ROMAN CATHOLICISM
A Cornish recusant, Richard Tremayne, was
living in Bethnal Green when he was indicted in
1588. (fn. 56) John Howe, a tenant of Bishop's Hall,
was absent from church in 1640 (fn. 57) but suspicions
that Sir Balthazar Gerbier was harbouring
priests in 1642 proved unfounded. (fn. 58) Fifteen
recusants were listed in 1678 and 1689. (fn. 59) One,
a weaver in Nichol Street, was also listed in
1706 (fn. 60) and another weaver, who lived in Hare
Street, was a recusant c. 1717. (fn. 61) Four men, none
long-term residents, and a woman were returned
as papists in 1767. (fn. 62) In 1778 there were a few
papists but 'none of any note' and in 1810 'very
few if any'. (fn. 63) There were English Roman
Catholics in the area in the 1830s and 1840s (fn. 64)
and four families of 'avowed Romanists' in St.
John's parish in 1858. (fn. 65) Although Bethnal Green
lay outside the area of Irish settlement, some
proselytizing emanated from communities to the
south. In the mid 19th century Sisters of Charity
tended destitute families in Bethnal Green. (fn. 66)
The Marists in Spitalfields opened a school in
Parliament Street in 1869. (fn. 67)
The first permanent Roman Catholic church
served late 19th-century Polish and Lithuanian
refugees, who settled near their Jewish compatriots
and learnt tailoring and cabinet making from
them. (fn. 68)
Religious orders moved from Mile End Road,
where they ran a Polish mission, to open a
Polish and Lithuanian church in 1896. The
Assumptionists, originally a French order,
opened a chapel in 1902, (fn. 69) when the local
Protestant Alliance, already alarmed at Anglican
ritualism, unsuccessfully took out a summons
against the Roman Catholics. (fn. 70) Roman Catholic
attendances of 729 were, however, less than 4
per cent of the total in 1903. (fn. 71) The Missionaries
of the Divine Love, who ran the Polish church,
had left by 1905 and the Sisters of the Holy
Family of Nazareth, the other Polish order,
by 1910. Two churches opened in 1912, a
Lithuanian church in the Oval and Our Lady
of the Assumption in Victoria Park Square,
served by the Assumptionists. Other religious
orders were the Sisters of the Christian Retreat
in Victoria Park c. 1927-1941, the Marian Fathers
at the Lithuanian church from 1931, and the
Canonesses of St. Augustine from 1982. (fn. 72) The
churches and other institutions are described
below.
The abbreviation reg. denotes registration for
worship. Attendance figs. 1903 are from Mudie-Smith, Rel. Life, 57.
St. Joseph And St. Casimir Polish and
Lithuanian ch., run by Missionaries of Divine
Love, reg. at no. 184A Cambridge Rd. 1896. (fn. 73)
Attendance 1903: 252 a.m., 96 p.m. Moved to
corner of Cambridge Rd. and Patriot Sq. where
reg. as St. Mary and St. Casimir chapel 1905.
Moved to Shadwell 1906. (fn. 74)
St. Casimir Lithuanian ch. opened in St.
Geo.-in-the-East 1902, (fn. 75) moved to the Oval, off
Hackney Rd. where ch. reg. 1912. (fn. 76) Average
attendance c. 1926: 200-250. Served by Marian
fathers since 1931. Bldg. in vaguely Italian
style, though capitals 'Egyptian', by Benedict
Williamson 1911:. inc. accommodation for clergy
and social centre for parishioners opened 1974. (fn. 77)
Augustinians of the Assumption, concerned
mainly with educ., invited from France by
Cardinal Manning 1901 and opened chapel
of Our Lady Of The Assumption in North
Passage, Green St., near Globe Rd. 1902. (fn. 78)
Attendance 1903: 197 a.m., 79 p.m. Moved to
vacated Polish and Lithuanian chapel at no. 184A
Cambridge Rd. 1905. (fn. 79) Gift of Florence Cottrell-Dormer, in memory of husband, for new
ch. and priory as headquarters of order on
NE. side of Victoria Park Sq., on site of Park
Congreg. chapel, 1912. Assumptionists opened
sch. 1925. Bldg. of stock brick and stone in
Gothic style by Edw. Goldie: shallow apse, high
chancel, large nave, cloistered aisles. (fn. 80)
Sch. chapel in Parliament St. used for pub.
worship 1903, attendance 105 a.m., and 1934. (fn. 81)
St. Patrick's hall in Cranbrook St. reg. 1905-6. (fn. 82)
Missionaries of the Divine Love, from Polish
mission in Mile End Rd., at no. 184A Cambridge
Rd. 1896-1905. (fn. 83)
Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, Polish
order devoted to sick and poor, moved from
Mile End Rd. to no. 14 Patriot Sq. 1897, to no.
1 Old Ford Rd. 1899, where ran rescue home
for c. 50 boys, and to no. 37 Approach Rd. in
Victoria Pk. by 1905. Left before 1910. (fn. 84)
Sisters of the Christian Retreat, French order
specializing in educ., maintained St. Teresa's
convent at no. 106 Sewardstone Rd. c. 1927-41. (fn. 85)
Congregation of Our Lady (Canonesses of
St. Augustine), originally French order specializing in educ., moved into council property
in Burnham est., Globe Rd. 1982. Moved to
nos. 38 and 44 Stafford Cripps Ho., Globe Rd.,
1984 and gave up no. 38 1990. (fn. 86)