Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'

Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'
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Friday's header of St Aloysius Church

Posted by Norman Dunn on April 22, 2022, 8:32:29

Today's Header is a photo I took in 1978.

Re: Friday's header of St Aloysius Church

Posted by Stan Wears on April 22, 2022, 9:21:03, in reply to "Friday's header of St Aloysius Church"

Nice photo Norman. For our regulars some info. Built 1888 by Jarrow builder,
Thomas Lumsden and designed by 26 yrs old Newcastle architect Charles Walker. Unusual feature, it was built with several sizes of bricks from 5 local makers. The church is grade ll listed. It has 31 stained glass windows totalling 10,400 cuts of glass. It is exactly 100ft long and 50ft wide. Originally it only had 29 pews, 18ft long made of northern pitch pine in hartlepool. It would have taken 1 tree to make one pew as it only grows about 40ft high. Also those pews were finished in shellac from Germany.
It is a remarkable piece of architecture which only cost £5,000 to build.

St Aloysius Church from Google Earth

Posted by Norman Dunn on April 22, 2022, 10:44:04, in reply to "Re: Friday's header of St Aloysius Church"

Here is a similar view 44 years later with part of the old 'County Hotel' to the right and the Presbytery on Prince Consort Rd - Argyle St corner.

Re: Friday's header of St Aloysius Church

Posted by Peter on April 22, 2022, 13:32:17, in reply to "Friday's header of St Aloysius Church"

The first photo must have been taken a year or two before the old St. Aloysius Juniors was closed and demolished.

Re: Friday's header of St Aloysius Church

Posted by Stan Wears on April 22, 2022, 14:35:40, in reply to "Re: Friday's header of St Aloysius Church"

I think you are right Peter, but I'm not 100% sure. A lot of the church records disappeared around 1920. Also, there is a historical record researched a few years ago by a parishioner who was paid £200 but that person drank the money after making up the history. I have researched the history in fine detail and have rewritten it for the Diocese Office.

Posted by hi on May 31, 2022, 4:06:33, in reply to "Re: Friday's header of St Aloysius Church"

Now I am ready to do my breakfast, once having my breakfast coming again to read other news.|

Re: Friday's header of St Aloysius Church

Posted by AJG on April 22, 2022, 15:11:26, in reply to "Friday's header of St Aloysius Church"

That's a great photo. I had forgotten that there used to be the sign for Reyrolle there. Also, it looks like you can see the School Street flats in the distance on the right. Look at the VW camper van and old cars parked too.

Wonder who the people are waiting at the bus stop!

Re: Friday's header of St Aloysius Church

Posted by Llyn Green on April 22, 2022, 20:22:59, in reply to "Re: Friday's header of St Aloysius Church"

I was on the team that re-wired St. Aloysius School next to the church, about 1960.
We had to complete the work in the school summer holiday period, so time was against us.

One of the classrooms, facing the Police Station, had a huge bulge in the ceiling and we had to run conduits across it.
We were scared to touch it in case the whole lot came down, so we carefully bent the conduit to match the bulge, and got away with it.

I was at a Blood Donor session a few years ago where the old school used to be, brought back a few memories as I was lying there.

Re: Friday's header of St Aloysius Church

Posted by Stan Wears on April 22, 2022, 21:10:37, in reply to "Re: Friday's header of St Aloysius Church"

I attended the school but never knew about the refurbishment. Thanks Llyn.

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