Father O'Meara, described by Mr Loxston as a very saintly man, made a great impression on non-Catholics and, during his two and a half years in Bridgwater, he received 22 converts into the Church. He was a talented musician with a fine singing voice and he formed what was undoubtedly the finest choir that St Joseph's parish had ever known. The choir, made up mostly of members of the Coyle family and the O'Brien family, attracted people from other towns to listen to music such as Mozart's 12th Mass.

Mr York, a lantern slide manufacturer of Friarn Street,
( Link to a website about Mr York )
was a great friend of Father O'Meara and he occasionally provided magic lantern shows for the parish. He also presented one of the stained glass windows on the south side of the nave of St Joseph's Church to the memory of his wife, Eleanor Clare. The present pulpit was purchased by voluntary subscriptions which included £3 from the Duke of Norfolk. The first sermon from the pulpit was preached by Father Calway, a visiting priest, and the same evening Canon Kennard of Holy Name, Cannington, preached the sermon. The chapel in the old convent was still being used as the Catholic Church at Cannington but the main buildings of the convent were used as a reformatory school. Local boys between 9 and 13 could also attend the school and there was a total of 110 boys. The headmaster was Mr Shepherd and the school had its own band under the direction of Mr Lindsay. The band frequently paraded in their smart uniforms through the streets of Bridgwater.

When Father O'Meara was recalled to Ireland towards the end of 1893 he made no effort to hide his sorrow in leaving and during his final address from the pulpit he broke down completely. The parish school had partially recovered under Miss McDonald and there were 40 pupils attending when Father O'Meara left. Unfortunately a new parish priest was not appointed until nearly twelve months later and the Catholic Church lost much of its impact in the town.

Eleven different priests from places as far away as Clevedon, Bristol and Wincanton visited the parish on weekend supply work. Miss Harris, the housekeeper, had to keep the church and presbytery in good condition and to prepare the vestments in readiness for the priests at the weekend. In this work she was greatly assisted by Mr F. Loxston who was then in his late teens.

Miss McDonald had difficulty in keeping the old school functioning and she was unable to have necessary repairs carried out. The end of year. report by H.M. Inspector criticised the condition of the lavatories and the infants classroom. Three months later Miss McDonald resigned and in June 1894 the school closed down and did not re-open until 20 years later.

The next parish priest was Canon Wadman (1894-19l4). He was interested in art and had several fine paintings in the presbytery. During his long stay there were several developments in the parish but before the turn of the century national social changes began to occur. The trade unions were becoming organised and in 1895 the first Labour Party member was elected to Parliament. That year is remembered in Bridgwater because the River Parrett was frozen sufficiently for an ox to be roasted on the ice close to the Town Bridge.

The 1902 Education Act made county councils responsible for education and legislated for grants to denominational schools but St Joseph's School still remained closed as the parish could not afford to bring the buildings up to the required standard.

On 14th October 1907 St Joseph's Church was consecrated by Bishop Burton. Canon Scoles, the former parish priest who designed and built the church, was present at the ceremony and he paid all the expenses. This was a great help to Canon Wadman who received very little money from the Offertory collection.

By 1911 Bridgwater's population was 16,802 but the percentage of Catholics was very small. Three outstanding members of St Joseph's congregation were Messrs Frank Loxston, Harry Williams and Joseph Grimshaw. A good deal of unemployment existed in the town and soup kitchens were opened in Monmouth Street and behind the Town Hall, where a bowl of hot soup could to purchased for 1d.

Canon Wadman lived very frugally and he took a great interest in any efforts to improve social conditions. During his time he saw the introduction of the first motor-bus (or charabanc) in Bridgwater bought in 1913 by Messrs Aplin & Son. Meanwhile the clouds of war were gathering and when Germany attacked France through Belgium World War I was initiated. Britain declared war against Germany on 4th August 1914 and Canon Wadman died the same day after only a few days illness. He was buried at Bristol Road Cemetery and a large number of clergy joined with parishioners of St Joseph's at the funeral.

Rev. George Browne (1914 - 18) took up his duties at St Joseph's, Bridgwater during the first few days of World War I whilst a wave of excitement was sweeping throughout the country. He was a brilliant intellectual and had gained the London University B.A. degree at the age of 17 years before going to the English College in Rome where he became a Doctor of Philosophy and then later a Doctor of Theology.

