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St Chads Cathedral

  • Thread starter Thread starter kenh
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I was christened and had my first holy communion at st Chad's and I went to st Chad's junior school which was down the side road next to st Chad's in them days it was run by the nuns.EVery year we always had a Christmas choir at st Chad's the whole school sang infront of the congregation and with st Chad's being so big inside it was very scary for us young kids to get up infront of everyone and sing and many of us was so nervous we could not open our mouths we new our parents was there but we could not see them as it was so big inside.They used the buildings next to st Chad's as their community rooms where we all went after each event to have tea and cakes.Tthe buildings were very modern and I am sure the nuns lived there as well .This was in the late 60s.
 
The main entrance to the Cathedral in the 1950s. It shows houses to the right of the entrance which must have been demolished for the ring road development. Did the building belong to the church ?
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Source; British Newspaper Archive
 

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Was wondering if the houses in the background of this photo were on Shadwell Street ? I've estimated where I think the procession was walking in attached modern Streetview.

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Source : British Newspaper Archive Screenshot_20240108_202444_Maps.jpg
 
kenh said:
bham post today did article on plans for a heritage centre in the crypt of st chads cathedral and there is now a virtual tour at www.stchadscathedral.org.uk have just tried it its beautiful and will be a great new addition to bhams historic attractions
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I found the virtual tour of the cathedral when I was researching St. Chads cathedral. A lot different from when I used to attend the church.
Going to mass when I was a child every Sunday at 9.30 am, making my first communion and getting confirmed. I got married there and my first child was baptised there. I remember that it seemed very dark and there were large ornate wooden screens that separated the alter from the rest of the church. The tour as you mention is absolutely beautiful, many historical features are shown. It is well worth a visit.
 
In the early 1970's my husband used to volunteer at St. Chad's in the crypt which housed "down and outs" (or as we called them "tramps). These people would be allowed to sleep there for a night and were also fed soup and bread. There was not such a problem with so many people living on the streets then, he often tells me that he knew most of the homeless in Birmingham at that time
 
Not sure about where the photograph was taken, I lived in Bath Street and I remember watching that procession.
There were crowds of people lining the streets. I do not remember many houses in Shadwell Street, they were mainly small factories that had once been houses.
my sister worked in one that had been a house and they made camera's. The side view of the Cathedral brings back many memories for me, as a child my friends and I used to play on the steps, seeing who could jump as many as possible, we ended up with lots of cuts and bruises.
We were often chased away by the priests who lived in the Bishops House on the Opposite corner.
 
Astonb6 said:
I'm proud to say my Irish parents from Dublin were married at St Chad's Cathedral in 1948.
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Both myself and my brother Brian were married in St. Chads cathedral. Brian in September 1961 and myself in October 1962 when all the alterations to Bath Street were beginning to take place. Having to negotiate getting out of taxi and avoiding trenches in the footpath.
 
With permission of Fr Tim the Cathedral Dean I run the Instagram Account for the Cathedral - thought I would share some old postcards of the interior as it once was
 

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suemalings said:
In the early 1970's my husband used to volunteer at St. Chad's in the crypt which housed "down and outs" (or as we called them "tramps). These people would be allowed to sleep there for a night and were also fed soup and bread. There was not such a problem with so many people living on the streets then, he often tells me that he knew most of the homeless in Birmingham at that time
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I believe this stopped when one of the overnight guests lit a fire in the crypt
 
I remember the screens and the alter being very far away. I got married in St. Chads in 1962 and the screens were there. I moved to Yorkshire to live and it was years later when I returned to St. Chads it was all changed. No longer were the screens there, it was much brighter and lighter.
 
pauljon said:
I remember the screens and the alter being very far away. I got married in St. Chads in 1962 and the screens were there. I moved to Yorkshire to live and it was years later when I returned to St. Chads it was all changed. No longer were the screens there, it was much brighter and lighter.
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The rood screen went after the Vatican Council which allowed Mass to be said facing the people and that was when altars were moved to the front of the sanctuaries.
 
pjmburns said:
The rood screen went after the Vatican Council which allowed Mass to be said facing the people and that was when altars were moved to the front of the sanctuaries.
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Most of the Screen went to the Anglican Holy Trinity church in Reading but St Chads still has some parts of it on display including two Saint painting now either side of the altar in St Edwards chapel
 
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