Parish Timeline
This timeline records the key events that have occurred over the 80 years of the parish’s life. Fuller histories of both churches are available elsewhere on this website, but this provides a snapshot in chronological order.
Holy Cross has a Blue icon.
Christ the King has a Green icon.
1941
Salvatorian Provincial asks Bishop of Clifton whether they can establish a house in diocese. Bishop agrees and a few months later, Fr Kevin Kenny arrives to set up a new parish in Thornbury and stays for first year at Ship Inn Oldbury, home of Mrs Catto
1942
Successfully bids for house in 13 St Mary’s Street – loan of £900 from Mrs Catto & then soldier donates £900 in memory of fiancée killed in air raid. Used for weekday mass but not large enough for Sundays so Vicar of Thornbury allows use of Church Institute next door (now Ronnie’s Restaurant) for Sunday masses; mass centre at Sharpness opens
1943
Priests living in council house at 5 Boverton Road, Filton before moving to St Marys Street
1944
Responsible for Hortham, Almondsbury & Berkeley Hospitals, Charfield, Kingswood and Wotton
1946
Wotton served from Thornbury; parish took over chaplaincy of Leyhill Prison
1947
The number of parishioners grows to approximately 300
1947
Masses in Wotton held in Boys Club in Bear Street
1948
Fr Alphonsus Hopwood made the first of his two appearances on the staff of the parish in 1948
1949
The parishioner count has grown to approximately 450
1950
Chapel built at rear of 13 St Mary Street
1951
Chapel opened by Bishop; Fr Paul Keyte parish priest Thornbury
1952
Responsibility for Sharpness & Almondsbury
1953
Fr Vincent Hart parish priest Thornbury; bought building in Wotton for church (£610) – financed largely by Miss Ward. Holy Cross Church opened 21 September.
1954
Miss Wells donates Stations of Cross to Holy Cross
1957
The number of parishioners grows to approximately 700
1958
Negotiations re purchase of Porch House; Fr Bernard Ruddy parish priest Thornbury
1959
The number of parishioners grows to approximately 850
1960
Ladies Guild formed
1961
Porch House purchased £5250 for use as temporary church and accommodation. Responsibility for Leyhill Prison, Wotton-under-Edge, Berkeley Power Station
1962
The number of parishioners grows to approximately 950; Foundation stone laid for CTK church
1962
House at 13 The Old Town, Wotton bought by diocese for priest serving Holy Cross
1963
Responsibility for Leyhill Prison
1964
Christ The King church built (£20k) and opened 16 March; Stations of the Cross donated by workers at Oldbury Power Station. Wooden hut purchased (£150) for mass in Berkeley; Fr Clement Mercer parish priest Thornbury
1965
First outdoor Christ the King Corpus Christi procession; extension built for CTK Social Club; pipe organ installed in CTK from convent of Sisters of Mercy in Bristol
1966
Mass centre at Sharpness closed; total offertory collections for year £2875
1966
Fr Cyril Field priest in charge
1967
The number of parishioners grows to approximately 1500; formation of first parish council for CTK – existing groups: Social Club, Ladies Guild, St Stephen’s Guild; launch of stewardship campaign (forerunner of weekly envelopes); Social Club provided new floor in hall
1967
Fr Gerard Tuohey priest in charge
1968
Foundation stone laid for school – parish to meet half the cost; responsibility for Eastwood Park Detention Centre; gift-aid scheme launched; Boys Club formed
1968
Fr Richard Dunne priest in charge
1969
CTK School opened; Social Club extended Fr Clement organises a gymkhana at Mundy Playing Fields in aid of school fund & said he’d asked Val Doonican to open it but he had a prior engagement – profit of £150; Fr Clement Mercer dies after sudden illness soon after school opens; processional cross purchased in memory of Fr Mercer; masses change from Latin to English
1970
Fr Edmund Lanning parish priest Thornbury; average mass attendance 623 with 50 children making First Communion; Social Club lounge opened
1971
Mass attendance approx. 344 and 45 baptisms, 65 confirmations; PP authorised as registrar for marriages; parish amateur dramatic society formed and named “Octopus”
1971
Mass attendance approx. 60
1972
Sunday masses begin at Berkeley Castle after moving from hut in Lynch Road; repairs to Porch House roof; new church benches; Fr Lanning decides to resign as parish priest
1973
Fr Stephen Leggett parish priest, Thornbury; average mass attendance 507
1976