The number of Catholics in St Joseph's parish in 1914 was only 200 and this included 80 children. Sunday school classes continued in the old school buildings and there were eight classes. Dr Browne and seven lay teachers gave religious instruction at these classes each week. A second Sunday Mass at 11 am was introduced at St Joseph's church in addition to the Mass at 8-l5 am. Improvements were carried out to the heating and lighting in the church and presbytery. A room on the first floor of the presbytery was fitted out as a bathroom and a bath was installed in the house for the first time. Meanwhile World War I from its beginning brought about a terrible slaughter of mankind on a scale never known before. New methods of warfare such as aircraft, poison gas and submarines were introduced. Heavy guns used in one day sufficient explosive shells to have served a whole campaign in previous wars. Fifty million men were engaged in actual combat on battle fronts which extended hundreds of miles.

Pope Benedict VI made constant but fruitless efforts to bring about a negotiated peace and the holocaust of young lives continued. The first big attack by the Germans through Belgium took the country in three weeks. Thousands of Belgian refugees flocked to Britain and a large contingent, most of them Catholics, came to Bridgwater. Dr Browne was a great help to the refugees and he preached his sermons in French as well as English. For the benefit of the Belgian children he had new gas heating and lighting fitted in the old school which had not been used as a day school for 20 years and in 1914 the school opened with 27 pupils. The Belgian schoolmaster and Dr Browne travelled on cycles around the parish visiting refugees in their new surroundings. The regular parishioners of St Joseph's were not neglected and Dr Browne often made journeys around the parish on foot accompanied by his dog, Bob. His tact and sympathy seldom failed to bring back Catholic families who showed signs of neglecting their religion. A parish social committee was formed to organise whist drives, concerts and social gatherings usually held in the old school. Many of the Belgian refugees attended the socials and some were unable to hide their grief when memories were revived by the playing of their national anthem along with the British national anthem.

Dr Browne, who was a fine musician, formed a good choir for services in St Joseph's church and in this he was greatly helped by the Boyland family. Mrs Boyland was a member of the Coyle family who sang in the famous choir formed by Father O'Meara and referred to in an earlier episode. Mr and Mrs Boyland and their daughter Maggie sang in the choir whilst their daughter Winnie played the organ. The latter also played the piano at parish social events.

In July 1916 the Battle of the Somme brought doubt for the first time to the Germans about their ability to win the war on land. They sent airships, known as zeppelins, to attack London and towns on the Eastern side of England. It was not known how far these airships could penetrate inland and lighting restrictions were imposed even in places as far West as Bridgwater. Because of this evening service and Benediction at St Joseph's were held at 4-30 pm on Sundays during the winter months. About that time Dr Browne's mother, who was advancing in age, came from America to live at the Presbytery. She was quite active and assisted the housekeeper with her duties and helped in the decoration of the church and preparation of the altar for Mass. In 19I7 the Germans launched an all out submarine attack on vessels shipping foodstuffs to Britain. So successful were these attacks that most foods were rationed and even non-rationed food was in short supply, but by camouflaging warships as tramp steamers, the Royal Navy eventually greatly reduced the submarine menace. The Allies position was further improved that year when America joined them in the war.

Throughout those difficult war years Dr Browne took an active part in public affairs in Bridgwater. Through this he made many friends amongst non-Catholics and received several converts into the Church. He was a member of the Labour Party and president of the Workers Educational Association whose members met in the Y.M.C.A. building near the town bridge for classes and lectures. On one occasion he gave a lecture there on "Religions Orders in Bridgwater during the Middle Ages". Dr Browne was secretary of the Infirm Priests society, a religious inspector of schools and he was also given the responsibility of arranging the order of Divine Office each year.

In October 1918 an influenza epidemic was raging throughout Britain and Dr Browne fell victim to the germ. His great friend, Mr Maurice Page, and his mother nursed him throughout an illness, which lasted about three weeks and Father Email took over his duties at St Joseph's. During Dr Browne's illness, on 11th November 1918, the British Army reached Mons where the dreadful war had begun for them four years earlier. That day the Germans signed an armistice, the order was given to cease fire and World War I was over.

The war took its toll from St Joseph's, Bridgwater, and from that small community eleven young men were killed. Their names are remembered by a brass memorial tablet on the south wall of the church. The tablet reads: Pray for the souls of John Anglin, Joseph Anglin, Patrick Anglin, John Laurence, Patrick Marks, Laurence O'Brien, Alexander Parsons, Edwin Parsons, Robert Pratt, Roland Roberts, members of this parish who gave their lives for this country in the Great War 1914 -1918. R.I.P.

