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St Peter's Chapel St Peter's Place

Hello Vivienne. Thanks for your help, again. What would we do without you. As I'm knocking on a little now, some things have to be said sooner rather than later, so, Merry Christmas. Phil.
 
St Peters a big part of my life. The inside of that church was magical with its galleries. I was an altar boy there for years. I also attended the school and have a few photos buried away somewhere. I will attempt to find them.
so many names flood back.
Attended school 1950 - ?55 (was it 5 years in infants/juniors) my brothers John and Adrian and sister Mary also attended over the following years
Went on to St Chads from there)
Priests, Fr Montgomerie (seen the post on him)
Fr Brown and the girls favorite Fr Cronin.
Teachers. Miss Lester. Mrs Clements (head) Mr Padden (absolute star) Mr Mullen (confused on this one) grey matter seized up at this stage.
Classmates.
Brendan Behan, Steven & Phillip O'neill, John Bullivant, ?? Doherty, Andrew Upson, Roy Chadwick, ?John? Elwood, Hubert O'Reilly.
Marion Fraser, ?? Quiggly, ?Jean? Tuplin. Kathleen Hopkins.
Cant bring more to mind, the photo would help.
The caretaker was a brilliant bloke and whilst I can picture him his name will not come back to me.
I'm sure more stuff will flood back but it will only mean something to fellow travellers.
Good luck to one and all.
 
ladywood said:
Re: St Peter's Chapel, St Peter's Place
Snap, I was there at the same time.


Dear Jabba, I was a pupil at St Peters RC School from 1949 until 1955 and the Staff I remember are Miss Clements [Headmistress] Miss McKintyre [Head of the junior school], Mrs. Lester. Miss Green. Miss O' Hara, Mr Gunn and Mrs. Blackband.
The priests I recall were Father Brown, Father Hugh Montgomery and Father O' Flynn. Hugh Montgomery [who I believe was a cousin to Field Marshall Bernard Law Montgomery] and I think became Monsignor Montgomery to Oxford University. Although I haven't been able to as yet, verify this.
I was also an altar server from about 1951 until about 1958.
I can also remember a sister of charity, Sister Gabriel.
I served at the mass for her funeral, that was held at St Peters.
Click to expand...
 
Hi Mick.
Welcome to the forum, I have sent you a private message known as a conversation.
I was with Jimmy Elwood today, am in touch with Denise Lonsdale and several others from
St Chads.
Regards
Dave Edwards
 
The electoral roll for 1952 gives three names for St Peters - Joseph W Dunne; Eveline M Kelly; and Jerome P O'Flynn.
1947 only has Desmond G Donnelly.
 
St. Peter's Place early 1950's. Looking towards Broad Street; The International Convention Centre and Symphony Hall now stand on that site.

28472328_10208916445627096_6132363942644117594_n.jpg
 
once again nice pics BB im sure memories will be stirred....have always thought what a delightful looking place st peters place was...just a pity other didnt think the same way it would have been great to retain those lovely houses amid the modern look:(

lyn
 
I agree Lyn, St Peter's Place looks beautiful in the sunshine. I remember St Silas Square in May 1976 with the blossom trees in bloom, that still is in my memory after all these years.
 
did you live near st silas square then BB as you probably know its still there....yes a great shame that st peters place was not deemed nice enough to hold back as a bit of the city centres social history

lyn
 
There was recognition of the value of the chapel etc as there as an attempt to save it before demolition. But needless to say, the case fell on deaf ears. Viv.
 
It was the oldest RC church at the time of demolition. Should have been saved even if it had 'cracks'. What church doesn't have cracks ? Viv.

image.jpeg
 
I did discover some photographs of the church being demolished but have included them because they're quite sad to see. The photograph I have included is the church being prepared for demolition (even that is demoralizing). The pews are gone and the altar rail is dismantled.

27384w.jpg
 
One of the problems for large town and city churches is that many were built to meet the need, at the time, for a church in the area. Consequently many were built within a budget and served a fairly recently arrived population.
Difficulties arose for many of these mainly Victorian buildings when, in more recent times, they suffered from a twofold change. The first of these changes - and the principal one - was loss of congregation due to people moving to other, usually better parts of city/town, older folk who often stayed in the area dying and then those who found no use for the church any more. The second was deterioration of the building structure and as a result of the first change mentioned above it being found unwise to spend large sums of money on a structure without real architectural value.
Sadly, it appears to me, that St. Peter's eventually fell into the above categories. Whilst it had real architectural appearance within its exterior was quite nondescript.
I wonder of much of the interior was rescued and became donor to a newer build church?
One facet of the thread that I find very interesting is the fond memories of the church, its ministers and the school that are recorded here.
 
I was interested to see the photos of St Peter's church both inside and out as I knew the church only for the car park that was on the site as driving in along Hagley Road and Broad Street it was very convenient for walking into the city centre and was not well known so I could always get a parking place.
 
