Source: https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/staffs/vol17/pp60-61
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 13:58:25+00:00

Document:
Daly rebuilt the church in 1875-7 on the corner of High Street and St. Michael Street as a memorial to George Spencer. He raised a third of the cost in New York in 1873-4. Designed in an Early English style by Dunn & Hansom of Newcastle-uponTyne, the church is of Birmingham brick with Bath stone dressings. (fn. 28) It consists of sanctuary flanked by side chapels, aisled nave, and sacristy; there is an organ gallery at the west end. The south-west tower and spire, of Ruabon brick and Hollington stone, were added in 1911; the architect was Edmund Kirby. (fn. 29) The church was consecrated in 1917. (fn. 30) The presbytery, which seems to date from about the time of the rebuilding of the church, (fn. 31) adjoins it on the north.
The Roman Catholic population of St. Michael's parish in 1967 was 1,500, (fn. 32) but the parish no longer covered the whole of West Bromwich. A mass centre served from St. Michael's was started at the Stone Cross Hotel in 1948, and a church, used also as a hall, was opened in Hall Green Road in 1951. (fn. 33) A resident priest was appointed in 1953, and the parish of Holy Cross was formed the following year. The Roman Catholic population in 1967 was 1,740. The present church was opened in 1968. Designed by L. Brocki, it is a cruciform building of brick. The high altar is at the crossing, the sacristy in the eastern arm, and the seating for the congregation in the other three arms. There is an open-sided belfry over the crossing. The church stands in a large open space with the presbytery to the east.
3. V.C.H. Bucks. iii. 348; T. Fortescue, Lord Clermont, Sir John Fortescue, Knight, his Life, Works, and Family Hist. ii. (priv. print. 1869), 292-3; above p. 18. An early18th-century reference to the Sheltons, lords of the manor, as 'Romanists' (S.R.O., D.(W.)1778/V/701, J. Meres to Lord Dartmouth, n.d.) may result from a confusion with the Whorwoods.
5. Cath. Rec. Soc. lvii. 150.
7. Cath. Rec. Soc. liii. 333; S.R.O., D. 1287/9/10, return of Staffs. papists 12 Mar. 1629/30; L.J.R.O., B/V/1/55, p. 33; S.H.C. 4th ser. ii. 88-9; Staffs. Cath. Hist. v. 23; vii. 29; xiii. 47-8.
8. Reeves, West Bromwich, 49-50; A. Fea, Secret Chambers and Hiding Places, 289; 'Old West Bromwich', 15 Sept. 1944.
9. S.R.O., D. 1287/9/10, return of Staffs. papists 12 Mar. 1629/30.
10. S.H.C. 4th ser. ii. 88-9.
11. Staffs. Cath. Hist. xiii. 47-8.
12. E. E. Estcourt and J. O. Payne, Eng. Catholic Nonjurors of 1715, 247.
13. Staffs. Cath. Hist. vii. 29-30.
14. B.A.A., R. 83 and 145, giving West Bromwich baptisms from 1822; Laity's Dir. (1832), 23.
15. 'Catholic Chapels in Staffs.' Cath. Mag. v (1834; reprinted in Staffs. Cath. Hist. xiv), 312-13; Laity's Dir. (1832), 23.
16. Hackwood, West Bromwich, 45; B. W. Kelly, Historical Notes on Eng. Catholic Missions, 422.
17. Cath. Mag. v. 313; B.A.A. 12 July 1830, account book for West Bromwich Chapel 1830-3; Ed. 7/112/West Bromwich/19.
18. B.A.A. 28 July 1830, copy of inscription on foundation stone.
19. Cath. Mag. v. 313; Hackwood, West Bromwich, 45.
20. Cath. Mag. v. 313; Hackwood, West Bromwich, 45; H. M. Colvin, Biog. Dict. of Eng. Architects, 1660-1840, 308; B.A.A. 12 July 1830, account book; White, Dir. Staffs. (1851). For the site of the church see 'Old West Bromwich', 12 Apr. 1946; Peacock & Cottrell, Map of West Bromwich (1857).
21. B.A.A. 12 July 1830, account book; 7 Feb. 1831, statement of account; 9 Aug. 1832, accounts; Cath. Mag. v. 313; Staffs. Advertiser, 1 Dec. 1832.
22. J. Gillow, Bibliographical Dict. of Eng. Catholics, v. 519; Hackwood, West Bromwich, 45.
23. Cath. Mag. v. 313.
24. H.O. 129/381/3/1. Dudley then had its own church, dating from 1835.
26. White, Dir. Staffs. (1851); G. V. Hudson, Mother Geneviève Dupuis, 150; 'Old West Bromwich', 12 Apr. 1946. The convent occurs in Cath. Dir. from 1851 to 1853.
27. B.A.A. 12 Aug. 1877, visitation schedule and statistics.
28. Hackwood, West Bromwich, 45-6; Kelly's Dir. Staffs. (1880); Cath. Dir. of Province of Birm. (1915), 62; Staffs. Advertiser, 9 Oct. 1875, 24 Mar. 1877; B.A.A. 12 Aug. 1877, visitation schedule and statistics. The organ was bought from Christ Church: see above p. 55 n. 29.
29. Kelly's Dir. Staffs. (1912); ex inf. Mr. E. H. Hubbard (1970).
30. Cath. Dir. of Province of Birm. (1918), 251-2.
31. 'Old West Bromwich', 12 Apr. 1946. Dr. Edw. Gerrard, the last occupant of the house which preceded the presbytery, seems to have left it between 1872 and 1876: ibid.; P.O. Dir. Staffs. (1872; 1876).
32. Cath. Dir. of Archdioc. of Birm. (1968).
33. The rest of this para. is based on ibid. (1949); (1951), 191; (1953); (1954), 208-9; West Bromwich News, 4 Jan. 1968; plans at Archbishop's House, St. Chad's Cathedral, Birmingham; inf. from Mr. G. C. W. Jones of West Bromwich (1969).
34. Cath. Dir. of Archdioc. of Birm. (1954), 209; (1960), 194-5.

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