Four days after the armistice Dr Browne died at the age of 41 on 15th November 1918 and he was buried at Bristol Road Cemetery. Amongst those who attended the funeral were many Catholic priests including Canon Chandler of Cannington mission; also two local non-Catholic clergymen, Rev. J.J. Langham of St Mary's and Rev. W.E.Cloutman. The coffin was carried by six outstanding parishioners of St Joseph's: Messrs Boyland, Frampton, Grimshaw, Lott, Richards, and Staple, whilst horse drawn carriages conveyed relatives and friends through the crowded streets. A local newspaper published a glowing tribute to Dr Browne under the heading "An Appreciation" but it is too long for inclusion in this article.

Father Richard Iles became parish priest at St Joseph's just after World War I finished and he stayed for nearly nine years (1918 - 1927). Throughout this time, a sum of £115 was collected for a memorial fund to his predecessor Dr Browne. £70 of this was used for the calvary on the North wall of the church.

At a social arranged for parishioners to meet their new parish priest, there were 80 people present. Music was provided by Miss W. Boyland and Mrs Maidment and singers were the Misses M. Boyland, Tatchell, Tyler, Mrs Bond, Messrs Bond, Cuzner and Grimshaw. Artists who took part in sketches were Mrs McKenna, Miss Millwright, Miss Chapman and Masters Reynolds, Grimshaw and Panton. Shortly after this another social was arranged in the school for the men of the parish who had returned from World War I. Several were unable to attend but the twenty who were present sat down to a substantial meal. They welcomed back with speeches from Captain Alexander (veteran of the Boer War), Mr F. Staple and finally Father Iles.

In February 1919, St Joseph's lost an outstanding parishioner when Mr Henry Hadley of Taunton Road collapsed and died at his place of employment in Fore Street. Mr Hadley lived in the parish for 50 years and during the last 30 years he had been a Mass steward and rang the church bell twice each day for the Angelus. He performed that duty for the last time only 3 hours before his death.

By that time, Britain, though she had won the war and was still the leader of a large empire, was no longer a creditor nation and the country had a huge war debt. Ordinary people began to demand greater influence in political affairs and better educational facilities. The post-war coalition government passed a bill giving all men over 21 years old a vote at elections and women were given a vote for the first time, but they had to be 30 years old.

Fees for elementary schools were abolished, school became compulsory for children up to 14 years old and the employment of children under 12 was forbidden. There was no real cure for tuberculosis then and Father Iles was a patron of the Bridgwater anti-tuberculosis campaign. He persuaded so many of his parishioners to sell flags for a 5,000 shilling fund that between them they collected about a quarter of the total.

Because there was no parish school, Father Iles arranged regular outings by train or charabanc for the children to places like Weston-Super-Mare and Holford Glen. His aim was to keep them together until a new school could be built. With this in mind, he purchased land near the old school in September 1919. The land which had been used by a butcher as a slaughterhouse yard cost £275 and £125 had to borrowed from the bank to pay for it. The proposed school never materialised and the land eventually became an additional playground when the old school re-opened 20 years later.

Father Iles introduced the Guild of St Elizabeth for ladies of the parish and the first president was Mrs Grimshaw. He also formed social committee, known as "The Revellers", to organise large scale socials in the Town Hall and the Oddfellows Hall (now the Co-op Hall) on West Quay. The Committee members were Dr Martin, Messrs Bazley, Creedy and Webb, Mrs Rich and Miss Carne-Williams. Music at the socials was provided by Miss W. Boyland, Miss Slater or Mr S. Harwood (pianists) and Mr Tom Bale (violin). The M.C. for dancing was usually Mr Frank Loxston whilst Father Iles usually acted as M.C. for the whist.

The St Patrick's night social in Bridgwater Town Hall in 1920 was attended by Lord Arundell of Wardour, who at that time lived at Cannington in the house which stands next to the Combwich turning. Lord Arundell' s sister also lived at Cannington. The Arundells of Wardour became linked with the Cliffords of Chudleigh by marriage in 1813. It was probably this connection with the Cliffords who still owned property at Cannington, which brought back Arundell and his sister to the village during World War I.

