Timeline

1889

Priests evicted from presbytery extension

13 June

After years of suffering, Fr Cotter died in the 79th year of his age at Clifton and was buried there.  The presbytery extension that he had paid for was inherited by his niece. She proceeded to auction off the contents and rent it out – Fr Fieu could only use the original Pugin part of the presbytery. This division was settled only in about 1900, when the Diocese agreed to pay a small annuity for the niece. 

Sanctuary and St Joseph chapel completed

14 August

Bishop Butt celebrated completion of the sanctuary, preaching at the High Mass. Mr Goddard was the builder and Mr F A Walters the architect, with a design in keeping with Pugin's original. Bishop Butt himself had given £50 and the Military Authorities also donated. The temporary wall behind the altar had been knocked down and the Pugin east window  reinstalled in the new end wall. The side of the Lady Chapel was opened to link into the new extension. St Joseph’s chapel, built at the same time, was shorter than the Lady chapel, and much shorter than Pugin would have wishe, as there was simply not enough money to make it bigger. The chapel also appears to have been left plain and unfurnished for many years – the altar was not installed until 1905 and it was 1909 before the chapel had the stained glass windows that show scenes from the traditional stories of Joseph’s life.