Inside front cover: Instructions on how to use the gummed pages (moisten) and overlapping items
Flyleaf
6 blue feint ruled index pages – A-D; E-H; I-M; N-Q; E-V; W-Z
100 sides gummed pages with vertical ruling and waxed interleaving pages between each.
Material from 1924 to 1953, over 28 pages.
Contents:
Index page A-D: Manuscript:
“1924 Page 1 -2
1926 Page 3-4
1926 Page 4-5
1927 Page 6
Dunwich Page 7-10”
Index pages – rest – empty.
Page 1 – 4 cuttings
a. manuscript date January 1924 – Best wishes to Fr Davidson from Cambridge to the missions at Leiston and Aldeburgh
b. manuscript date January 1924 – Fr Davidson to Aldeburgh-on-Sea and Leiston having been assistant priest for 5 years at Our Lady and the English Martyrs, Cambridge.
c. manuscript date January 1924 – Announcing arrival of Rev C M Davidson DD BA on Wednesday February 27.
d. manuscript date July 1924 – Contract for new church signed; Bishop to lay foundation stone on July 16.
Page 2 – one cutting in two parts
manuscript date October 1924 – description of the foundation ceremony with Bishop Cary-Elwes; £1,000 still needs of the £5,000 cost; List of celebrants including Mrs Parnell who provided part of her house as temporary chapel during the erection of the church.
Page 3 – 5 cuttings
a. manuscript date January 1925 – progress in building the church; tower now a landmark for fishermen
b. manuscript date April 1925 – Midnight Mass celebrated; on Jan 21 a children's play with orchestral support was performed “King Pepin's Bride”
c. (in three parts) manuscript date July 1925 – March 25 first part of church dedicated to Our Lady and St Peter by Bishop Cary-Elwes; description of construction; list of attendees; arrival on March 14 of the Oblates of St Benedict in Aldeburgh.
Page 4 – 5 cuttings
a. manuscript date October 1925 – Mrs Eyre donates more items; 8 July, garden fete; 9 August visitation by Bishop; reception and Compline at Convent
b. manuscript date January 1926 – Cardinal Bourne visit on 25 November; tour of Convent
c. manuscript date April 1926 – 28 December new presbytery (“Normanhurst”) occupied; St Joseph iron, 9 foot, statue, from Ursuline Convent, erected in church grounds. 21 February inauguration in Leiston of Guild of Blessed Sacrament.
d. manuscript date July 1926 – First anniversary Mass and statue of St Joseph blessed
e. undated – Aylesbury poorest mission in a diocese of poor missions. Fr Scott retires from there to Walton-on-the-Naze.
Page 5 – 5 cuttings
a. (2 parts) manuscript date December 1926 – Corpus Christi process; Commander & Mrs Webster invited 60 to a children's entertainment in the grounds of Kelsale Place; Leiston Army Hut redecorated
b. manuscript date April 1927 – Lantern lectures for the winter months - Fr Fabian Dox OP, Mr Wilfrid Child, Miss M Berkeley, Fr Duchemin.
c. manuscript date July 1927 – Leiston Army hut redecorated inside & out; 200 year-old curtains donated by Mrs Eyre were hung either side of the altar; Fr Vassall-Phillips retreat for Ladies at Convent
d. undated – statue of St Peter placed in niche over porch entrance
Page 6 – 4 cuttings
a. (4 parts) manuscript date October 1927 – Building fund fete in Kelsale [Place} on 27 July; as at 31 August debt now £30; August 14 pilgrimage to Dunwich and the ruins of the old Catholic Church of all Saints, Papal blessing given
Page 7 - 3 cuttings
a. manuscript “Woodbridge Chronicle”, undated – Over 1,000 Catholics assembled at Grey Friars ruins to honour Bishop St Felix and process to Dunwich.
b. undated – outline history and a description of procession
c. manuscript “Tablet” undated – Description of pilgrimage in honour of St Felix.
Page 8 – 2 cuttings
a. (two parts) many “Leiston Observer” - detailed description of the St Felix pilgrimage and homily by Fr Benedict, a Capuchin friar.
Page 9 – 2 cuttings
a. manuscript “Universe” – description of St Felix pilgrimage
b. description of St Felix pilgrimage – (300 attending); thanks to Mr Arnold of Dunwich for permission to use the Greyfriars field.
Page 10 – Telegram form
Stamped 13 August 1927 and timed 8.28am; Origination Rome at 7.32, 25 words:
“Father Davidson Catholic Presbytery Aldeburgh on Sea Sfk Holy Father grants faculty impart apostolic benediction formally pilgrimage Dunwich seventy anniversary coming saint Felix Card Gachparri”
Page 11 – 4 B&W photographs
1&2 same – crowd scene; banners and people clothed n white (middle left); ruins of Grey Friars on right skyline.
2 – Image of scout leading scout troop in front of group of women clothed in white robes and white lace veil. St Felix banner in left of picture
3 – scene of scouts and ladies in white lining a path(?); grass area in mid/left foreground
Page 12 – 1 cutting; 1 letter
a. “Universe Special Correspondent” Dunwich, Friday – history behind pilgrimage. Annual pilgrimage in August.
b. Letter dated 16 March 1928 (first page only, other side hidden by being glued to page) – re Holy Mass being said in Dunwich
Page 13 – 5 B&W photographs
a. Crowd scene in front of archway; priest with biretta and man in sash in centre with banners to rear and left.
b. Street scene; crowd to lower front and right, building wall to left. St Felix banner to fore of procession following
c. St Felix banner (“Saint Felix / First Bishop of Dunwich / Apostle of East Anglia”) and 5 men in cassocks stand beside hedge on road.
d. Priest addresses crowd in field
e. Priests, one standing one kneeling, wearing birettas in centre; crowd (some kneeling) in background
Page 14 – 1 manuscript page
Manuscript report headed “Dunwich Pilgrimage”. 2nd annual pilgrimage description.