During 1921 the Catholic mission of the Holy Name at Cannington closed down and the reform school was transferred to Prior Park. Catholics living at Cannington then had to start travelling to Bridgwater for Mass and the journey was usually made on foot or cycle via Sandford Hill or Wembdon Hill. The following year their journey was made a little less arduous when Quantock Road was built to by-pass Wembdon. Catholics living at Cannington at that time included Mr Henry White and his wife Kate, who had a daughter Veronica and two sons, Laurence and Bernard. The latter is one of the most outstanding present day parishioners of St Joseph's and for very many years he has been associated with almost every activity in the parish. The population of Bridgwater in the early Twenties was only approximately 16,000, but unemployment was rising steadily as the post-war boom began to slow down. This did not prevent great changes taking place in the fashions of clothes, and the introduction of flesh-coloured silk stockings had much to do with it. Skirts which had never before been higher than calf length, were raised to show the knee and women began to crop their hair instead of allowing it to grow below shoulder length. Men adopted the grey flannels and sports jacket attire instead of suits for casual wear. People listening to the first radio sets through headphones were able to hear the national news without waiting for newspapers and they also heard the new American "quick step" rhythms which brought about a change in the style of dancing. It was during those changing times that St Joseph's celebrated the first ordination of a parishioner to the priesthood. Francis Grimshaw of Cranleigh Gardens attended St John's (or St Mary's) School. After studying in the English College in Rome he became a Doctor of Divinity and he was ordained in 1926. Father Grimshaw later became Bishop of Plymouth and was eventually consecrated Archbishop of Birmingham..

In 1927 Father Iles was transferred to St George's, Taunton, and was replaced at St Joseph's, Bridgwater, by Father Michael Cashman.

During the five and a half years (1927-1932) that Father Cashman was at Bridgwater the number of unemployed in Britain rose to two and a half rnillions. People generally had very little money to spare and the church collections were barely sufficient to meet the expenses of the parish. Fortunately, Father Cashman was a skilled tradesman and he carried out most of the necessary maintenance of property. He installed the first electric wiring in the church and presbytery. His only luxury was the partaking of snuff and he invariably took a pinch before starting to preach.

Outstanding families in the parish at that time were the Framptons of Loxleigh Avenue with eight children, the Richards family of Wellington Road with eight children and the Williams family of St John's Street with eleven children. It was said jokingly that without those three families present at a service half the parishioners were missing. Father Cashman resented people arriving late for Mass or Benediction and he sometimes shocked the culprit by stopping his sermon to refer to latecomers. However, on one occasion whilst preaching during a severe gale, Father Cashman and the few parishioners present all received a shock. The wind tore the iron cross from its mounting on the bell turret of St Joseph's Church and the cross crashed on to the roof before sliding down to the ground. The cross has never been replaced.

At the start of the Thirties, when the population of Bridgwater was just over 17,000, many families lived in overcrowded conditions. Building of the first council house estate commenced at Kendale Road and later council houses were erected at Bristol Road. Catholics still made up a small minority of the borough's population and Father Cashman took little interest in public affairs. St Joseph's choir, consisting of Mr and Mrs Duddridge, Mr and Mrs Boyland, Mr and Mrs Grimshaw and Mr Loxston, maintained its high standard. The organist, Miss W. Boyland, began to lose her sight and shortly afterwards her mother died. The other choir members purchased the statue of St Anthony which now stands in the church as a memorial to Mrs Boyland.

At Easter 1932 Father Cashman was transferred to Holy Cross Bedminster. He was later appointed a canon of the diocese and he lived until November 1966. The new parish priest at St Joseph's was Canon Charles Davey who stayed at Bridgwater for what he described later as a very happy seven years (1932-1939). Canon Davey was a fine organist and his interest in choral music brought him into close friendship with Mr F. Loxston who was just 4 months his senior. The adult choir were trained to sing plain chant Masses and the children's choir became known throughout the district for their delightful singing of carols at Christmas.

During the Canon's first year at Bridgwater, Parliament introduced the 'Means Test' which determined the amount of National Assistance each unemployed person should receive. Canon Davey, who travelled round the parish on a cycle to visit parishioners, showed great concern for the unemployed and he introduced the Society of St Vincent de Paul to the parish. Twelve men were enrolled with Mr C. Cuzner as president, Mr B. Padford as treasurer and Mr W. Smart as secretary. Needy families were given a gift which usually consisted of a 2/- voucher to purchase 1 cwt of coal.

Money received from offertory collections was insufficient to support the priest and meet the expenses of the parish but it was augmented by income from the socials in the school organised by the entertainments committee. The secretary was Mr B. Lott who now lives in Leeds. Later this position was held for two years by Miss Burton (now Mrs McGuire) who lives at West Huntspill and is an active parishioner at Burnham. Chairmen of the committee were first Mr Lock and then Mr C. White and the treasurer was Mrs Storey. Other members and helpers included Mrs Burton (of the Nags Head in West Street), Mrs J. Baker, Mrs Nation, Mrs Coakley, Miss W. Frampton, Mr T. Parkman and Mr J. Thomas. The admission fee to the socials was 9d and the entertainment often included sketches arranged by Miss Millwright and Mrs McKenna who, regular readers may remember took part in sketches during the 1920s. Mrs McKenna's daughter, Eileen played the piano for songs and dancing, while Mr Tommy Glavin used to sing popular Irish songs, and sometimes Mr T. Bale played the violin. Mr Bale's orchestra played for dances held in the Oddfellows Hall on Shrove Tuesday and St Patrick's night.

