Portable altar set up ready for Mass.
Reverse: "Fr Mac2's First Pre-Vatican II portable altar. It was in two pieces - a fairly heavy folding table (made of beechwood) - there was an oblong hole in the centre of the top for the altar stone. The other piece was an oblong beechwood frame which screwed onto the top back edge of the table and on which the reredos curtain and crucifix were hung. All other altar prerequisites I carried in a big case (as seen in the photo). This photo I took in a pub in Histon (Cambs) one Sunday in 1959 - Notice I turned the dartboard to face the wall!
Altar No 1"

A vehicle unloaded with resources for the Travelling Mission Mass placed nearby. The words "Catholic Travelling Mission" are just discernable on the white side of the vehicle.
Reverse: "This is the first of four Land Rovers which Fr McCormick used on his Travelling Mission work ending in August 1975.
It was taken outside what was his base for 10 years at 'Foxden' Burnham Bucks. Bishop Leo Parker thought it was haunted!
Key to Numbers:
1 = Portable Altar No.2
2 = Portable Altar No3.
3 = Carved statue of O. Lady in oak case
4 = Tape recorder & player for churchy music.
5 = Box of piety goods - Prayer Bks, Rosaries, etc."

Portable altar with people stood around; candles lit; (during?) Mass.
Reverse: "Fr Mac2's First Pre-Vatican II portable altar as used in Travelling Mission work. I took this at a "house-Mass" in 1959. The man with the glasses looking into the camera used to be deputy head of All Souls School at Peterborough.
Altar No 1."

A vehicle loaded with resources for the Travelling Mission Mass.
Reverse: "This is the first of four Land Rovers which Fr McCormick used on his Travelling Mission work ending in August 1975.
It was taken outside what was his base for 10 years at 'Foxden' Burnham Bucks. Bishop Leo Parker thought it was haunted!
Key to Numbers:
1 = Portable Alktar No.2
3 = My carved statue of O. Lady in oak case
4 = Tape recorder & player for churchy music.
5 = Box of piety goods - Prayer Bks, Rosaries, etc."

Travelling Mission Mass ready for use from the back of the Land Rover, in a field.
Reverse: "Fr Mac2's Second Pre Vat II Portable Altar, In this photo it is on the tail-board of my mission land-rover at a pony club camp near Woodbridge in early 1960s.
This altar did not have a folding table - it was in a stout wooden case the hinged lid of the case opened to form the reredos complete opening altar cards & screw on crucifix & candles. When this had been lifted into place the next layer was unfolded to form the altar top - under which were stowed the altar requisites.
The whole thing was placed on any convenient table or sideboard.
Altar No. 2"

see also NTM-02-01-7
Reverse: "Fr Mac2's Pre Vat II Portable Altar - No. 3.
This is as described in the photo at Long Melford. But this was taken in a pub bar in Holt, Norfolk
Altar No. 3"

Collation of newsletters, notes and comments by Fr McCormick.
pg1: title page with map of Northampton Dioses pre-1976
pg2-4: comments by Fr McCormick on hid life as a Travelling Missionary. Note: the newsletters (produced from February 1961) are scanned from the remaining copies he had, "I lost quite a few ... production was somewhat erratic."
pg4-6: newsletter No.1 8 February 1961
pg6-7: newsletter No.2 10 May 1961
pg7-9: newsletter No.4 1 November 1961
pg9-11: newsletter No.5 1 February 1962
pg11-12: newsletter No.6 14 May 1962
pg12-13: Travelling Mission entry for Diocesan Year Book 1963
pg13-15: newsletter No.7 1 February 1963
pg15-17: newsletter No.8 15 August 1963
pg17-18: newsletter No.9 21 January 1964
pg18-20: newsletter No.10 16 July 1964
pg20-21: Travelling Mission notes for Diocesan Magazine 15 April 1965
pg21-22: Changes in the Liturgy of the Church [personal view]
pg22-23: Newsletter No.11 21 April 1965
pg23-25: newsletter No.12 16 March 1966
pg25-26: Travelling Mission Notes 2 June 1970
pg26: Travelling Mission Notes 15 July 1970
pg26-27: Travelling Mission Notes 4 August 1970
pg27: Travelling Mission work in Stowmarket Parish (May 1979 - for Parish magazine)
Pg27-28: Travelling Mission Mass Centre at YUp Well, Norfolk 1959-1975 (27 July 1982 - notes written for Diocese of Northampton)
Pg28: Postscript - "In August 1975 Bishop Charles Grant of Northampton closed down the Travelling Mission. He told me he had reluctantly decided to do this in view of the pending division of the Northampton Diocese in June 1976 and the setting up of the new Diocese of East Anglia. Needless to say there was great sadness in all Travelling Mission Mass Centres. After seventeen years as Diocesan Travelling Missioner I too was greatly saddened! As I mentioned on the first page of this brief outline of the Travelling Mission work I can once again see the day when in order to keep the presence of the church alive in the community today there will have to be another form of mobile approach. Alas I am no longer strong enough to do such work but could, I am sure, give any interested bishops a few hints and tips!"

Interior of mission bus showing altar and seating. Note the Stations of the Cross positioned on cupboard doors above the seating.

pg1: index
pg2-3: letter to Ransomers, signed Laurance Goulson, Master of the Guild
pg4: The Wilderness - image of rubble and scrub
pg5: Mass in the Cafe - image of priest elevating the host with a number of worshippers, crockery in the foreground (annotation: "Robert L McCormick")
pg6: The Travelling Chapel - image of Fr McCormick's converted bus (annotation: "Robert's mobile chapel")
pg7: Inside the Bus: Image of Fr McComick saying Mass (annotation: "Robert saying Mass in mobile chapel")
pg8: The Temporary Church: image of front of church with priest, ladies and children. (annotation: "St Matthew's / Barton Le Clay (Beds) 1961 / This was my record - from my first visit when there was no church to getting this was six months and then they got a permanent church"
pg9: A Church at Last - image of a church. (annotation "This is the new church at Newmarket opened in 1966")
pg10: What the priests say (6 comments from diocesan priests).

Case with drawer; carrying handles (note glued inside: "This altar and all its equipment is the property of the Northampton Diocesan Travelling Mission")
Certificate of Consecration: "This altar stone, containing the relic of S. Bonifacii M., and S. Felicissisi M., was consecrated by the Rt. Rev H Gibney, Vicar General, delegated by His Lordship the Bishop Of Southwark. Date: 8 April 1968 Signature: H Gibney VG"
Altar Stone - white marble; 5 inscribed crosses; circular marble plug where relics inserted
Equipment: 4 candles; no other items

21 March 2022: Relics removed from altar stone and are to be placed in the new altar in SJB Chapel of the Blessed Blood for consecration later in the month by Bishop A Hopes.

Collapsible stand used with the travelling altar. Carry handle.