Part 1 - Fr Beauchamp to Bishop Cary-Elwes: Army Council's "request"

Identity area

Reference code

GB ARCHON 2913 PA21-01-01-76-1

Title

Fr Beauchamp to Bishop Cary-Elwes: Army Council's "request"

Date(s)

  • 14 March 1930 (Creation)

Level of description

Part

Extent and medium

1 page; 2 sides; headed; manuscript

Context area

Name of creator

(1891-1948)

Biographical history

1891: Born, Ireland
1908: Ordained
1916: Volunteered in WW1
1948: Died

Monsignor "Harry" Beauchamp was born in Rosenallis, Co. Laois, on 9th June 1881. Educated at the Franciscan Brothers School at Clara; Knockbeg College from 1897 to 1903; Theology course in Maynooth from 1903 to 1907. He was ordained in St. Patrick's College, Carlow, on 4th April 1908.
April 1916, he volunteered in WW1 and joined the Royal Army Chaplains' Department, to be appointed a temporary chaplain to the Forces. In 1917 he was awarded the MC for bravery under fire. Fr. Beauchamp transferred from the Royal Army to the Royal Air Force in 1919 at Halton and was appointed Principal Chaplain in 1929.
He was one of the most decorated chaplains with many distinctions. In 1940, a Group Captain, he was appointed Papal Chamberlain and Vicar General, and later a Domestic Prelate. In 1945 he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He was holder of the CBF and was awarded the Belgian Military Cross by the Regent of Belgium. The president of the Czechoslovakian Republic conferred on him the Medal of Merit First Class, and he was the recipient of the Military Cross First Class of Poland.
In 1948 he travelled from Dublin to Carlow to visit old school friends, but on arrival felt unwell and was taken to St. Brigid's Hospital, Carlow. He died three days later, on 26th April, of pneumonia. He was interred in St. Mary's Cemetery, Carlow, and many dignitaries from the Royal Air Force attended.

Archival history

pre-2018: XNP4

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

RCDEA Archive

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Had both the Bishop's Pastoral Letter and a copy of the Pope's letter on the Russian Question. Read the letter to his congregation and asked for their prayers - anticipating the Army Council's "order or rather request". Protested to the Air Ministry and received a response that the Army Council's order only affected compulsory parades - hence officiating chaplains are not affected by the Army Council's request - not an order - can decide how they respond or not.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

    Script of material

      Language and script notes

      Physical characteristics and technical requirements

      Finding aids

      Allied materials area

      Existence and location of originals

      PA21

      Existence and location of copies

      Related units of description

      190x241mm

      Related descriptions

      Notes area

      Alternative identifier(s)

      Access points

      Subject access points

      Place access points

      Name access points

      Genre access points

      Description control area

      Description identifier

      Institution identifier

      Rules and/or conventions used

      Status

      Level of detail

      Dates of creation revision deletion

      Language(s)

        Script(s)

          Sources

          Accession area