ROMAN CATHOLICISM.
Sir Christopher
Roper and his wife and another family were
recusants at Ealing between 1613 and 1617. (fn. 34) At
New Brentford one family was repeatedly presented between 1606 and 1623 and two others
were presented between 1623 and 1636. (fn. 35)
Archibald Campbell, earl of Argyll, was a
recusant there in 1638; in 1640 two recusants
at New Brentford were presented and two at
Ealing, John Penruddock and Woolsey, wife of
George Brent. (fn. 36) Brent was described as a church
papist in 1642. (fn. 37) Ealing parish had no recusants
in 1706; a small group of suspected papists at
New Brentford included Mary Thompson, who
practised physic (fn. 38) and was the only papist recorded in Elthorne hundred in 1711, when she
was required to move farther from London. (fn. 39)
Apart from two papists at New Brentford in
1767, (fn. 40) none was recorded at Ealing or Brentford
until the mid 19th century.
A Roman Catholic church at Brentford was
opened in 1856 to serve Irish labourers on the
G.W.R. line. (fn. 41) It is described below, with other
churches opened at Ealing in 1893, North Ealing
in 1899, Northfields in 1922, and Gunnersbury
in 1931. Ealing abbey, opened in 1896, was one of
several convents associated with schools. In 1978
Ealing and Brentford were centres of Roman
Catholic education. (fn. 42)
St. Benedict's abbey, Ealing, at corner of
Charlbury Grove and Marchwood Crescent,
dates from acquisition of house by Downside
abbey 1896. (fn. 43) St. Benedict's church opened
1899. (fn. 44) Attendance 1903: 328 a.m.; 94 p.m. (fn. 45)
Cruciform Perpendicular church by Frederick
and Edward Walters finished 1935 but E. end
destroyed 1940 and not rebuilt until 1962. As
Ealing priory, community became independent
of Downside 1947 and became an abbey 1955. (fn. 46)
St. Dunstan's, Gunnersbury, opened in hall on
E. side of Gunnersbury school in Gunnersbury
Ave. 1931. (fn. 47) Seated 250 in 1978. (fn. 48)
Holy Family church, Vale Lane, on Acton
boundary, built and opened 1967. Modern style,
with lower walls of yellow brick surmounted by
sloping walls of aluminium. (fn. 49)
St. John the Evangelist's church, Brentford,
founded 1856; used former Baptist chapel at
Market Place from 1857 or earlier. (fn. 50) Unpretentious church at Boston Park Rd. opened
1866. (fn. 51) Attendance 1903: 329 a.m.; 150 p.m. (fn. 52)
Seated 300, 1978. (fn. 53)
Mission of St. Joseph and St. Peter in private
house in Windsor Rd., Ealing, from 1893, moving to house in Mattock Lane, property of Revd.
Richard O'Halloran, 1897. (fn. 54) Attendance 1903:
65 a.m.; 43 p.m. (fn. 55) O'Halloran tried to remain
independent of Cardinal Vaughan (fn. 56) and in 1915
registered a different building for 'unattached
Catholics'. (fn. 57) Building in Mattock Lane passed to
Crown on his death without heirs 1925 and later
became Questors theatre. (fn. 58)
St. Peter and St. Paul, Camborne Ave.,
founded 1922 as chapel of ease to Hanwell. (fn. 59)
Separate parish from 1926. Services in hut in
Leyborne Ave. (fn. 60) until first stage of existing
church opened 1931. (fn. 61) Church, completed after
1951, seated c. 450 in 1978. (fn. 62)
St. Mary's convent, New Brentford, opened
1880 for Poor Servants of Mother of God in
two 18th-century houses and gradually extended
to cover whole corner of the Butts and the
Half Acre. Contained laundry, school c. 1900,
orphanage until 1949, and home for mentally
retarded girls from 1924. Chapel opened for
public worship 1914 and replaced in 1950s. (fn. 63)
Visitation nuns from Westbury (Som.) used
Castlebar House 1895-7. (fn. 64) English canonesses
regular of the Lateran established a priory there
before moving in 1914 to the Elms, Hillcrest
Road. (fn. 65)