St. Joseph

Introduction

Saint Joseph's Church in Tadcaster, within the Diocese of Leeds, opened in 1869 and serves the town and surrounding villages from Saint Joseph's Street on the edge of the town centre.

History

In 1868 the Vavasour family gave land in Tadcaster for the Church of St Joseph's with an associated school and presbytery. Cardinal Manning, Archbishop of Westminster, officially opened the church on August 31st 1869. During the 1890s the church at Tadcaster had become the main church, with 180 Easter communicants at St Joseph's in 1895 compared to 55 at Hazelwood. Evidence points to 1897 as the year Saint Joseph's parish came into being, with over 220 Easter communicants recorded that year.

With Vatican II and the centenary of the church in 1969, the decision was made to go for a major internal renovation. On January 17, 1927 the parish lost its founding priest when Father Bradley died and was buried in Tadcaster cemetery.

Architecture and furnishings

An invoice of 1962 shows improvements including the boundary wall increased in height, dry rot in the floor dealt with, the font refurbished and a new confessional provided. The extensive renovations were largely completed by late 1967 and produced what the Wetherby News called 'an elegant yet completely unpretentious church'. In the renovations all the heavy woodwork was removed, the screen at the main door was removed, the painted stars and angel lozenge were painted over, and the old pulpit, riddled with woodworm, was removed and burned.

The crucifix and the carved Holy Family on the south wall were created by a Polish artist associated with Hazlewood. A new window celebrating the Holy Family was installed on the left hand side of the church in celebration of the life of May Moverley, who died in 1982.

A commemorative plaque to the right of the entrance door records nine parishioners who died in the First World War; the plaque was originally attached to the current baptismal font. There is a commemorative stained glass window to Joseph Moverley on the north wall.

A new stained glass window on the right hand side of the wall commemorates the Papal visit to the Knavesmire; it cost £1050 and was made at Waugh's in York, celebrating Blessed Margaret Clitherow. The piscina is probably Fifteenth Century in origin and was discovered in 1881 embedded in the floor of the cellar during excavations of the old Manor House in Tadcaster East. The stone piscina carries on three sides the arms of the Nevilles, Warrens and Percys; the fourth side is blank.

The new stained glass window commemorates 150 years since the opening of Saint Joseph's Church, with dates 1869–2019 at the base. The design is framed by a decorative border of hops, giving reference to the historic brewing industry of Tadcaster. Saint Joseph's church itself stands at the centre of the design, with seven beams radiating symbolising the Seven Sacraments.

Parish life

The Mini Vinnies took food to the Salvation Army at Harvest Festival and sang at their Christmas lunch. The school participated in the annual Lantern Festival following craft activities with Tad Crafters. The school welcomed visiting speakers to assemblies and enjoyed a visit from CAFOD. The school offered a monthly 'Family Mass' at Sunday Mass, attended by Catholic and non-Catholic families.

The school ran 'The Playhub' after-school club, offering additional activities such as cookery and sports. The school enjoyed a day at 'Outdoor Ted' learning forest school skills and Class 3 had a residential visit to Bewerley Park. All pupils visited Harrogate Theatre at Christmas to watch the pantomime, supported by the PTA. Younger pupils explored the town and visited the Fire Station, and Reception–Year 3 visited Countryside Day at Ledston Hall.

The parish joined St Mary's in 1967 to visit the new Liverpool Cathedral. The parish ran jumble sales, bring and buy sales, coffee mornings, sales of work, sweepstakes on the Grand National and a pools project with 487 members in 1966. A dance for young people, including a 'crisp eating competition', was initiated with dancing to recorded music. Parishioner John Heneachon received the Maundy Money from the Queen at Selby Abbey in 1968 for his voluntary work.

The parish supported the school without Diocesan help; in 1894 there were around 42 Catholic children attending, rising to 87 by the start of the First World War. The school frequently achieved 'excellent' in inspections, only once falling below 'good' up until 1910. In 1900 Eleanor Cosgrave, the first pupil teacher at St Joseph's, achieved a second class grade in the pupil teachers' religious examination. Parishioners gather annually at the grave of a former priest in Tadcaster cemetery to give thanks for their church and parish.

Regular events

The annual St Patrick's Ball ran through the 1950s at the Riley Smith Hall, first held in 1948. The Catholic Social Club was men-only and banned gambling, drinking and the use of bad language.

At Easter the school performed 'Resurrection Rock' in church. The children particularly enjoyed crowning Our Lady with flowers to celebrate the month of May. The parish held a Lenten Lunch. The parish held a Race Night.

The parish held Armistice commemorations. The Flower Festival during the weekend 14th to 16th June 2019 ended with a celebratory Mass on Sunday.

Sacraments and pastoral care

The almsgiving during Lent raised £1702.00 for various charities. During the war, the congregation was swelled by German prisoners of war who were marched from a camp to the church and sang in the choir, often in German. There was a sharp rise in baptisms and marriages in 1942 and 1943.

During Lent in 1900 two masses had to be offered in Tadcaster to cope with the demand. In 1901 St Joseph's welcomed 11 converts. The theme of the Eucharistic Liturgy is underlined by grapes, vine leaves and ears of wheat surrounding the central image, representing the bread and wine transubstantiated into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.

Visiting

A parish visit to Barley Studio on 1 August 2019 included a guided tour and an introduction to stained glass making. The window is to be installed in the week commencing 12 August 2019. St Joseph's has a very distinctive timber barrel roof and a statue of St Joseph holding the infant Christ above the main door in the west gable.