St Albans RC Church Redcar
Union of Catholic Mothers
Wilf Mannion
St Abans In The Past
We Were There In 1982
Lets Have A Debate
Norman Evans MBE
Lady Mayor
Crusade
The Cupid Cleric
First Communion 2004-2005
Obituary
Your Joking
New Beginnings
The Queen Arrives
A Meaning to Life
1933
The Cross-1900
For the Older Perso.
What's Your Hobby
AJourney of a Lifetime
Rowing the Atlantic
St Albans School
Sacred Heart and St Benedict- New Schools
Confirmation 2005
A Tale or Two to Tell
Redcar Cemetery
New Housing Estate
Sacred Heart School
Local Heroes
Out and About
Where does your Street Name come from?
Bishop Terry
My Old Banger
Post Cards
New Hospital
Do You Remember When?----
Human Fertililisation and Embryoligy Bill
A Dream Come True
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Past Clergy
| Fr Philip Kiely |  |
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Fr Phil Kiely
The picture above was taken when Fr Phil, as he was known,was very young and when I met him he had put on a lot more weight. It was in the fifties and he was Curate at St Mary's in Grangetown. He had a very noticable and loud laugh and on one occasion Bishop Brunner, then Bishop of Middlesbrough, was getting robed upstairs in the Presbytery of St Peters Church, in South Bank. I was,at the time candle acolyght waiting at the bottom of the stairs to process to the Church for Confirmation. Fr Phil was with us and a discussion started about a Cricket match held that afternoon. Fr Phil thought our home team were lousy and told us in no uncertain terms, as loud as he could, intespersed with his infectious laughter, what he thought. The organiser of the procession was Fr ,now Canon Garvin O'Hara and he was not amused and told Fr Phil to have more respect.As time went by we lost touch till 1967-68 when Fr Phil was appointed Parish Priest, of the still to be built, St Albans.Fr.Phil lived on Kirkleatham Lane on the corner of Staintondale Ave till St Albans was built.He would visit our house and on one occasion sat on our wall outside with our non Catholic neighbours and enjoyed a cup of tea and a Players cigarette. We were worried about not having anywhere to hold Mass and the Committee of the Lakes Social Club came to our rescue and offered us the Lounge for 11.00 o'clock Mass.After this was established,rumblings of discontent could be heard, because word got back to Fr Phil about the need to finish Mass, so the chairs could be rearranged, in time for the Strippers to come on.In his usual fashion Fr Phil laughed and said "God works in mysterious ways".Fr Phil hadn't been at St Albans long when he took a break in Ireland and tragically was involved in a very serious accident and he suffered severe head injuries, which took him a great deal of time to recover. Unfortunately he was unable to continue his Parish Priest role and he retired in Ireland where he lived till about three year ago when he died peacefully. Many people in St Albans have fond memories of a very jovial and well loved Priest in our Fr Phil.
Meanwhile back at St Albans Fr Peter Ryan was appointed Parish Priest and a new era began. |
Fr Peter Ryan
 | Fr Peter Ryan, now Parish Priest at St Hedda's Egton Bridge is pictured in 1963 with Fr William Brunner, brother of the then Bishop of Middlesbrough.At this time he was Curate at Sacred Heart in Redcar.When he was first ordained his first Parish was St Peter's in South Bank, where he returned to as Parish Priest and served for quite a few years till his move to Egton Bridge.He is a keen walker which will come in useful in his countryside Parish.
Footnote-
I decided to visit Fr Peter at his home while I was visiting Lealholm and you will be pleased to know he is in good health and enjoying his time as Priest in a very rural and beautiful setting.During his Priestly life, it's true to say
he has had more than his share of trauma and distress.I was at Mass in St Peters in South Bank one Sunday evening, when he was called away urgently to administer the Last Rites to two Catholic girls who had been killed by a drunken joy rider in a car.On another occasion Fr Peter, an avid walker, bid farewell to his fellow walkers only to find later two of his close walking companions were killed in a road accident.He has not lost any of his fighting spirit that had his congregation at South Bank spellbound by his forthright opinion's on British Steel or Corus as is now,which were legendary and he fired from the hip and never pulled any punches and was admired for it.When it was time to leave St Peters for pastures new a farewell social evening was organised and Fr Peter entertained a packed audience with 'The Fields of Athenry'.He also reminisced about his time in South Bank and had the audience roaring with laughter when he recalled two instances when he was first ordained, first was when he was called into the Parish Priest's room and accused of nicking his milk from the fridge.The second was when the Parish Priest (who was Fr Pat (Paddy)Bluett,an uncle of our Fr Bluett)asked Fr Peter to visit a newly arrived couple in the Parish.This was on the Thursday and pouring with rain.Fr Peter set off on his trusty old bike to visit this couple but could not find the address.Soaked to the skin and sick as a parrot, he returned to the Presbytery for a welcome cup of tea.Next day at the weekly review, Fr Pat asked Fr Peter if he had visited the new arrivals.Fr Peter said yes they were ok, at which Fr Pat said it was funny but the wife came in only this morning to say her husband had died suddenly early in the week and could he arrange a Requiem Mass.