Canon Davey taught one of the Sunday school classes in the old school and he was assisted by Mrs Emily Loxston who was a Sunday school teacher at St Joseph's for 32 years. On the first Sunday of each month a sermon specially prepared for the children was followed by questions from the pulpit. The questions and answers were beneficial, as a method of revision of the Church's teachings, to both children and adults in the congregation.

Altar servers in those days included Mr C. Cuzner, his son Bernard, Mr W. Smart, Jack Nation, Bobby Loxston, Laurence Storey, William Hare, Norman McKenna (who died in his teens), Brendan Baker and Basil Lott. On April 26 1934 the Bridgwater branch of the Catholic Women's League was formed and since that day it has continuously played an important part in all parish activities. The first officers were Mrs Park of Cannington Manor, president, Mrs Storey of the Dolphin Hotel (Binford Place), treasurer and Miss Smart, secretary. One of the sixteen founder members of the branch was Mrs J. Baker who is still an active member.

It was during 1934 that methods were introduced to deal with the increasing road traffic; these included pedestrian crossings, speed limits and driving tests. It was also a time of change in the appearance of Bridgwater. Council houses were built at Friarn Avenue which then linked up with Friarn Lawn and Friarn Street. The following year Dr Morgan's School in Mount Street was transferred to its present site at Durleigh Road and the Sheep and Cattle Market of West Street and Penel Orlieu was transferred to the new site at Bath Road

In January 1936, the Nation mourned the death of King George V who had endeared himself to Catholics by visiting Pope Pius X in Rome thus becoming the first reigning king of England to visit the Pope since the Reformation. Shortly after his death the work of building the council house estate began at Rhode Lane and later at Bath Road. Plans were prepared for the extension of St Joseph's church but with so many unemployed the money could not be raised. The unemployment situation in Bridgwater was partially relieved when the Cellophane works commenced production in April 1937, but the National figure for unemployment did not fall until 1939 when National Defence work was stepped up.

Most Christian denominations were beginning to experience a decline in adult church attendance but the Catholic church was not affected at the time. St Joseph's

Bridgwater was always crowded at the two Sunday Masses and Canon Davey found great difficulty in carrying out the increasing parochial work In May 1939 Bishop Lee transferred him to Taunton as chaplain to the Franciscan nuns and he lived for another 23 years. The next parish priest at St Joseph's was Father Michael Byrne (1939-1943) who arrived in Bridgwater as the war with Germany began to threaten. The parish income was only sufficient to provide him with a meagre living and he had no regular housekeeper in the presbytery. Fortunately for him Mrs Ashton of the White Hart Hotel took a warm cooked meal to the presbytery each day and several other parishioners sent him gifts of food. Shortly after Father Byrne's arrival Bishop Lee visited Bridgwater for Confirmation and announced his intention to open a convent for the Sisters of The Holy Rosary. The Bishop purchased "East Croft", a large house at Durleigh Road which had been empty for several years. It was in a dilapidated condition and the gardens and paths were overgrown with weeds. When renovated it made the perfect setting for a convent and a downstairs room of the house was converted into a private chapel. Just as the new convent was ready for occupation war with Germany became imminent because of Hitler's threat to invade Poland. Air-raid shelters were dug and sand bags were stacked around public buildings whilst mothers and children were evacuated from Britain's cities as a precaution against air attacks. Bridgwater was chosen as a reception area for evacuees and the London accent became very familiar in the district. There were many Catholics amongst the new arrivals and the difficulty of accommodating the congregation at Masses increased. The system of bench rents for reservation of seats in St Joseph's church was abandoned but the congregation was so great that the gesture had no noticeable affect.

On 1st September 1939 Hitler, contemptuously disregarding Britain's warning, sent his troops into Poland and two days later Britain declared herself "at war' with Germany.

