www.saintmarysharborne.org.uk

Dr. [Bishop] Ullathorne O.S.B.
the first Bishop of Birmingham, since the Restoration of the Hierarchy in England in 1850.

He then bought and gave them a disused Methodist Chapel with two cottages attached in Heath Street [now High Street] Harborne. The place was in dreadful condition, full of moths and swarming with bugs. However, eventually the Passionist fathers got the better of the insects and were able to arrange a Solemn Opening on 26th. June 1870, the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

sketch of the original chapel in Heath Street. [High Street]
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A schoolroom was built at the back of the chapel and this was opened in April 1871. The Community of three Fathers and two Brothers found the place inconvenient and were very soon looking for a new property. In September 1873, Father Bernadine heard of the intended sale of a house called "Harborne Lodge" with land situated in Lodge Road [now Vivian Road].

One month later the Community took possession of the new property and the day after that Mass was said in the drawing room on a temporary altar. Weekday Masses were said there while the Sunday Masses were still said in the Old Chapel in Heath Road. Later, in 1874, since there was already a schoolroom in the Old Chapel House, the whole property was turned into a school and the large conservatory at the rear of the new house became a temporary chapel.

But this proved to be too small for a growing congregation; Father Bernadine approached Dr. Ullathorne to inform him that he intended to build a suitable new church. His Lordship warmly approved of his intentions and gave him a handsome donation towards the cost of the building. He then set about raising extra funds from the well-to-do faithful and Passionist benefactors in England and Ireland. The building was started in 1875 after £1,200 had been raised. The Foundation Stone was laid on the 8th. September, the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Foundation Stone

Owing to delays in the supply of bricks and because of a very severe winter, the building did not reach completion before early 1877. February 6th., the feast of the Solemn Commemoration of the Passion, was the date set for opening. Bishop Ullathorne celebrated Pontifical High Mass and Bishop Hadley preached the Sermon. The music was provided by the St. Chad's Cathedral Choir. Among those present was the Earl of Gainsborough, Lady Edith Noel, Mr. and Mrs. Morris and Family and many other notable people.

In September 1884 the Retreat was opened as a House of Studies and about 18 students were transferred to Harborne from St. Paul's Retreat in Dublin, from where the Pulpit, made of ebony, rosewood and satinwood, was eventually brought to St. Mary's in 1886. In 1884 there were six Priests, two Brothers, eleven student postulants and one lay postulant.

June 1887 saw the celebration of Queen Victorias Jubilee with a Solemn High Mass, the choir singing Mozart's "First Mass", followed by the "Te Deum" and Benediction. In the afternoon a procession of children from the various schools, including St. Mary's, paraded through the village led by the Harborne Volunteer Fire Brigade, and the children were led back to their respective schools for a Tea Party!

Also in June 1887 the Corpus Christi procession was held again after a lapse of five years and it was held within the grounds and gardens of the Retreat. Admission was by free ticket only in attempt to keep out the rough element and the Procession was most orderly and devotional!

In the same year on 15th. July Bishop Ilsley held an Ordination in the church; a Passionist and a Secular were raised to the Priesthood, and another Passionist received the Diaconate. Another Ordination took place on 17th. December.

1887 was obviously another busy year, not only for social events but planning for the future! During the winter of that year a series of entertainments was held in order to raise money for the building of a new school. It was arranged that several leading gentlemen of the congregation should give an evenings entertainment at their own expense and the total amount made was £18., a lot of money in those days!

In 1888 there was a cencus of the parish and it was found that there were 348 catholics in Harborne, 77 in a part of Selly Oak which was then part of the parish, 143 at St. Joseph's Homes, 16 at St. Mary's Retreat and 17 Little Sisters of the Poor at St. Joseph's Homes, making a total of 601.

At the beginning of 1890 a Choir Supper took place with 43 tickets being sold to the Choir, active members of the Altar Society, and then to the rest of the parish for 2shillings each.