Page 15 – 1 cutting
Caption: “Dunwich: Father Thomson, of Woodbridge, performing the ceremony of Blessing of the Sea when the Catholic pilgrimage in honour of St. Felix was revived on Sunday (Photo by Waddell, Leiston.)”
Page 16 – 3 cuttings
a. [Dated after 1945/6] - 16th Catholic pilgrimage at Dunwich, cancelled during war years. Fr WT Jolly, Secretary of the Guild of St Felix and St Edmund, conducted the service with the sermon given by Canon Davidson
b. Article describing the pilgrimage and the history of St Felix; Names of celebrants.
c. undated – mention of the local legend of the bells of Dunwich's 50 churches.
Page 17 – 2 cuttings
a. Image of procession; caption outlines Dunwich being swept in to sea
b. Short description of the pilgrimage and mention of the Guild of SS Felix and Edmund.
Page 18 – 2 B&W photographs; 1 cutting
a. Procession along road
b. Procession being lead by 4 young men in cleric robes first carry crucifix. St Felix banner visible being carried along behind them.
c. advertisement for pilgrimage – half visible – meet[?] Dunwich High Street 3.30pm / Cliff: Sermon and Benediction / [?] Chapel 4pm …
Page 19 – 2 B&W photographs
a. Original photograph as used in clipping on page 17. Procession lead by crucifix and banner, winding along cliff side.
b. Crowd scene, ruins in background, several men/youths (3 clearly in (a) above) in robes surrounding robed priest in foreground (Fr Davidson?) holding an aspergillum
Page 20 – 2 cuttings
a. No reference to RC Churches or parish – glued in wrong side up?
b. manuscript date 1947 (1946?) - remarking that a handful of German prisoners were in the pilgrimage congregation and musing on how many nationalities might have attended if it had been organised in the war years.
Page 21 – 3 cuttings
a. (2 parts) manuscript C.H. 1947 (Catholic Herald?) - some history of St Felix; description of the pilgrims; a few picked out; observation of German POWs present; mention of Fr Jolly and the Guild of St Felix and St Edmund.
b. manuscript Leiston Obs[erver] 1947 - 17th annual pilgrimage description. Guild formed in 1930, Fr Jolly, its secretary appealed for membership.
Page 22 – 2 cuttings
a. manuscript Leiston Observer Aug, 13 1949 - 19th pilgrimage. Dr J C Heenan's sermon reflected on the stolid Dutchmen suffering occupation much like now when this country is occupied by those for whom Christianity has no meaning and the existence of Paganism in English villages.
b. manuscript EADT 4. 9. 50 (East Anglia Daily Times) - 20th pilgrimage. “Jelly-fish Catholics now wanted to-day”. The address by Fr McKay OFM, recounted some history, referred to paganism being back, and one half of the country not baptised. Now is not the time for weak Catholics.
Page 23 – 1 cutting
a. Advertisement for 22nd annual Pilgrimage to Dunwich. Sunday August 10 [1952]. Rev Gabriel Reidy OFM preacher.
Page 24 – 2 cuttings
a. manuscript 1952 Aug 10 Mercury – Image showing servers, crucifix carrier and St Felix banner entering ruins of Dunwich Priory. 1,500 attended. Sermon by Fr Reidy and benediction by Fr Hulme.
b. manuscript “Leiston Observer” - description of pilgrims and sermon from Fr Reidy
Page 25 – 2 cuttings; 1 leaflet
a. (2 parts) – letter dated 8 December 1952 by Fr Jolly printed in paper refuting the comments by an earlier correspondent, Mr Felmingham.
b. Leaflet – A Mission from Passion Sunday (March 22) to Palm Sunday (Marsh 29) given by Fr Clifford Howell SJ. Provides details of the Mission and Holy Week in Leiston and Aldeburgh.
Page 26 – 2 cuttings
a. Headings: “Mass again in Friary Ruins” / “First time in Centuries” / “Dunwich Pilgrimage Desire Fulfilled” - Fr Davidson gave the address: Pope allows for Mass to be said on special occasions – the pilgrimage. Recalled the St Felix story and Dunwich (declined after the great storm of 1 January 18361 [sic]). People from many parts of East Anglia. American Servicemen in attendance.
b. “Mass in Dunwich again” / “Catholics Annual Pilgrimage” - similar contents to (a).
Page 27 – 1 cutting (another may be hidden by a page pasted over the top of it)
a. Catholic Fireside – September 11 1953 – History of Dunwich with photograph of Dunwich beach.
Page 28 – 1 cutting (2 parts)
a. The Universe 11 September 1953 - “East Anglia remembers its lost city” - 23rd pilgrimage to Dunwich. Fr W Jolly officiated a Mass for hundreds of pilgrims. Outlined the storm of 1 January 1386 [sic] as being the beginning of the end for Dunwich.
Empty pages to page 100 (end)