Three weeks after the outbreak of World War I the first Sisters of the Holy Rosary took up residence in Bridgwater. By that time Poland had already been over-run and partitioned between Germany and Russia, and Mussolini had allied Italy with the aggressors. For the first few weeks, the Sisters attended Mass at St Joseph's but on the October, 1939, the Feast of the Holy Rosary, Bishop Lee opened their private chapel at the convent. A few days later, Holy Rosary School was opened for fee-paying pupils, but all the applicants could not be accommodated. The Sisters then took over Sunday catechism classes at St Joseph's church.

About this time, the parish was given its first curate, Father John McCarthy, brother of a present day parishioner, Mrs Rainey. With two priests in the parish, Mass could be celebrated daily at both the church and at the convent.

The next project was to re-open the old school, which had been closed for over 20 years. Bishop Lee inspected the buildings before giving approval and both Father Byrne and Father McCarthy worked with men of the parish to carry out the necessary modifications. A large window was fitted in the main classroom and a passageway was opened up to make the house in King Street part of the school. The education authorities approved the buildings for school use, but they were not up to the standard required for classification as "fully recognized" and the cost of running it had to be borne by the parish. When the school opened in January 1940 the Sisters of Holy Rosary Convent provided the teaching staff with Sister Mary Rosari as headmistress. The surprisingly large attendance of 59 children, mostly from local schools brought complaints from other head teachers. Some even questioned the authority of the staff to teach, but fortunately this was settled amicably.

The Catholic Women's League used to provide hot drinks for members of the forces in the school after school hours.

On 26th May, 1940 the first Corpus Christi procession to be held at Holy Rosary Convent was attended by many Catholic servicemen stationed in the town and at the R.A.F. stations at Westonzoyland.

That month, the Germans started their great advance through Norway, Belgium, Holland and France, which resulted in the retreat of the British forces from Dunkirk. The Germans then made heavy daylight air attacks on Britain, which were intended to destroy the R.A.F. as a preliminary to the invasion of Britain.

Evening services at St Joseph's were discontinued and the Blessed Sacrament was reserved in the tabernacle of St Joseph's altar to give better protection from blast effect. These heavy daylight raids became known as the Battle of Britain, but the R.A.F. destroyed so many enemy planes that Hitler postponed his invasion plan. He switched his bombers to night raids on British cities and there were many air raid warnings in Bridgwater as planes made their way towards Bristol.

On Saturday night, 24th August 1940 the first bomb to fall on Bridgwater wrecked houses on Old Taunton Road between the canal bridge and Southgate Street. Seven people (three men three women and a child) were killed and two of the victims were Mr and Mrs Sinnott, parishioners of St Joseph's.

A month later the Catholic Women's League elected Mrs C. Walter as secretary of the Bridgwater branch and she held that office for 24 years, during which time she was associated with practically every parish activity. The year 1941 saw the opening of the Royal Ordnance factory at Puriton, near Bridgwater, the attack by Hitler on Russia and the attacks by Japanese on the American air base at Pearl Harbour. The following year British and American troops were fighting in North Africa to pave the way for an invasion of Italy.

About that time on 2nd March 1942, Ernest Fry, born at 75 Polden Street. Bridgwater was ordained a priest at Paignton. Father Fry was brought up as a Methodist and went to Eastover school in Wellington Road where he gained a scholarship to Dr Morgan's School. He worked at International Stores first in Bridgwater then at Minehead before becoming a Catholic and receiving his vocation to the priesthood.

Father Byrne, parish priest of St Joseph's suffered from cancer and during 1942 his condition worsened. Most of the parish work was being carried out by Father McCarthy, but he was replaced by a new curate Father Edward Power. The new curate was a nephew of Father Byrne and this seemed a wise appointment but unfortunately Father Power suffered from a type of paralysis and the work was too much for him. To help out with a very difficult situation Father Fry returned to his home town as "supply" at St Joseph's church. His stay scheduled for one month was extended to a year and during that time his work was invaluable. Father Fry's family had then moved to Chilton Street and in March 1943 his sister Ethel became a Catholic. Later his parents and other members of the family were received into the Faith.

On 2nd July, 1943 St Joseph's parish mourned the loss of the parish priest when Father Byrne died in a nursing home. At his own request Father Byrne's body was brought back to Bridgwater for burial at Bristol Road.

The next parish priest was Father Timothy O'Connell (1943-1948) and his bright and breezy manner made him an outstanding personality. Father O'Connell had served as chaplain during World War I and prior to his arrival in Bridgwater he had been a Civil Defence worker in Bristol. He was a lively narrator of stories and he told of many exciting experiences during air attacks on Bristol.

The curate, Father Power, was transferred shortly after Father Byrne's death and the next curate at St Joseph's was Father Keane who travelled around the district by motorcycle. On one occasion he crashed into a tree and as a result spent several days in hospital.

