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The Education and Piety of Catholics in Staffordshire in the 18th Century

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 September 2015

Extract

In the last fifteen years of research into the history of Catholics in England it has become possible to discover much about their numbers and organisation, their political ideas and relations with the government, and their social and financial status. What still tends to be elusive is the nature and quality of their spiritual life. What follows is an attempt to see how far and under what conditions Catholics of Staffordshire in the eighteenth century carried out their religious duties.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Catholic Record Society 1969

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References

1. Catholic Magazine (1834), pp. 307–8.Google Scholar

2. Husenbeth, F. C.. Sedgley Park School (1846), p. 76.Google Scholar

3. Gothers Prayers (Wolverhampton edition, 1800) (copy at Oscott.)

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6. Coughton Court, Throckmorton papers. Memorandum book of Peter Giffard: the Saloon, Mass Cabinet, no. 1.

7. An almost complete set of lists 1757-1844 survives at S. Mary's, Brewood, for the Chillington congregation. The totals at their highest reach over 300 communions, in 1789. After this the mission was divided.

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12. There are examples in Staffordshire in the registers of Ranton, Sedgley, Wolverhampton.

13. B.A.A. C.356. Chillington Register.

14. B.A.A. C.667.

15. At least one Bishop was consecrated in England — namely Hornyold, at Stonor Park, February 1752. For Stonor's description of the event see Julian, Stcnor, Stonor of Stonor Park, p. 290.Google Scholar

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17. B.A.A. 356.

18. B.A.A. A 42.

19. 26 George II, c. 33.

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25. Namely: Christmas Day, the Circumcision, the Epiphany, Candlemas, Easter Monday and Easter Tuesday, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, Corpus Christi, the Finding of the Cross, the Conception of the Blessed Virgin, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, the Annunciation, the Assumption, All Saints, St. Michael, St. John the Baptist, St. Joseph, SS. Peter and Paul, St. Stephen, St. Lawrence, St. Anne, St. Thomas of Canterbury, St. George, the Holy Innocents. Challoner, R., Catholic Christian Instructed, pp. 213224.Google Scholar

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28. B.A.A., A.915.

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31. Throckmorton papers, Coughton Court; Memorandum Book, op. cit.

32. The Bishops had the regulations for Lent printed each year at an expense to the Common Fund of 10s. They were circulated and put up in the chapels. B.A.A. 382.

For examples of regulations B.A.A. C.538, C.821. Similarly, Stonor in 1750/51: A.11; Talbot in 1780: R.48, C.845, A.482a.

33. B.A.A., C.821.

34. B.A.A., C.110.

35. Coughton Court, Throckmorton papers: Strong Room, Box 82, folder 1.

36. B.A.A., A.84-86.

37. Sedgley Park archives at Cotton College, S.P. 27.

38. Beverley Record Office, D.D. C.C. 126/82 and 120.

39. B.A.A., A.1277.

40. Coughton Court Saloon, Memorandum Book, Mass Cabinet no. 1.

41. B.A.A., C.380, C.381, C.534.

42. B.A.A., C.82, p. 152.

43. B.A.A., C.382x. Richard Palin was receiving regular payments at Chillington till 1734 and at one occasion was paid “at the school”.

44. B.A.A., C.566 and C.587.

45. B.A.A., C.363b, C.590. Popish schools seem to have been regarded with more popular distrust than any other form of popish activity, an attitude which seems to have persisted throughout the nineteenth century.

46. Coughton Court Throckmorton MS., Strong Room 86/17.

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49. Laity's Directory, 1794; Husenbeth, F. C., Sedgley Park School (1846), pp. 7685.Google Scholar

50. B.A.A., A.353.

51. B.A.A., A.697 and C.382x.

52. B.A.A., C. 245.

53. B.A.A., C.588.

54. B.A.A., C.55b and A.57.

55. B.A.A., A.1016 and A.1017..

56. Staffordshire Catholic History, nos. 6 and 7. House of Lords Main Papers, Return of Papists 1780.

57. S.R.O. (W.S.L.), D.718/2. She was a daughter of John Kempson of Saredon and Constance Whitgreave of Moseley. She was probably educated at the Dunkirk convent.

58. As e.g. B.A.A., C.219, C.334, C.552-5. Memorandum book formerly at Gifford House, Wolverhampton, now at Oscott.