• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
    Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
    im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
    we are now using a backup solution

Anti-Catholic riots

S

sjjones

Guest
:headhit: Some time ago, I remember reading about anti Catholic riots in Birmingham possibly during the 18th cent. which resulted in a new Catholic Church being torn down, trouble is I’ve forgotten where I read it.
I’d be grateful if anyone has any info on this and could help please?
:rolleyes:
 
Type catholic riots into the search bar at the top of the page, there is a thread about the riots there.
 
There were far more anti-protestant riots (meaning the 'non-conformist' churches) in Birmingham than anti-Catholic. The free thinkers like Dr Priestley had a hard time, which is sad, considering the amount he had contributed to scientific research in the late 18th century. Poor man, after his house was burned down he emigrated to the USA, but was too old to do in that different environment as much as he could have done here.
So far as the anti-Catholic feeling was concerned, we have to remember that Henry VIII's time, that view was enforced by the authorities, apart from a short period under his daughter Mary Tudor, and very nearly under James 2, until he was 'dealt with'. It was not until 1829 that the Catholic church was officially permitted to hold services in public. That must have been very difficult for the many immigrants who came from Catholic countries. But there are records of under-cover Catholic meetings almost all the intervening time.
Peter
 
Peter Walker said:
There were far more anti-protestant riots (meaning the 'non-conformist' churches) in Birmingham than anti-Catholic. The free thinkers like Dr Priestley had a hard time, which is sad, considering the amount he had contributed to scientific research in the late 18th century. Poor man, after his house was burned down he emigrated to the USA, but was too old to do in that different environment as much as he could have done here.
So far as the anti-Catholic feeling was concerned, we have to remember that Henry VIII's time, that view was enforced by the authorities, apart from a short period under his daughter Mary Tudor, and very nearly under James 2, until he was 'dealt with'. It was not until 1829 that the Catholic church was officially permitted to hold services in public. That must have been very difficult for the many immigrants who came from Catholic countries. But there are records of under-cover Catholic meetings almost all the intervening time.
Peter
Click to expand...

St. Peters RC Church at St. Peters Place just off Broad Street was the first Catholic church built in the Birmingham Archdiocese, [presumably after the Reformation] to look 'Like a factory'. No doubt the spire was added later.

ladywood
 
Ladywood i used to go to St Peters and serve mass there and was always led to believe it was built in the reformation,that why it was built like a factory:)Mau-reece
 
Mossy said:
Ladywood i used to go to St Peters and serve mass there and was always led to believe it was built in the reformation,that why it was built like a factory:)Mau-reece
Click to expand...

Do you remember Cannon O' Reilly, Father Brown, Father Flynn or Father Hugh Montgomery?
Can you remember who taught you your latin?
'Add dayum que lay tificat'.
Did you serve at the 11 o clock high mass on Sunday? or the first mass at either 6. 30 or 7.30 in the morning?

Ladywood
 
One of the interesting things here in this Forum raised by sjjones' thread is that The Gordon Riots in 1790 were a ferocious series of anti-Catholic actions initially in London though I believe elsewhere too..and that Lord George Gordon after whom the riots were called in history converted to Judaism in BIRMINGHAM in 1787.
 
My Mother was a Catholic, she went to St Chads and was taunted every day when a child. When she married and went to live in Scotland she was ignored for the very same reason...Cat
 
Ladywood i remember Father Brown and Father Montgomery he was the brother of the soldier Monty,father Brown got killed on his push bike

I used to serve 9 oclock on Sunday and 7-30 on a Wednesday

Happy Days Mau-reece dum a fligit me an mecus
 
I still remember reading somewhere that a catholic church was pulled down by rioters either shortly after it was built or during the build.
Does anyone know which church it was and where I read this, or have I imagined it?
 
Hi Mossy;Do you remember Canon Dunn and the Easter proccessions I got to carry
the cross with my fellow altar boys Tommy Lundy, Tony Kiernan, harry smith, O'Farrel.
The Headmisstress was Miss Clements, art teacher Miss Higgins Mr Padden Miss
Lester,also the school dinners although they were free they were dreadful.
P T in the school yard, also stinky toilets in the yard. My time was 1945---51
when we were moved to St Chads, theres another story.
 
Mossy said:
Ladywood i remember Father Brown and Father Montgomery he was the brother of the soldier Monty,father Brown got killed on his push bike

I used to serve 9 oclock on Sunday and 7-30 on a Wednesday

Happy Days Mau-reece dum a fligit me an mecus
Click to expand...

Hi Mossy,
Father Montgomery said to me that he was a cousin, or even a distant cousin of Field Marshall Montgomery.
I think he was uncomfortable to be connected with a man that had a such a hugh involvement in the second world war.
When as an altar server I knew Hugh Montgomery I think it was from about 1952 until around 1955.
Can you give me any info on the death of Father Brown. i.e where and when?

ladywood
 
:) Hi I am new to this forum, but was interested to see you mention Fr Montgomery - he was Montys brother I believe, he was the Parish Priest at St Peter and Pauls for many years until his death and Monty came to his funeral. He was a big man I remember but very very shy and quiet till he got in the pulpit....

