Showing 458 results

Contents from front:
1926-1930 – 2 pages of historical notes
1906 Statistics;
1907 Statistics, Bishop Riddell made first visitation & confirmation of 8 (23 April 1907);
1908 Statistics, Bishop Keating visitation & confirmation of 6;
1909 Statistics;
1910 Statistics; Bishop’s 2nd visitation& vows of Sister Mary of Sacred Heart
1911 Statistics; Bishop’s visitation – 15 for confirmation; two postulants receive the habit
1912 Statistics; collections
1913 Statistics; collections
1914 Statistics; collections; 42 Belgium refugees
1915 Statistics; collections; Bishop visit 25 for confirmation (19 were Belgian Children)
1916 Statistics; collections arrival of Fr Delaney, departure of Fr Coltee
1917 Statistics; collections; Bishop visit Sept 26; average military attendance at Mass 53
1918 Statistics; collections; average military attendance at Mass 56
1919 Statistics; collections
1920 Statistics; collections
1921 Statistics
1922 Statistics; collections
1923-1964 diary of events

Contents from Back (inverted): First Communion lists for 1907/1908/1909/1911/1912/1913 in manuscript

Been in France for his eldest brother's funeral. Congregation numbers: last year (1912) Fr Bouloi said 64; Fr Coltee waiting to get to know the parish - not all are fervent Catholics, but cannot get the count to more than 50.

Certificate for distinction in 1st term examination 1916-7 - awarded for John Thomson

Headed "Short Report"
Aug 3 1919: Reading of Bishop's Letter
Sept 21: House Ellandene & land
Sept 22: Novena to the Little Flower to Sept 30
Sept 26: money for purchase of house & land; friend advancing money; rent-free; establish oratory?; house ceding to me in 3 years; workmen started
Sept 28: Land in Leiston (40ftx120ft); parishioners respond with funds; land conveyed Nov 7 1919
Oct 5: Leiston Altar Society started; Leiston Building Fund started (£37-7-6); Catechism Class to be held every Tuesday - Morelli letting room for class rent & light free. Aldeburgh: Appeal for Building Fund; Altar Society reorganised (£100-1-6); Children of Mary reorganised as parish sodality (12 members); Sunday school & choir practices instituted; Foundation of Guild of St Steven (10 members)
Oct 15: £60 given towards motorcycle for between Aldeburgh & Leiston
Nov 9: Norwich appeal
Nov 12: Promise for Leiston of vestments, ciborium, monstrance, Crib figures.

Arthur Gibbs receipt made out to Mrs John Mundella Smith for £90 in respect of Hut at Mendlesham

Arthur Gibbs' receipt made out to Mr Christmas for £25 in respect of erecting Hut in Carr Avenue.

Account addressed to Mrs J M Mundella Smith:
Purchase hut (£80); taking down and transporting to Carr Av. (£20); Rebuild, make/form partitions & altar rails, painting, new stove (£190); received on account £165; owing £125

Account showing list of parish donors to buy the land; the hut (The Bishop); to build & equip. ; amount owing to the builder; extra costs for laying on utilities and equipment, fixing roof and installing fencing.
Debt owed £180

Deeds being sent on; trustees as suggested by the Bishop; one conveyancing used for both sites. Plans and estimates to be forwarded. Smyth of Leiston is a cabinet maker and house furnisher who has started a little building; Reade is a good builder. Comparison of each bidders proposals.

Bishop Keating considers 20ft x 68 ft hut is adequate, and a bargain at £90. He will give the money to the Mission provided:

1. site is free of restrictions,
2. Fr Delaney approves and supports this
3. Congregation guarantee to obtain the funds for everything else - removal, re-erection, fittings and furnishings.
   Their zeal and generosity gave the Bishop great satisfaction.

Cheque for £90 made out to Mr A Gibbs enclosed. "He must be very hard up, or very dubious about our credit!"

Solicitor acknowledging conveyancing will be attended to when the Bishop returns from Rome

A draft notice. Note at top: “This is interesting was typed for the congregation to read.”

Aldeburgh. A presbytery has been purchased, and repairs executed, amounting in all to £900. The presbytery has been fitted up & furnished. A temporary Oratory has been fitted up & furnished. A site consisting of 6 plots of land has been purchased freehold.
A sum of £100 for the building of a Church at Aldeburgh has been found [annotation in a different hand: ”by Bp Keating!”].
A Catholic architect has been engaged, & I hope to begin the building of the Church early in 1921, to be completed & opened on the Feast of the S. Heart 1921.
A little over a year ago the Bishop wrote me concerning the approaching departure of the French Community, & whilst allowing me a little while to see what I could do to save the two missions of Aldeburgh & Leiston, which I had founded, told me that the Diocese could do nothing to help me.
In this time at Leiston a freehold site has been purchased. A Church has been erected & finished, Lighting installations have been paid for. Ornaments, Sacred vessels & Vestments have been secured. A motor cycle has been purchased by means of which I have been able to hold regular services at Leiston & visit my large district of 20 miles radius.
Anyone can read between the lines of this short review, & doubtless one will ask how has it all been done, because apart from all this there has been the up-keep of the two missions, & personal & household expenses.
Concerning the up-keep of the two missions, this has been a difficult matter for the last year but I am to be relieved of this in the future by the perfect organisation & running of an Altar Society in each Mission.
As regards other expenses, this will also be an easier mater in the future.
With all this bright & happy outlook, there is yet a stranglehold on the mission.
It may be asked I have said, how has all this good work been accomplished. Doubtless with much personal self-sacrifice, & at most times by allowing personal & household debt to stand & accumulate in order to keep the missions afloat, & supply all necessary for the continuance of the Divine Services. That is I say now a stranglehold & I am being pressed for payment, I have been requested to try & settle all by Dec 1st 1920 & in order to do this I shall need at least £100.
I present this little review to you & appeal to you to stretch out a helping hand to me. I do not come to you before my days work, but at the close, when though tired and weary, I feel happy & thank God, that He has given me the courage and strength to face the crisis, to work for Him, His Holy Church & for you all & that he has blessed & made that work prosper.
I intend to have a flag day on Sunday Nov 28th & I trust in Divine Providence & your generous Catholic hearts that you will enable me to surmount my difficulties on Dec 1st.
Praying God to bless you & yours.
I am
Yours devotedly etc.
V.D.

K Smith writing: Thanks for the generous gift. Need to ensure that the funds are delivered to the hut owner Mr A Gibbs of Leiston.