The two new priests took a great interest in the school children. Father O'Connell encouraged the Sisters to present school concerts in the Town Hall and Father

Keane trained the boys to play football at Cranleigh Gardens. Mass was said by one of the priests each week at a munition workers hostel at Dunball for residents and people living nearby.

Meanwhile, the war had begun to turn in favour of Britain and her allies. Heavy bombing of German industrial areas was being carried out nightly. Italy was invaded but, though the Italians surrendered, the German forces there continued to fight. Hoards of Italian and German prisoners were brought to British internment camps. At Colley Lane, Bridgwater, there was a camp for Italian prisoners and Mass was said for them at St Joseph's church by their own chaplain. At Goathurst there was a camp for German prisoners and the Catholics amongst them attended Mass celebrated by Father Kreis, their chaplain in the camp chapel.

Broomfield Hall, Enmore was used as a hostel for refugees from Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Austria and the men were found work in forestry at King's Cliff, North Petherton. By 1944 the German submarine menace had been overcome, thanks to the detection device, Radar, and some of the American troops preparing for the invasion of Europe were stationed in Bridgwater

There were two Catholic chaplains with the Americans and each Sunday a special Mass was said in St Joseph's church. Only American servicemen were allowed to attend, but some of the congregation at this special Mass had to be accommodated in the choir in the sanctuary and in the aisles.

On June 6th 1944 after prolonged day and night air raids against Germany by British and American planes the Allied forces landed ground troops in Normandy. Eventually, the Allied forces occupied the whole of France and invaded Germany.

On May 7th, 1945 Germany surrendered unconditionally and on August 15th the Japanese were forced to surrender after being attacked by the first atomic bomb ever to be used.

During World War II Flt. Lt. Brendan Baker who had served as an altar boy at St Joseph's was awarded the DFC.

On November 30th 1945, shortly after the war finished, he was killed on active service and his body was brought to Bridgwater for burial with full military honours. His parents, Mr & Mrs J. Baker gave the Stations of the Cross now in St Joseph's church, as a memorial to their son and a brass plaque recording this is positioned in St Joseph's aisle.

Within a year of World War II ending the Knights of St Columba elected a council in Bridgwater on May 12th 1946 and the first Grand Knight was Mr C. Walter. About that tine Father Keane, the curate of St Joseph's was replaced by Father Supple. Restrictions and shortages still plagued Britain and it was difficult to get repairs carried out to property. Father O'Connell, the parish priest, was a "do-it-yourself" enthusiast and he carried out many repairs himself. Parishioners visiting the church during weekdays would invariably find him wearing a white apron with an assortment of tools in each pocket. His ambition was to have the church redecorated throughout and he actually repainted the sacristy himself and cleaned up the paintwork in the rest of the church. He also added more electric lighting using improvised fittings.

Britain's finances had been drained by the war effort and only large scale financial aid from America saved a collapse of the economy. The Labour Government nationalised Wireless & Cable, Coal, Electricity and Railways, but their most worthy social change was the introduction of the National Health Service. Before that time prolonged sickness could bring dire poverty to a family but the new Act made free medical attention available to anyone requiring it and the State became responsible for the upkeep of hospitals.

Just at that time Francis Grimshaw, the first priest born in the parish of St Joseph's Bridgwater, was consecrated Bishop of Plymouth and some of his old boyhood friends were amongst the parishioners who travelled by coach to attend the ceremony.

The following year, in September 1948, Bishop Lee of Clifton died and, about three weeks later, Father O'Connell died in tragic circumstances. After attending a social evening in the schoolroom Father O'Connell returned later to ensure that the lights were out and the doors secured. When he got back in the presbytery the housekeeper found him to be severely shocked probably due to stumbling over an obstacle in the dark. She called Father Supple who sent for the doctor and administered the Last Sacraments. The doctor stayed most of the night and returned again before noon to find Father O'Connell's condition worsening. The priest was transferred to hospital but he died the following evening and he is buried at Bristol Road Cemetery making five parish priests of St Joseph's who are buried in the town. Father O'Connell's successor could not be appointed until Pope Pius XI appointed a new Bishop so Father Supple became temporary parish priest and Father Harding came from London as curate.