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Fr Louis Collingwood
 Fr, now Canon Louis Collingwood lives in retirement in Redcar but still assists at St Williams in Dormanstown.He has just celebrated 56 years in the Priesthood and celebrated with a party for family and friends at the Riverside, home of Middlesbrough Football Club, a team he still supports.In his younger days he was a very keen footballer and very skillful. He was a regular Goalkeeper and took a keen interest in the Soccer teams at St Albans School.He was Parish Priest at St Albans for eleven years where he made many friends and was greatly respected. He still comes back from time to time to Concelebrated Mass on that special occasion.He left St Albans to become Parish Priest of St Francis in Middlesbrough in 1982 and Fr Dan O'Neill became Parish Priest.
Update-Canon Collingwood has recently celebrated his 85th birthday and we wish him all the very best.He still says Mass at St Williams Dormanstown where he loved and well respected by all.
Update-Canon Collingwood celebrated 60 years in the Priesthood at Mass recently in St Williams Dormanstown.He is keeping well and still follows the Boro.Congratulations from everyone at St Albans.
Further Update-We could go on forever with these updates but at the moment Canon Collingwood has moved from Hull to a Middlesbrough Nursing Home in Coulby Newham near the Cathedral and is very happy where his fellow Priests includes Fr Barry.
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Fr Dan O'Neil
Fr Dan O'Neil was appointed Parish Priest after Fr Louis Collingwood took up a similar position at St Francis in Middlesbrough.At his first Mass in St Albans he proved to be the opposite to Fr Louis when it came to singing and I remember the very first Hymn that was sung, every one stopped singing to hear Fr Dan, or they could't hear themselves for his powerful singing voice.
He attracted many into the Catholic Faith and painstakingly took them through the process till they were Baptized,made their first Communion, were Confirmed and welcomed into our Church. |  |
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Fr Neil Mc Nicholas
 | | Fr Neil as everyone knows him is now Parish Priest of the Churches in and around Whitby.He was until January 2005,in overall charge of four Parishes, South Bank St. Peter's, St Andrews, Teesville, St Gregory's Banksfield,Eston and St Ann's Grangetown. Although he never served at St Albans, in the early days he was Altar Boy and Reader, when Fr Louis Collingwood was Parish Priest. After his Ordination in the Cathedral in Middlesbrough, he said his first Mass, assisted by Fr Dan O'Neil, in front of a packed congregation in St Albans. He also preached for the first time. Afterwards he was welcomed at a reception in the School Hall, where a cheque was presented to him, on behalf of the Parishes in Redcar, by our very own Wilf Mannion. |
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St Albans Silver Jubilee
| St Albans celebrated its Silver Jubilee in July 1997. |  |
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Inside booklet
| Inside leaf of booklet |  |
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Fr Bill Ryan
 | | Fr Bill Ryan, was Parish Priest at St Albans from 1994 and soon became a firm favourite, with his Parishioners.He was born and raised in Tipperery and his family bred race horses, so it was natural he would become an accomplished jockey.His love of the Turf, has always been strong, but woe betide anyone taking a tip from him, although he tipped the 2004 Grand National Winner.He would spend a great deal of time,visiting the sick either in their homes or in Hospital.He could be seen outside Church after Mass enjoying a smoke and a chat but sometimes if he had a Christening to perform, he would refuse one, saying "Not while I'm working"He will be sorely missed and now he will have to cheer on Hull City Football Club instead of the Boro.We wish him well in his new Parish where among other duties he will be Chaplain of a prison. |
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St Albans 1970
 | | St Albans RCChurch under construction 1970 |
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St Albans 1970
 | | St Albans takes shape |
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St Albans Presbytery
 | | Under construction 1970 |
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Fr Pat Bluett
 | We recently said our farewells to Fr Pat Bluett who was Parish Priest for twelve months,at St Albans and has now taken an appointment in his native Ireland.When he came,he was determined to 'break eggs with a stick',in refurbishing St Albans Church.He held a meeting and asked for volunteers to help him in his task.I was one along with Mike Grainger and together with a plumber and his mate,set about installing a new central heating system.Fr Pat was the 'gaffer'and did not mind getting his hands dirty.He knew what he wanted and if you disagreed you would suffer his tongue,which was quite a few times.This made him unique amongst Priests.Everything that needed to be done was done and for this we are very grateful to him.Elizabeth his housekeeper needs our praise because she kept us going with cheese and chutney sandwiches and pots of tea and coffee.
