In October 1869 two Jesuit Fathers opened a small public chapel at a house called "Astney Lodge", nearby on Richmond Hill. Shortly afterwards a small wooden church was opened to commence occupation of the site of Bournemouth's future mother church for the Catholic Faith.

Surviving photographs show just how pleasant a road Richmond Hill must have been in those days. Spacious and lined on either side by spacious mid-Victorian villas in well established gardens, the contrast with the continual roar of traffic up and down the two major road junctions, between rows of modern commercial premises, broken only by the presence of the church, could be deafening.

The new wooden church was not destined to last for long; by the Summer of 1873 the parish was moving into a new permanent building approximately on the site of the name of the present church. This 1873 church was intended to have a small tower on its Albert Road frontage, and apparently work on its construction was actually started.

However, such was the rapid growth in the number of Catholics resident in Bournemouth that the new church was found to be too small immediately it was finished. Aisles were therefore added to the church, and the tower we now have, to the North-East corner of the church. The completed building was solemnly opened by Dr. Danell, Bishop of Southwark, on February 5th, 1875.

The new building was built entirely of yellow/white bricks, with Bath stone dressings at the doors and windows. The new tower rose prominently above the building. Between the church and the future Post Office Road a detached house remained. Across that road was a rustic pub called the Tregonwell Arms, and beyond that, some trees before St. Andrew's, the Scottish church, built on the corner of the Square.

Upon the opening of the church, the belfry was empty. The White-chapel Bell Foundry, then in the hands of Messrs. Mears and Stainbank, presented their invoice for the supply of the new bell on the 14th December, 1875. The total cost of the new bell including the frame, fittings and installation, was £141. Os. 6d. (in present monies £141.021). The weight of the new bell, now affectionately known as the Maria Bell, was 10 cwts 0 quarters 171bs, and its note, A flat. The bell was of rich tone, and was a credit to its Victorian founders.

Although only a single bell, it was supplied fully equipped for full circle change ringing, with full wheel stay and slider. Furthermore it is obvious from the remains of a Victorian house bell system on the then ringing chamber wall, (now in the new intermediate chamber), that it was intended that proper ringing of the bell should take place.

However, neither the sound bow of the bell, nor its clapper, showed much signs of wear when dismantled in 1983 consistent with extensive use. On the other hand, the "Ellacombe" chiming apparatus hammer also fitted to the bell, was substantially flattened out, having clearly been extensively used.

Prior to the Emancipation Act in 1829, the Catholic Church had been forbidden to have public bells, and even after that was in many quarters discouraged from having them, so that the ordering and installation of the new bell must have been quite an event. At the time of its installation, the tower of St. Peter's Church had six or possibly eight bells, but otherwise the Bournemouth churches would appear, bell-less.

Confirmation Sunday, July 10 1911

'Exposition' 1910

In 1882 the Diocese of Southwark was subdivided, and the Sacred Heart then found itself as the most western church in the new Diocese of Portsmouth. The distinction of being the most western church subsequently passed to its daughter church of Our Lady Immaculate in Westbourne not long afterwards.

In the late 1870's and 80's the railways into Bournemouth were being extended, and the result was a rapid development of the town in general, and in particular, redevelopment of the residential town centre. The elegant mid-Victorian villas, built only some 20 years before, were quickly replaced by terraces of shops and offices. Building of new churches in the town centre continued.

Within the next 10 years or so, St. Peter's Church was completed with its 'crowning glory', the majestic 200ft high, East Midland style, spire. St. Andrew's Church moved across the square to its present site, the Punshon Memorial Church was built on the site of the Tregonwell Arms and the Richmond Hill Congregational (now United Reformed) Church was built to the north west. All of these buildings were equipped with tall spires, making Bournemouth at that time appear near Pugin's dream of the perfect English city.

Nearby at St. Stephen's Road, under the direction of the famous Victorian High Church architect John Loughborough-Pearson, builders were, over the next 20 years, raising one of the finest modern churches on the south coast, whose majestic steeple was never completed

In due course the Fathers at the Sacred Heart joined in this spurt of church building. It is recorded that work on the enlargement of the church commenced in 1888, and the finally completed church was solemnly blessed at mid-night Mass on the 31st December 1900. The alterations transformed the existing building by the construction of a new nave and clerestory, and consequent alterations and extensions of the Albert Road facade.

One very well-loved priest at this time was Father de Lapasture who served the people in the Boscombe area from Sacred Heart church and later went on to build Corpus Christi church. Today he is remembered by a memorial in St. Thomas More church in Iford, Bournemouth.

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