An interesting ceremony that took place on June 19th., 1890 was the consecration to the Sacred Heart of all the children in the parish. It was during the evening of the same day that the Archconfraternity of the Children of Mary was established.

In May 1895 the Foundation Stone of a new school was laid by Canon McCave D.D., for two classrooms, cloakrooms and two toilets in the top playground. [This is where the Parish Centre now stands] Opened in November of the same year it cost £550 to build.

One of the most interesting features of the old church were three Confessional Boxes [Reconciliation Rooms] down the side aisle which were erected in September 1898 [two of which are now at the rear of the old church], and the beautiful stained glass windows above the main altar erected in the September of the same year.

It had long been felt that the old house, Harborne Lodge, was too confined and inconvenient for a religious community. Accordingly, a new Retreat was planned, linking up the original house with the present church. With impressive ceremonial the new building was blessed and opened towards the end of May 1911 by the Right Reverened Dr. Ilsley, Bishop of Birmingham.

In 1917 the stained glass windows in the Lady Chapel were erected and these were the gift of a Mr. S. Jewsbury.

During the First World War the son of the Connolly family was killed and it was in memory of him that, and other men in the parish, that the Connolly family gave the Calvary Group as a War Memorial. Only the crucifix of that group now remains and can be found to the right of the rear of the new church with the two War Memorials either side.

1923 witnessed the revival of the Fourty Hours devotion. The last one had taken place at St. Mary's some ten years before but it was now enforced by Canon Law.

After many fund-raising events the church debt was finally paid off in 1932 and the Consecration of the Church was at last allowed to take place on 13th. April. A three-hour service which began at 8.45am. was celebrated by Archbishop Williams assisted by Dr. Griffin, later to become Cardinal Griffin.

1932: The Church Consecration Committee.

It was during this year that a further society was added to the parish with the inauguration of a branch of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and a Mr. Forsyth was appointed as its first President.

In gratitude for the passing of the grave international crisis in September 1938 , Mr. E. B. Aldridge offered to pay for the opening up of the old sacristy, known as the "Basilica", into the church by the Lady Chapel, with the intention of making it into a Sacred Heart Chapel.

In 1936 two Infant classrooms, cloakrooms and lower playground was added to the school. [The latter is now the Priory Car Park]

The Centenary Celebrations commemorating the coming of Blessed Dominic Barberi to England took place in November 1940 with great ceremony. Dr. Griffin [now Bishop] sang Pontifical High Mass, assisted by the clergy from The Oratory and other churches. The church was decorated with pots and pots of chrysanthemums grown in the Conservatory by Fr. Lawrence!

1957: Silver Jubilee of the Altar Servers.

Looking up Harborne Park Road to the corner of Vivian Road in 1961.
"The Shrubbery" can be seen on the right.
Photo İDon Wright.
Photo courtesy of Harborne Library.

Many parishioners will remember how narrowly the church escaped from being burnt down in 1961 when, on one summer afternoon, a fire stated in the candle room. Before it was eventually put out the sacristy was completed blackened, the paint blistered, windows were broken and walls thorougout the Lady Chapel were charred by smoke. If the fire had started at night no doubt it would have spread to the whole church and house. It was at this time that the rest of the stained glass windows were put into the church and the old pipe organ, which was passed its prime, was replaced by an electric organ.

St. Mary's in 1964. Photo İDon Wright.
Photo courtesy of Harborne Library.

St. Mary's in 1968. Photo İDon Wright.
Photo courtesy of Harborne Library.

After nearly 100 years, in 1970, it was decided to modernise the church. The altar and communion rails were removed, the organ and choir removed from the organ loft and the Lady Chapel transferred to the side chapel. [The side chapel is now the Sacristy]

The Passionists celebrated the centenary of their arrival in Harborne in 1970. It was a great social occasion, with many past members, friends and visiting priests. The Chief festival was an open air Concelebrated Mass at which Archbishop Dwyer was the chief celebrant. Tea was provided afterwards in the gardens.