Record

AAW - Archives of the Archbishop of Westminster
- DOW - Diocese of Westminster
  - PAR - Parishes

Repository	Archives of the Archbishop of Westminster
Ref No	AAW/DOW/PAR/27
Title	Chelsea 1, St Mary Cadogan Street
Level	Series
Description	The origins of St Mary's were close to the present church, on a ninety-nine year leasehold site at 105 Cadogan Gardens (then known as Cadogan Terrace). This is where, in 1812, the first Catholic Chapel in Chelsea was erected. It had been established by Abbé Jean Voyaux de Franous. The Abbé had been given special charge of the spiritual welfare of the veteran soldiers at Chelsey Colledge as well as the soldiers at the Chelsea and Knightsbridge Barracks. He had launched an appeal for funds in England and in France to build the chapel which he intended to be primarily for the use of soldiers and the veterans of the Royal Hospital. When the Abbé died in 1840 after 40 years of service to his parish, his work was continued by many dedicated people including, especially, Joseph and Mary Knight. They planned a Catholic foundation in the parish and purchased, for £5,000, two and a half acres of land which had formerly been the Wellington Cricket Ground. This is now the Cadogan Street/Draycott Terrace site which contains the current Church together with St Joseph's Primary School, St Thomas More Language College and the St Joseph's Almshouses. These were mostly built in the 1845-55 period. Land was reserved for the new church, and this munificent gift made Chelsea into one of the most prominent parishes in London. The foundation stone of the present church was laid in 1877, and the church was opened and blessed by Cardinal Manning in May 1879. The new church was designed by John Francis Bentley (1839-1902).

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