Fr George Malecki ordained in CTK in 1976
1978
Fr Danny Burns parish priest Thornbury; Joan Brown appointed as housekeeper; Lucky Numbers Scheme launched
1978
Fr Cyril Field priest in charge
1979
First meeting of Parish Advisory Committee; reference to Covenant Scheme active; Sr Winifred of Sisters of The Cross; Ladies Guild formed
1980
Average mass attendance 428
1980
Fr Aelred Dobson priest in charge; responsibility for Leyhill Prison; Buy a Brick Scheme launched at 30p per brick; Sr Marie-John takes over from Sr Winifred
1981
Major work at CTK – re-ordering of sanctuary, church extended and new entrance; stained glass windows installed commemorating three priests: Alphonsus, Bernard & Clement; dedication of renovated church 25 Feb
1981
Major work at Holy Cross Church – remodelled moving church to ground floor and meeting room upstairs – new church would seat 86; Sr Provincial of Sisters of The Cross will provide new pews
1982
Renovation work on Porch House; Salvatorian Sisters Paula and Teresa arrive
1983
Fr Louis Preston parish priest Thornbury
1984
Fr Alex McAllister ordained in CTK 23 June
1985
Salvatorian Sisters leave; average mass attendance 420
1985
Sr Margaret arrives
1988
Sisters of Christian Schools (also known as Sisters of St Marie Madeleine Postel) arrive – Sister Mary Joseph and Sister Mary Clare (later replaced by Sr Mary Kieran) living at 12 Orchard Avenue; Fr Frank Waters parish priest Thornbury
1988
Sr Margaret leaves
1990
Average mass attendance 450
1991
Christ the King Golden Jubilee; Ladies Guild closes
1992
Parish pilgrimage to Rome; Jan Myers retired as parish secretary and Julie Hooper appointed; Sr Mary Joseph left
1993
Fr Noel Keane parish priest Thornbury; Sr Josephine O’Malley SDS arrives
1994
100/200 Club launched
1995
Refurbishment work on Porch House; average mass attendance 438
1996
Refurbishment work on Porch House
1996
Average Sunday mass attendance 174
1999
Fr Alex McAllister parish priest Thornbury 26 Castle Street purchased for use as presbytery Parish pilgrimage to Fatima and Santiago de Compostela
2000
Parish pilgrimage to Israel; launched parish website
2000
Covenant scheme replaced by diocesan Gift Aid Scheme
2001
Christ the King Diamond Jubilee celebrations inc parish mission; parish pilgrimage to Rome; decision to refurbish Porch House
2002
Ladies Guild closes
2004
Parish pilgrimage to Poland
2004
Average Sunday mass attendance 98
2005
Average mass attendance 336
2005
Lawrence McCarthy & Kingsley Fulbrook ordained in Clifton Cathedral as Deacons
2006
Parish pilgrimage to Turkey Major refurbishment of Porch House begins Joan Brown finishes as housekeeper
2006
Parish website starts
2007
Christ the King Prayer Garden Labyrinth created; refurbishment of Porch House completed at cost to parish of £28k thanks to major grants
2008
Parish website closes
2010
Mass at Berkeley moves from Castle to Town Hall; Mass times change because of reduction in priests: Berkeley Sunday 09:00, Christ the King Saturday 18:00 and Sunday 08:30 & 11:00 Salvatorian Novitiate House opened at 25 Church Road, Thornbury
2010
Mass times change because of reduction in priests: Holy Cross Sunday 10:30; Fr Aelred died, and Holy Cross served from Christ the King
2011
Masses at Berkeley finish Major refurbishment programme begins – repairs to church roof
2011
Average mass attendance 67
2012
Salvatorian Novitiate House closes Fr Lazarus Msimbe parish priest Thornbury Refurbishment of church internally – carpet flooring, launch of Warmer Church Appeal
2013
Carpark resurfaced, external painting of Porch House; fans installed in church
2015
Average mass attendance 180
2015
Average mass attendance 52
2016
Fr George Malecki parish priest Thornbury; death-watch beetle infestation remedial work in Porch House
2017
Upgrade of central heating in church
2020
Church services stop 20 March for several months because of Covid virus. Then restarts but with limit of 30 at Christ the King Repairs to Porch House roof and attic
2020
Church services stop 20 March for several months because of Covid virus. Then restarts but with limit of 12 at Holy Cross
2021
Reduction in Sunday masses – 9.30 and 10.30 in Christ the King Social Club closes
2021
Reduction in Sunday masses –17.00 Saturday Holy Cross
2022
Mass times in Christ the King change to 9.00 and 10.30 Combined Pastoral Council for both churches created
2022
Combined Pastoral Council for both churches created
Updated 12 April 2022