Father Supple persuaded the members of the C.W.L. to take over the duties of cleaning the church and they have carried out that task ever since. He also called a meeting of parishioners and formed a committee, with Mr C. White (chairman), Mr J. Nation (treasurer) and Mr Blake-Camp (secretary) to organise a rnemorial collection for Father O'Connell. More than £700 was collected and the highest individual donation of £50 was made by a non-Catholic. The money was used for redecoration of the church, fitting of improved electric lighting and the installation of new radiators heated from a coke-fired boiler in the cellar. For several weeks during 1949 Mass was celebrated at St Joseph's altar whilst the main part of the church was filled with scaffolding.

Father Harding took a great interest in training the altar boys in their duties and he introduced the Guild of St Stephen to the parish.

At that time Mrs Grimshaw was still the church organist but her sight was failing, and the duty was taken over by Mrs Flemming.

On July 26th 1949 Rev. Joseph Rudderham was consecrated Bishop of the diocese and two months later he appointed Father William J. Ryan (1949-1958) then at Glastonbury, as the new parish priest at St Joseph's.

Father Supple left the parish but Father Harding remained as curate for about 18 months. There were four curates during Father Ryan's term at St Joseph's - Father Harding, Father McManus, Father Aherne and Father O'Brien.

About the time of Father Ryan's arrival many Catholics settled in Bridgwater. They came from all parts of Britain and there were also settlers from Poland and Italy. These families have provided numerous outstanding workers for the Church and, throughout the rest of this work, it will be possible to name only a small percentage of them.

Father Ryan introduced a Mass at 9.30 a.m. in addition to the 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sunday Masses to accommodate the increased congregations. He also arranged for an Italian and a Polish priest to visit the parish periodically to hear confessions and this service still continues up to the time of writing.

During 1950, Bridgwater's post-war housing programme was beginning with council houses at Sydenham and Rhode Lane estates whilst building commenced on the Co-operative estate at the Durleigh end of the town. Gas lamps in the main streets were replaced by electric lights and this type of lighting was also provided where new houses were being built, but other streets in the borough remained with gas lighting for several more years. From that time the development of Bridgwater has continued at rapid speed and its appearance has changed greatly since those days. Coinciding with the start of this redevelopment there began a period of great activity by local Catholics and this continued with increasing vigour right into the sixties.

The cottage next to St Joseph's church was converted into a Parish room for social functions and meetings. Most of the work was carried out by Mr R. Cudbill who at that time undertook a lot of repair work to parish property.

Father Ryan took a great interest in the religious and secular education of the children and in this he received great help from the sisters of Holy Rosary. There was no likelihood of a new school for many years and everything possible was done to keep up the standard of the "unrecognised" parish school to make it attract as many Catholic pupils as possible. Sister Mary Camillus (head-mistress) introduced the navy-blue uniform with red badge and tie which Continues to be the uniform of the present parish school.

Sisters Mary Mercedes and Mary Assumpta, who came to Bridgwater in 1945 and remained in the parish for 18 years taught at both St Joseph's and Holy Rosary schools. Sister Mary Peter who still resides at Holy Rosary Convent has worked for the parish almost continuously since she arrived there in 1950.

Father Ryan started a now school building fund and in 1951, when the population of Bridgwater was 22,718, he introduced the Summer Fete and Autumn Sale of Work which have both become outstanding annual events. Several hundred parishioners have given up time to work for the success of these events but mention must be made of the chairman and secretary Messrs B. White and J. Nation who carried out those duties each year until recent times.

By 1952 the country's economic position was improving and road traffic was increasing, but only a small minority of families possessed a car. Zebra crossings were introduced at High Street and Fore Street in Bridgwater. The railway from Bridgwater to Evercreech was closed to passenger traffic and later the line was closed entirely. The old station at Bath Road near the junction with Bristol Road is now used as a depot by British Road Services.

By that time the curate at St Joseph's, Father Mc Manus, had been replaced by Father Aherne who trained the schoolboys in football at Cranleigh Gardens.

Father Ryan encouraged his parishioners to read the Catholic press. Throughout his stay at Bridgwater he reminded the congregation at Mass every Sunday to purchase a Catholic paper and so successful was he that each weekend the church porch looked like a newsagent's shop.

Signs of renewed activity in the parish became evident in 1952 the year that television came to the West Country. That year St Joseph's parishioners contributed to send sick pilgrim to Lourdes, the first of five to be sent in six years. They also made up a large contingent who travelled by coaches to Glastonbury for the annual pilgrimage whilst several made the journey on foot. A branch of the Legion of Mary was formed after the founder of the famous lay-order, Mr Frank Duff, visited Bridgwater and spoke about the worldwide work of the Legion. Finally, at Christmas, the first public crib in Bridgwater was erected by the Knights of St Columba in the window of Mr Blake-Camp's shop in High Street.