2025
Proud wife and mother, German-born Mrs. Ellen Armstead featured in the local newspaper this week in 1941, with both her husband and daughter in uniform. All were St. Mary of the Angels parishioners. Her husband, Lance Corporal Thomas Amrstead, was serving with the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI). Born in 1889, and a member of Batley British Legion Club, he had also served in the First World War where he had lost his upper teeth as a result of shell fire. Their 21-year-old daughter, Mary, joined the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) in June 1941. Her fiancé, St. Mary’s parishioner Frank Higgins, was killed as a result of a German air raid over Plymouth in April 1941 whilst serving with the Royal Navy.
For Frank Higgins’ biography, click here.
Jane Roberts – Parish Historian, Website: https://pasttopresentgenealogy.co.uk
25/26 October 2025
On Sunday 31 October 1920 between 300 and 400 local Catholics marched in procession as a tribute to the late Lord Mayor of Cork, Alderman Terence Joseph MacSwiney. An Irish playwright and author, he was elected as Sinn Féin Lord Mayor of Cork during the Irish War of Independence in 1920. He was arrested by the British on charges of sedition and died in Brixton prison on 25 October after being on hunger strike for 74 days. The procession formed in Birstall Market Place and, headed by the Irish Republican Colours, proceeded to St. Patrick’s Church where, in a packed church, mass for the repose of his soul was said by Father Russell.
Jane Roberts – Parish Historian, Website: https://pasttopresentgenealogy.co.uk
Past To Present Genealogy 