Summary
It was formed out of the southern part of St. Alban’s parish just before World War II. Within the parish, however, there was an old Catholic Chapel at Sutton Hall and for the 200 years of persecution from the Tudor to the Hanoverian times priests resided at Sutton Hall for significant periods continuing to minister to a small Catholic community around Sutton into the late 18th century.
With inter-war expansion of the Moss Rose residential housing in south Macclesfield a new parish was needed and a local silk manufacturer, Edward Lomas, on becoming a Catholic joined with his wife, Henrietta, to make a gift of a new church, the land, and all the fittings and furniture. The dedication of the Church to St. Edward the Confessor perpetuates the memory of their magnificent donation.
The foundation stone for the new church was laid by Rt. Rev. Ambrose Moriarty, 6th Bishop of Shrewsbury on 15th June 1938 and the church was consecrated a few months before the Second World War on 26th April 1939.
In 1951, Edward & Henrietta Lomas acquired Sutton Hall to enable a community of Irish Sisters of Charity to come to live and engage in active social & educational work among the Catholics of Macclesfield.
In the 1950s too, the present presbytery was built and finally after many years of coping with temporary buildings, a parish community room between the church and presbytery was built in 2003.
Now further expansion of residential housing in South Macclesfield is taking place and as the parish moves towards its 90th anniversary new pastoral challenges arise.
With inter-war expansion of the Moss Rose residential housing in south Macclesfield a new parish was needed and a local silk manufacturer, Edward Lomas, on becoming a Catholic joined with his wife, Henrietta, to make a gift of a new church, the land, and all the fittings and furniture. The dedication of the Church to St. Edward the Confessor perpetuates the memory of their magnificent donation.
The foundation stone for the new church was laid by Rt. Rev. Ambrose Moriarty, 6th Bishop of Shrewsbury on 15th June 1938 and the church was consecrated a few months before the Second World War on 26th April 1939.
In 1951, Edward & Henrietta Lomas acquired Sutton Hall to enable a community of Irish Sisters of Charity to come to live and engage in active social & educational work among the Catholics of Macclesfield.
In the 1950s too, the present presbytery was built and finally after many years of coping with temporary buildings, a parish community room between the church and presbytery was built in 2003.
Now further expansion of residential housing in South Macclesfield is taking place and as the parish moves towards its 90th anniversary new pastoral challenges arise.
Recollections
A Recollection of 75 years in South Macclesfield Parish Opening
26th April 1939 - The Church opens. In early 1939 Britain was preparing for war. The first Anderson shelter had been built in London in February. On 31 March Britain had pledged its support to Poland in the event of an invasion. On 27 April The Military Training Act was introduced requiring all men aged 20 and 21 to undertake six months military training.
But despite the backdrop of military preparations life continued normally as far as possible. No more so than at London Road Macclesfield where the final touches were being placed on a splendid new church which had been built through the generosity of Mr Edward Lomas and his family who paid the entire cost of the site, the building and its furnishings.
26th April 1939 - The Church opens. In early 1939 Britain was preparing for war. The first Anderson shelter had been built in London in February. On 31 March Britain had pledged its support to Poland in the event of an invasion. On 27 April The Military Training Act was introduced requiring all men aged 20 and 21 to undertake six months military training.
But despite the backdrop of military preparations life continued normally as far as possible. No more so than at London Road Macclesfield where the final touches were being placed on a splendid new church which had been built through the generosity of Mr Edward Lomas and his family who paid the entire cost of the site, the building and its furnishings.
The consecration ceremony on 26 April lasted almost 5 hours beginning at 9.30 am when the doors of the church were shut, only a deacon remaining inside. The Bishop of Shrewsbury Dr Ambrose Moriarty followed by Canons and assistant clergy of the Diocese and the Salvatorium clergy choir of Christleton Hall near Chester, went to collect the relics of the saints from where they had been deposited the previous day.
The Bishop and his attendants returned to the front door of the church where he blessed the salt and water and made three circuits of the church sprinkling first the upper, then the lower and then the middle parts of the outer walls knocking each time on the church door.
After the third knock the door was opened and the procession entered for the dedication of the interior of the building. On the floor of the church ashes had been spread in the form of a cross and on these the Bishop traced Greek and Latin letters. This ancient ceremony symbolised instruction: the catechising of the newly baptised in the elements of faith and piety.
The Bishop and his attendants returned to the front door of the church where he blessed the salt and water and made three circuits of the church sprinkling first the upper, then the lower and then the middle parts of the outer walls knocking each time on the church door.
