BEDFORD: St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church

<span class="wrapper"><p>Sources held in copy form only (listed here for ease of reference)</p> <p>MIC 226: Microfilm copies of church registers, containing: Baptisms 1864-1881 Marriages 1872-1931 and (indexed) 1932-1945 Deaths and burials 1864-1910 Confirmations 1866-1969</p> <p>Fac 109/1: Copy of the name book found under the altar in 1986 recording the names of people (mainly children) who contributed to the high altar and sanctuary ornaments of the church 1865-1886</p> <p>See also the plans for buildings associated with St.Joseph's Roman Catholic church in the Bedford Borough building plans series, i.e.</p> <p>Bor.B.P. 57 Plans (with elevations and sections) of presbytery for the Rev. J.Priestley Warmoll of Bedford, signed by the Mayor of Bedford on 27 June 1866 and by James Horsford [contractor?] but not signed by the architect [Gilbert Blount]. Plan also shows the outline of the proposed Roman Catholic church in Midland Road. Endorsed with note of disconnection of drains (as marked on plan) in 1888</p> <p>Bor.B.P. 57* Revised drainage plan for the Catholic Presbytery, Brereton Road, by Anderson &amp; Froes, surveyors, Bedford, April 1894. Marks "drains as relaid", and also shows uses of ground-floor rooms in the presbytery. [Attached to Bor.B.P. 57]</p> <p>Bor.B.P. 5353 Plans (5), including elevation of main facade on Midland Road, by A.E. Purdie, architect, Meadow Grange, near Canterbury, for completion of the church and improvements to the Presbytery, November 1910. Papers attached indicate that the work was carried out by Samuel Foster Ltd. of Kempston, commenced in January 1911 and completed in December. [With Bor. B.P. 57]</p> <p>Bor.B.P. 8338 Plan of new heating chamber by W.E.G. Hull. architect, Wembley, 7 October 1928. Work carried out by Samuel Foster Ltd., commenced in November 1928 and completed in January 1929. [With Bor. B.P. 57]</p></span>

Records of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, Midland Road, Bedford, deposited by the Parish Priest and his agents, c/o The Presbytery, 2 Brereton Road, Bedford, MK40 1HU - from 11th December 1995

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The Roman Catholic church at Bedford was established by Fr. John Priestley Warmoll (see Bedford Bee 1879 p.140 and article in Beds.Mag. Vol.21 pp.294-8) who arrived in the town on Christmas Eve in 1863. He established a Roman Catholic Mission in Bedford in 1863-4, services being held at no.48 Offa Street (now no.60 Tavistock Street) from 1864-1867 (see CRT 130 BED 278). A site for a permanent church in Midland Road was acquired in 1865. The original school/chapel (now the Guild Room) and presbytery were built soon afterwards (for plans approved in June 1866 see Bor.B.P. 57). The first mass took place in the new chapel on 31 March 1867 and on 6 May Warmoll started a day school in his dining room. The new church of the Holy Child, later known as St.Joseph and the Holy Child or simply as St.Joseph's, was opened on 30 April 1874 (Beds. Times 2 May 1874). The architect was Gilbert Blount.

A new Catholic school in Priory Street, designed by A.E. (Edward) Purdie (an assistant to Gilbert Blount), was opened in 1877. Purdie also prepared plans for the completion of the church in 1877 (X 847/1) but the work was delayed for some years. The church was eventually extended to the street-line on Midland Road and completed to Purdie's revised designs (see Bor.B.P.5353), except for the steeple, in 1911-12. This work also involved improvements to the Presbytery. A new heating chamber was added in 1928 (see Bor.B.P. 8338). Further improvements - including work on the altar and the addition of a new entrance and porch to Brereton Road - were completed in 1986-7.