St Giles Priests Page 2

1871 - 1874 Evan Haines Hunter
In contrast to Canon Bathurst with his private income, Fr Hunter was as poor as a church mouse. The parish was not amused when it realised it would have to support him. For his part Fr Hunter was hostile towards the parish. It was said that 'the people hated him and he returned the compliment'. This mutual animosity led to a great decline in the congregation. By the time of his death from apoplexy in October 1874 at the age of 58, there were only 27 souls in the congregation. For six weeks the parish was supplied by Thomas Keates, a native of Cheadle.

1874 - 1934 Walter Morris Walter
Morris Fr Morris came from a non-Catholic family and was received into the church at the age of 10. He was ordained in 1871. He did not want to come to Cheadle but in the end he served the parish for 60 years, an unbeaten record in this diocese. He let his presbytery to a Mr Foot and lived in the convent for ten years until the Dominican Sisters came in 1898. By his gentle dignity , quick sympathy and unfailing patience he soon won the hearts of his people. He was respected in the wider community and did much to safeguard the church. A fellow priest said of him that he was a 'tower of strength and a true friend in time of joy and sorrow'. He was responsible for building the Guild Hall. He took an active part in the town's public life and his counsel and experience were always appreciated. During his long tenure as parish priest, Fr Morris had a number of assistants. Frs Myerscough and Hughes only stayed for a short time. Fr Dwyer was in Cheadle from February 1920 - January 1922. Fr Peter Kavanagh was assistant priest from 1925 - 1928. A shy man who hated preaching, he was, nevertheless a particularly sensitive visitor and comforter of the sick. He was succeeded by Fr John Love, who came from Cotton, where he was prefect of discipline. He had a sense of humour, a ready smile and was sensible and shrewd. Helping Fr Morris in the last years of his life was not an easy task but it was one he undertook with patience and humility. He left Cheadle in 1934 to become parish priest of Harvington.

1934 - 1956 John Joseph McDonald
Walter Morris Fr 'Mac' was another priest from Carlow, Ireland. He was appointed Administrator at Cheadle so that he could look after Fr Morris in his last days and give him the dignity of dying as parish priest. He bought the presbytery in Charles Street just after he became parish priest. He was a tremendous fundraiser and made the Guild Hall available for use by the wider community. The weekly dances and famous parish sweep brought in thousands of pounds, which were much needed for essential repairs and renovations. The overhauling of the spire and the installation of a new organ followed in 1949. His sudden collapse and death from a heart attack in 1956 was a great shock. He loved St Giles' and Cheadle, was much loved in return and is still remembered with fondness.

1956 - 1978 Joseph Connelly
Fr Connelly spent much of his priestly life as Professor of Chant at Oscott College. He played the piano, organ and violin and was sent to the Beda for further musical study after his ordination in 1932. For many years he was president of the Society of Music and liturgy. A Cotton boy, he was altar spiritual director to the boys there. He had a difficult task in filling the boots of the much loved Fr Mac. He was a shy man but those who got to know him well respected and liked him. He implemented changes of Vatican II with great care and the strong liturgical traditions that this parish enjoys are mainly due to the sure foundations of Fr Connelly. He continued the restoration work on the church and coped with a growing parish in days of change. He stayed in Cheadle until shortly before his death in 1978.

1978 - 1987 Thomas Cockburn
Fr Cockburn was born in Leek and felt an early vocation to the priesthood. As a young man he was as thin as a lath with a shock of vivid red hair and must have been an arresting sight. Witty, sociable and kind, he was nevertheless an intensely private man, who found it difficult to express his emotions. His interests ranged from Newcastle United, to ornithology and Radio Luxembourg. At Cheadle, Fr Cockburn set upon a much needed and extensive programme of restoration on the church. He raised the money needed to re-roof the church in lead with great vigour. He was well-organised, neat and meticulous. He arrived at Cheadle at a difficult time in the life of the parish. He had no curate and the various religious sisters who had taught in our schools for almost 100 years had been withdrawn. He gathered around him a willing band of people who helped him during his parish work. Fr Cockburn left Cheadle to become parish priest of Abbey Hulton, where he died in 1994.

1987 - 1989 - Alexander Bede Walsh
Fr Bede came to Cheadle from Cotton in 1987, while retaining responsibility for St. Wilfrid's. The following years were a time of expansion on the one hand but also of retraction in some areas. Thus in 1996 he was also asked to assume the pastoral care of St John's, Alton. A considerable amount of conversation an restoration work on St. Giles' Church, together with the 150th anniversary celebrations in 1996, has been a notable feature of these years.