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Memories of St Mary's

By Roger Wools

What a happy chance to come across the web site. I wrote the history of St Mary’s in 1960 (aged 15) for the reopening of the church with my friend John Guy. It was a very short and poor account but it was a wonderful project to be associated with. My family had been part of the congregation since 1934 when my mother and father moved to Caerau Park Road. My mother died in 2003 aged 99 years and the Rev Buttermore (at St David’s in the 1970s) wrote remembering her.

I had been in the choir since around 1952 so knew the church with oil lamps and oil heaters. I became a server and attended St Timothy’s, serving at Father Jones’ last communion service. Under Father Alfred Hawkins the church was well used and the graveyard cared for. I served at the early morning communion services up until about 1967.

I have a photograph taken in the 1930s of the yew tree before it was burned out.

I have such happy memories which I shared with fellow members of the choir Josie (Gore) and Roger Balkwill on his retirement as Vicar in Albrighton in March this year.

I will have more time later to catch up but thank you so much for all you have done. I did object strongly to Cadw concerning the proposed demolition of the Church around 1990.