"My family came to Boscombe early in June 1927 on the first Wednesday of the month - which was Derby Day.
We moved into temporary accommodation in Ashley Road. On the following Sunday we made our way along Christchurch Road to Corpus Christi for Mass.
At that time, before the Church was extended in 1932 - 33, the drive from Christchurch Road turned sharp to the left at the Presbytery across the front of the Parish Hall, and then right alongside the Hall towards the Church. I remember being much relieved when I realised that the Hall was not the Church; that was a handsome building in red brick with stone dressings.
The church services in 1927 consisted on Sundays with Masses at 8 o'clock, 9.30 and the sung Mass at 11 o'clock. In the afternoon there was catechism and benediction for the children, whilst the evening service was a selection from Bona Mors Devotions, Sacred Heart Devotions, Vespers or Compline. There followed a sermon and then Benediction.
On weekdays there were Masses at 7.25 and 8 am. For the benefit of those who had to get to work early, Holy Communion was distributed before the 7.25 Mass. At a later date, a 7 am Mass was started in summer Sundays, and this eventually was extended to Sundays throughout the year. Frequent reception of the sacraments was encouraged, with monthly Confession and Communion being regarded as the general norm.
Since at that time fasting before Communion was from midnight and it was usual that Communion was received at the early 7 or 8 o'clock Mass. It was entirely exception for Communicants to come forward at the 11 o'clock Mass, at which there was a sermon, and the service did not finish before 12.20
The various societies and sodalities had a corporate Communion on a designated monthly Sunday, - for example; the Children of Mary on one Sunday, with the Men's sodality on another Sunday, and so on.
In the years before the War there were bench sittings for which a modest quarterly sum was payable.
At the 11 o'clock Mass there were sidesmen who escorted worshippers to their seats - all rather Victorian.
The Choir
Mr. Charles Leeson ARCO had been appointed organist and choirmaster in 1919, a post which he held with distinction until his untimely death in 1941 at the early age of 49.
The choir was a mixed one with ladies and gentlemen, and under Mr. Lesson's leadership provided a wide range of music for the services. Mr. Leeson also wrote a considerable amount of music to be performed by the choir. At the time-when the church extension was under way, Fr. Baines was able to obtain a fresh and larger organ. This instrument came from St. George's Cathedral at Southwark, where a new organ was being installed.
The Southwark organ became the nucleus of a new and extended organ for Corpus Christi. The existing organ was transferred to the Convent Chapel. In preparation for the completion of the Extension, Mr. Leeson in collaboration with Fr. Baines began the training of a boys' choir, consisting of ten boys, together with the existing men.
This choir was heard for the first time at Midnight Mass for Christmas 1933. The choir, continued until wartime conditions led to its being disbanded.
Fr. Baines was a big man physically and also mentally. He had many ideas for the good of
the Parish, and was particularly keen to foster a community spirit. His fertile mind thought
up a variety of projects, some of which he carried through himself. For others he selected
a 'volunteer' from the parish to organise a particular scheme; in this connection he never
took 'No' for an answer.
Old Fr. Sidgreaves died in September 1930, at that date the oldest Jesuit in the Province.
Also in that year both Fr. Fitzpatrick and Fr. O'Connell left Boscombe, being replaced by Fr.Bampton and Fr. Cary Elwes.
Fr. Bampton was a very small man, and it was necessary for a
portable platform to be placed in the pulpit when he preached, so that he could be high enough
to deliver his sermon.
Fr. Cary Elwes had for many years been a missionary to the Armeridian Indians in British Guiana.
Owing to ill health he had been posted back to England and he always regretted that he was
not permitted to return to Guiana on account of his health.
Fr. Cary Elwes was fond of
music and had been a choirmaster in his earlier days He hired the Palladium Cinema for two
successive Sunday evenings and there gave two lectures on his life with the Indians. He
stayed in Boscombe for three years.
His successor was George Turner, who served Corpus
Christi until 1939. He had a particular devotion to St. Therese of Lisieux, and being a
skilled cabinet maker, constructed the wooden panelling to alcove at the back of the
Church. He also made a lectern for use on the sanctuary, using for the shaft a disused oak
gate post. The missal stand which he made is still in use today. His homely sermons were
greatly appreciated both for their content and their comparative brevity.
Fr. Coverdale came to Corpus Christi in 1934, where he remained until his death in 1942.
(NOTE: A small qualification to John Young's excellent piece about Corpus Christi, Boscombe - bench sittings (latterly referred to as bench rents) continued until the mid 1950's as I recall - my father (Gus Arnold) ran the system post WWII.
The somewhat Victorian arrangement did cause a few local difficulties in those latter times and was eventually dropped. My father was very relieved when it was!
-
Mike Arnold-Gilliat,
Parishioner 1940-1953 and occasional visitor ever since.)
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