Fr Monty was one of my "grandmothers" flock of priests mostly from the Abbey, difficult to explain but they all came to see her and Pops and they used to come to the front door - wheel their bikes out the back door and if there was a knock at the front door they would skoot off (they were not supposed to be there as they were not our Parish priest!!!) Gran always managed to give them a good feed even in War time and post war rationing, Christmas was always hillarious, Fr A would turn up, he would be sitting with Pops having a quiet drink, knock on the front door, Fr B turns up, Pops can be heard saying in a loud voice Oh hello Fathers come in, as Fr A picked up his coat and disappeared out the back door. We as kids got used to it and also got used to "keeping our mouths shut" and it was always good for "blackmail" especially when Fr Rector appeared. Those were the days. In UK we sent missionaries out to foreign parts to convert the "heathens" my uncle was one he was killed in S Africa in 1969, now here in NZ we have priests who are "imports" from the Phillipines trying to save out souls.

Dyan in NZ ex Erdington Abbeyite and Primary School and St Agnes Convent.
 
Dyan you are wrong Father Montgomery was a priest at St Peters just off Broad St....not St Peter and Pauls this was about 1956 onwards

Mossy
 
Dyan i have just tried to upload pictures of St Peters without success but if you put St Peters church in the search box top of page you will be able to see some pictures of it......forgot to say welcome to the best forum around

Mossy
 
Well there was a Fr Montgomery who was Montys brother who was, at I am sure St Peter and Pauls in Erdington/Pype Hayes? in the early 50's. I went to his funeral when I was about 20 and met Monty I was with my Grandfather and my Dad I think it was at St Chads. He was a very tall and well built man and he had quite a flash car for a priest at the time. I am sure we have the same person but I may have my timing a bit out.
Interesting that you live in W-S-M we had friends there and spent every summer there even during war time, they were the Aplins they had a house road the corner from the Coach Station just off the sea front - John the son who was a policeman is still there and daughter Connie now lives in starts with a "B" oh brain dead too late at night here in NZ will have to look up the address. She married Captain John Winn another identity in WSM also my Gt Aunt and Gt Uncle Goerge and Maud Kennedy lived there till they died and were very much into the Catholic Church in WSM (or Weston Super Mud as we called it)

Regards
Dyan
 
Hi Dyan, Fr Montgomery was a convert to Catholicism.
He was related to Bernard Law Montgomery, but as I recall I think he implied it was as a cousin.
I had the feeling and I was only nine at the time, Hugh Montgomery was a very gentle man and would have I felt ensconced from anything to do with a war.
He was a priest at St. Peters Church Broad Street from around 1952 to 1956?
He was transfered from St Peters, Broad Street to another Catholic church which was I think on the Stratford Road.
Fr Montgomery became Monsignor Montgomary, to Oxford university.
St. Chads would I think have a record of Hugh Montgomery.
He was a large man, perhaps 6 ft. When I knew him he had a bicycle with a Solex engine.
He encouraged me to draw. Which became my profession.
I remember as a group of altar servers spending a very wet Sunday in Evesham, on a pilgrimage, after 3 or 4 hours in a procession despite our gabardine raincoats we where soaked to the skin.
On the train back to Birmingham, our raincoats hanging from the luggage racks, Fr. Mongomery asked what were our favourite songs. so that he might cheer up our sodden group.
I asked him what was his favourite song?
He said 'Jesu Son of Mans Desiring.' by J S Bach.

ladywood
 
Ladywood, your last post answers a doubt I had about the previous discussion. General Bernard Montgomery was the son of the Vicar of the (Anglican) church of St Mark Kennington in South London, which at that time had the nickname of 'the tramwayman's church' because three important horse tram routes met at that point.
Wikipedia gives a fruity account of Montgomery's family History. Look up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Montgomery,_1st_Viscount_Montgomery_of_Alamein#Early_life,
I haven't looked any further any further into his brothers, but it might be helpful.
Peter
 
Hi

Sorry I started this - Fr Monty was a convert to Catholisim and became a priest late in his life he was at the seminary with one of my cousins who also came into it late in life. I know I went to a service for him in St Chads now if it was a funeral or a celebration of his life I cannot remember - bearing in mind I am now in my "dottage" but I know I met General Montgomery at this service. I doubt it was his silver aniversary of proffession as I would have left for New Zealand by then. I know my Dad and Uncle were servers at the Mass and I know that Fr Monty was a frequent visitor to my Grandma and Grandpas place......there could not have been two of them I am sure.

Dyan
 
Just got confirmation from UK that Fr Montgomery was at St Peter and Pauls Pype Hayes from 1956 to 1962.
Hope that helps fillin some gaps.

Dyan
 
Hi Dyan, I not sorry you started this.
It's been a niggle for years.
Not knowing what happened to the best priest I ever knew.
I've been in touch with St. Chads, and they are getting back to me.
As soon as I know anything, I'll post it.

ladywood
 
Trust me to follow a thread that seemed to Peter out so long ago.
I have clear recollections of Father Montgomery and served mass for him on many occasions He was a great man and I I know he moved from St. Peter's at Broad Street up to to a church near the Birchfield road.
Great to see so many names from my past scattered amongst these posts.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top