Roman Catholic Church

Below are listed some events, mostly drawn from local newspapers, in the history of the Roman Catholic Church in the Bowburn area. As will be seen, not many of these have yet been found.

1875

St. Joseph’s R. C. Church built at West Cornforth.

(Source: Bernard McCormick (2003) “Pictures around Coxhoe, God’s Country”, p.20.)

24 February 1922

Rev. John Patrick Sheehan died. He was pastor of the Roman Catholic Parish of West Cornforth (SS Joseph, Patrick & Cuthbert) for 33 years till his death. Buried in Cornforth RC Cemetery, Metal Bridge

(Source: Gravestone.)

November 1934

The funeral of George Connaughton, who died in the Durham County Hospital on 17 November 1934, of injuries received at Bowburn Colliery four months earlier, was conducted at West Cornforth RC Church (SS Joseph, Patrick & Cuthbert) by Father S. Stack. He was buried in Metal Bridge RC Cemetery.

GC was an active member of the Catholic Young Men’s Society, forty of whose members headed the funeral procession.

(Sources: Bowburn Lodge DMA book (J. Allison’s) via J. Madgin 10 September 2006; Dur. Co. Adv. 23 November 1934 pp. 3 & 13.)

1957

Rev. Denis Lucey [of Lugey?] died. He had been Pastor of the Roman Catholic Parish of West Cornforth (SS Joseph, Patrick & Cuthbert) 1930–1957. Buried in Cornforth RC Cemetery, Metal Bridge.

(Source: Gravestone.)

1965

St. Joseph’s R. C. Church, Coxhoe, built. (Work began in June 1965.)

It replaced SS. Joseph, Patrick & Cuthbert’s R. C. Church, West Cornforth, which was demolished in 1968 due to subsidence.

A photo of foundations being laid, and of a model of the planned building, appeared on page 1 of the Advertiser on 11 June 1965.

(Sources: Bernard McCormick (2003) “Pictures around Coxhoe, God’s Country”, p.12; Dur. Co. Adv. 11 June 1965, p.1.)

1968

St. Joseph’s R. C. Church, West Cornforth, was demolished due to subsidence.

(Source: Bernard McCormick (2003) “Pictures around Coxhoe, God’s Country”, p.20.)