After the third knock the door was opened and the procession entered for the dedication of the interior of the building. On the floor of the church ashes had been spread in the form of a cross and on these the Bishop traced Greek and Latin letters. This ancient ceremony symbolised instruction: the catechising of the newly baptised in the elements of faith and piety.
The consecration of the altar followed and the Bishop made three circuits of the inner walls sprinkling them with holy water before returning to the outside of the church where the ceremony was continued. The Bishop and the rest of the gathering again entered the church and the procession passed up to the altar on which the relics were to be deposited. These were laid in the sepulchre which was closed by a slab and sealed.
A further circuit of the walls took the Bishop to each the 12 consecration crosses which he anointed and then the altar furnishings were blessed.
The consecration was followed by High Mass presided over by Fr Henry Kelly, parish priest of St Albans. It was a cold day and the laity had waited in a marquee until the newly consecrated church had its floor swept and all prepared for Mass. There were no benches. This had made things easier for the Bishop and the processions but didn't hold out any promise of comfort for the first congregation. Just as the people began to file into church, the benches and kneelers were delivered and carried into the church in a kind of impromptu extra procession.
Mr and Mrs Lomas graciously completed the proceedings by entertaining the Bishop and priests and invited guests to lunch at St Albans Parish Hall in Roe Street.
A further circuit of the walls took the Bishop to each the 12 consecration crosses which he anointed and then the altar furnishings were blessed.
The consecration was followed by High Mass presided over by Fr Henry Kelly, parish priest of St Albans. It was a cold day and the laity had waited in a marquee until the newly consecrated church had its floor swept and all prepared for Mass. There were no benches. This had made things easier for the Bishop and the processions but didn't hold out any promise of comfort for the first congregation. Just as the people began to file into church, the benches and kneelers were delivered and carried into the church in a kind of impromptu extra procession.
Mr and Mrs Lomas graciously completed the proceedings by entertaining the Bishop and priests and invited guests to lunch at St Albans Parish Hall in Roe Street.
Bishop Moriarty stands at the centre of this picture taken on the day St Edwards Church was consecrated. He is surrounded by clergy from the Diocese including our first Parish Priest, Frederick Walsh, standing fourth from the right. Also present are members of the Lomas family : Edward on the far right, stands next to his daughter, May. His wife, Henrietta, stands in a fur coat next to Fr Walsh. Four altar servers sit at the front.
Who was Edward Lomas?
Benefactor of St Edward the Confessor Church
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Edward Lomas was born in Rainow in March 1873 and came from a farming family.
He was educated at Macclesfield Grammar School and at the age of 15 began work as an office boy for GH Heath and Co, silk throwsters, in Pickford Street Macclesfield. He soon rose up through the firm and became a director after the First World War. Under his guidance the company became one of the biggest silk throwing firms in England and Edward became a very wealthy man. Edward was received into the Church at the age of 19 before marrying Henrietta, a daughter of local shopkeepers, in 1900. |
He soon became totally committed to the work of the Church including membership of the Shrewsbury Diocesan Council, a representative of the Bishop of Shrewsbury on the Catholic Education Council, a governor of Sedgley Park training college and the Salesian Colleges at Pott Shrigley and Blaisdon.
Edward's generosity to the Church seemed to be almost limitless. He stated on more than one occasion that God had bestowed on him great blessings and he felt that it was his duty to repay in some small way these blessings by doing all he could to further God's work. His payment of the total cost of the building of St Edwards Church and its furnishings are evidence of both a financial and personal commitment to the work of the Church which has probably seen no parallel in Macclesfield either before or since. |
The Parish Priests of St Edward the Confessor Macclesfield
Priest |
Years of Service |
RIP |
Frederick Walsh |
1939-1943 |
28-09-1963 |
Leo Coyne |
1943 - 1958 |
09-02-1958 |
Peter Daly |
1958 - 1963 |
19-12-1970 |
John Murphy |
1963 - 1972 |
15/05/2011 |
Wilfrid McManus |
1972 - 1973 |
10/04/1989 |
John McLeish |
1973 - 1981 |
24/05/2016 |
Denis Bowskill |
1981 - 1982 |
10/09/1990 |
John Lennon |
1982 - 1983 |
25/09/1997 |
Michael Cupit |
1983 - 1994 |
30/09/2022 |
John Thompson |
1994 - 1995 |
30/01/1995 |
Bernard Forshaw |
1995 |
- |
Frederick Robinson |
1996 — 2006 |
15-05-2015 |
Peter Cryan |
2006- present |
- |