Mick Johnston said:
St Peters a big part of my life. The inside of that church was magical with its galleries. I was an altar boy there for years. I also attended the school and have a few photos buried away somewhere. I will attempt to find them.
so many names flood back.
Attended school 1950 - ?55 (was it 5 years in infants/juniors) my brothers John and Adrian and sister Mary also attended over the following years
Went on to St Chads from there)
Priests, Fr Montgomerie (seen the post on him)
Fr Brown and the girls favorite Fr Cronin.
Teachers. Miss Lester. Mrs Clements (head) Mr Padden (absolute star) Mr Mullen (confused on this one) grey matter seized up at this stage.
Classmates.
Brendan Behan, Steven & Phillip O'neill, John Bullivant, ?? Doherty, Andrew Upson, Roy Chadwick, ?John? Elwood, Hubert O'Reilly.
Marion Fraser, ?? Quiggly, ?Jean? Tuplin. Kathleen Hopkins.
Cant bring more to mind, the photo would help.
The caretaker was a brilliant bloke and whilst I can picture him his name will not come back to me.
I'm sure more stuff will flood back but it will only mean something to fellow travellers.
Good luck to one and all.
Click to expand...

Can you remember the smell from the clubroom with the piano and snooker table, a rich smell of stale tobacco and whatever was being cooked in the kitchen . I remember Fr Griffiths , Fr Browns successor, Miss McIntyre asst head Miss Harrison(Pen & Ink) . I remember Brendan Behan , the O'Neills John Bullivant Hubert O'Reilly , Marion Fraser, also Fr's Cronin & Montgomerie wasn't he a Jesuit monk ?
 
Astoness said:
only got one word for that viv...disgraceful

lyn
Click to expand...

I served mass there a couple of times , first time I was an altar boy , I did what was called bottom step as I was going to receive communion I hadn't had breakfast and fainted my forehead squarely hitting the step in front of me . I was only out for a couple of seconds , when I got home that Sunday the breakfast was very welcome
 
Barr_Beacon said:
I did discover some photographs of the church being demolished but have included them because they're quite sad to see. The photograph I have included is the church being prepared for demolition (even that is demoralizing). The pews are gone and the altar rail is dismantled.

27384w.jpg
Click to expand...
It was beautiful inside. I was baptised there and attended the school next door. The altar was white marble as were the altars on either side. The ceiling was painted blue with gold stars and the white dove in the centre. The walls in the 50s were pale blue, cream and gold. So sad that it was demolished. When they started digging the foundations for the Convention Centre, they discovered about 300 graves under the school playground!
 
spitfire 65 said:
It was beautiful inside. I was baptised there and attended the school next door. The altar was white marble as were the altars on either side. The ceiling was painted blue with gold stars and the white dove in the centre. The walls in the 50s were pale blue, cream and gold. So sad that it was demolished. When they started digging the foundations for the Convention Centre, they discovered about 300 graves under the school playground!
Click to expand...

Welcome Spitfire I went to the school also I was Baptised there and served mass there . Miss Clements(Headmistress) Mrs McKyntyre(Deputy) Mr Gunn teacher Mrs Harrison teacher Mr Padden teacher to name but five good old days, Even with the smell of stale smoke and beer from the clubroom by the kitchen
 
I found this beautiful image on the skyscrapers.com website, there are 2 pictures but one is just the other reversed. Lots of pictures on there that I have not seen before. I've checked BHF and can't see it anywhere.
 

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Has been discussed, possibly on Facebook, when it was miss-identified as a chapel south of Broad Street. You show the correct view but I know that there is a reversed photo floating around. This could be a Phyllis Nicklin photo.
 
brummy-lad said:
I found this beautiful image on the skyscrapers.com website, there are 2 pictures but one is just the other reversed. Lots of pictures on there that I have not see before. I've checked BHF and can't see it anywhere
Click to expand...
First Communion , Confirmation , and thoughts on becoming a priest here , plus I served at mass on several occasions at St Peters also went to the school for five years .
 
Williamstreeter said:
First Communion , Confirmation , and thoughts on becoming a priest here , plus I served at mass on several occasions at St Peters also went to the school for five years .
Click to expand...
Looks idyllic on the 1953 photo but then when you look at the photo in post #120 taken in 1967 it seems such a shame the amount of deterioration. I imagine that you have fond memories of that time and place.
 
brummy-lad said:
I found this beautiful image on the skyscrapers.com website, there are 2 pictures but one is just the other reversed. Lots of pictures on there that I have not seen before. I've checked BHF and can't see it anywhere.
Click to expand...
brummy-lad said:
I found this beautiful image on the skyscrapers.com website, there are 2 pictures but one is just the other reversed. Lots of pictures on there that I have not seen before. I've checked BHF and can't see it anywhere.
Click to expand...
I've seen the photo before, it is a Phyllis Nicklin image from 1953. The one you posted is the right way round though I have seen the reversed version. I have happy memories of my schooldays at St Peter's, also made my first Communion at the church in 1958......how time flies!
 
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