When the heating was up and running,woe betide anyone letting a draught in.He did not take any prisoners.His sermons seemed to go on forever and a lot of fidgiting could be heard but they were always interesting and bore a distinct message.He will go down in the history of St Albans as a Priest who 'got things done'.We wish him and 'Sam' the dog all the very best for the future,St Albans will never be the same.We may be able to relax now and not worry about suffering his wrath.The ladder onto the roof was far too short anyway.On one occasion Mike and I were getting large wooden sleepers from the back garden of the Presbytery and laying them onto the grass verge in readiness for his 'workshop' to come.Unbeknown to us I left the back gate open and Sam,Fr Pat's black labrador,wandered off.When Fr Pat realised what had happened,I got a right earbashing,all I did was shrug my shoulders and tried not to laugh.It was a good few hours before he was returned.Thanks for the many cups of tea I have had in the Presbytery as we mulled over how to raise the money for the repairs.Cheers Ged. |
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From the main page
Set out below will be stories I have carried on the front page that have been important to St Albans but need to be archived |
Mo Mowlam RIP
 | Mo Mowlam who passed away on 19 August 2005 was Labour MP for Redcar since she entered Politics and no matter what your political leanings were, once you had met Mo,you knew you had a friend for life.Once she met you she never forgot you.I met Mo on many occasions and it has to be said I didn't always agree with her findings, if I consulted her on a personal matter but she was fair in all her dealings.
I first met Mo when the BBC thought fit to broadcast a Madonna Concert on Radio 1 complete with her obscene expletives at 8.00pm one evening.She gave an unbiased view although she was noted as using this type of language in her dealings in Northern Ireland.I received an apology from the Director General although I had my suspicions that a great deal of money was involved, to broadcast.
Many a time she could be found in Redcar High St, meeting and greeting the people she loved.A Charity Auction was held in the Coatham Bowl, in aid of Mind and I decided to make a film of the occasion.In the foyer I met Mo, who introduced me to Glenda Jackson, who was a guest.I asked their permission to film and both Glenda and Mo struck a pose, with pounting lips and asked me if the pose was good, which was very amusing.I spent a very enjoyable evening in their company.
When one of our parishioners,Mrs Vilma Collins was Mayor and Fr Ryan was her Chaplain,she held her Charity Ball in the Coatham Bowl and Mo and her husband John,were guests of Vilma.It wasn't long before Mo was running the show,encouraging everyone to have a go at roll a pound,into a laid down pint glass.Who will forget the armed Police outside her home,in Newcomen Terrace or the time she had a fire at her constituancy office,over the kitchen showroom on the corner of Station Rd and Queen St.
She will be best remembered for her humour,her ability to put you at ease when you met her and her genuine concern, for the welfare of her people.
We will remember her in our prayers and thoughts RIP
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Dame Tanni Grey Thompson OBE.DBE
 | Profile- Dame Tanni has won 15 Medals including 11 Gold Paralympic Medals.She was Welsh Sports Personality,was awarded the OBE in the New Years Honours and came third in the BBC Sports Personality plus being Welsh Woman of the Year all in 2000.She was made Dame of the British Empire in this years Honours List.A lady who is not in the least bit swayed by the honours bestode upon her but proud of them.A wife and mother herself she is surprisingly very independent.A truly remarkable and down to Earth person.
Update-At a recent meeting of St Albans UCM £130 was raised for Zoe's Place (of which Dame Tanni is Patron) after a very interesting,moving and humerous talk was given by Dame Tanni.Thanks to all who supported. |
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Miss Betty Fell
 | | It is with deep regret that the passing of Miss Betty Fell (pictured third from the left) has been announced at the age of 88.Miss Fell was for many years History teacher at St Peters Secondary Modern School in South Bank.She was a frequent visitor to St Albans when the Church first opened, with her great friend and fellow teacher, Miss Stella Brown who died last year in her nineties.Miss Fell a member of St Augustine's Church was one of the old school,very gentle and persuasive who never raised her voice and it was a pleasure to be taught by her.When Stella Brown died I arranged a Memorial Mass for her in St Peters where all her family were invited.Miss Fell was Guest of Honour and it was amazing the number of people she recognized and remembered their names.It was a very emotional evening with plenty to talk about.When one considers the fact that the people there that night, who had left in the 1950's, only spent four year of their lives in that school, the likes of Betty Fell left a lifelong influence on them.She will be remembered with affection alongside the likes of Andrew Skillen,Stella Brown,Freddie Mageean,Alice Mossey, Gerard Coughlan and Joe Mullen.Also on the photo is the late Canon Garvin O'Hara. Great Memories RIP. |
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