Record

RepositoryJesuits in Britain Archives
Ref NoABSI/SJ/34
TitleFr Bernard Vaughan SJ (1847-1922)
Date1894-1995
LevelSub fonds
DescriptionBooks of press cuttings, publicity material, correspondence, legal and financial papers, a Papal Blessing, a book of autographs 2 pictures and a crucifix.
Admin_HistoryFr Bernard Vaughan SJ was born 20 September 1847. There is some confusion about his place of birth, whether he was born on Jersey or at his father's house at Courtfield, Herefordshire, but the more probable place is Courtfield.

Vaughan was born into an old recusant family. He was the eleventh of fourteen children, nine boys and 5 girls. All the girls became nuns, and 6 of the boys took Holy Orders. The eldest, Herbert, became Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, the second, Roger, became Archbishop of Sydney, the third, was founder of the Abbey at Fort Augustus, the fourth, Kenelm was a secular priest and the youngest, John, was titular bishop of Sebastopol and auxiliary bishop of Salford. Vaughan was educated at Stonyhurst and entered the Novitiate at Roehampton on 7 December 1866, went to St Mary's Hall, Stonyhurst until 1871 and was then Assistant-Prefect of the Lay-philosophers at the College. In 1873 he was sent to Beaumont to teach for four years, then went to St Beuno's for Theology, and was ordained on 20 September 1880, his 33rd birthday. In 1881 he returned to Beaumont as Sub-Minister. He took his last vows as Spiritual Coadjutor on 2 Feb 1884, and his Four Vows on 2 February 1897.

Vaughan became operarius at the Church of the Holy Name, Manchester in 1883 and on 3 May 1893 was made Rector there. He spent time in Rome in 1897, for the benefit of his health, but also preached a course of sermons at the Church of S. Silvestro. In the same year, 1897, he made the first of a series of visits to the French Riviera, where he met and became friendly with the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, who on occasion would listen to him preach. In 1901 Vaughan left Manchester and moved to Farm Street where he stayed for the rest of his life. In 1902 Vaughan was plaintiff in a libel action taken against a newspaper named The Rock, in which he was awarded £300 damages with expenses of a further £300, resulting in the The Rock closing down. In 1904 he organised a concert at the Albert Hall to raise funds for the relief of the poor in the East End. Throughout Vaughan's time in London he was involved with parishes in the East End, working particularly alongside Canon T. J. Ring in the Parish of St Mary and St Michael, Commercial Road. After Vaughan's death there was a proposal for a secondary school to be established in the East End as a memorial to him.

Bernard Vaughan was a renowned preacher. He was always theatrical; his acting skills had been prominent when he was a schoolboy, and were put to good use in the pulpit. His sermons drew large crowds, first in Manchester and then in London, and he became very well known, with reports of his movements and sermons appearing in the press. He preached series of lectures, especially against the 'Smart Set' in London, which were published as 'The Sins of Society', and for which he became known as 'The Modern Savonarola'. He also preached on 'St Joan of Arc', and against birth control, and versions of these sermons, and many more, were published. Vaughan went on preaching tours, including to Canada and America in 1910 and America, Japan and China in 1911-1913. In 1921 Vaughan left for South Africa for his health rather than to preach, but his health worsened and he returned to England in July 1922 and died at Manresa House, Roehampton, on 31 October 1922.

A full obituary can be found in L&N 38, 1923, pp 120-164.
Related Material -A legacy from Cornelia Elizabeth Ryan for which Fr Vaughan was Residuary Legatee. 1917. 27/4/6/5.
-Blackett Letter Book vol 11, folio 456. Letter dated 19 December 1922 about the probate for Vaughan's will.
-Blackett Letter Book vol 12, folio 32. Letter dated 19 February 1923 about Vaughan's will.
-Blackett Letter Book vol 16, folio 300. Letter dated 7 August 1928 about Vaughan's will.
-A complaint against Vaughan's financial activities at Holy Name, Manchester by his successor, Fr. T[homas] J. Brown SJ, dated 7 October 1901. A letter from Vaughan about finance dated 1 March, no year. Accounts by Fr Joseph Blackett SJ for the Holy Name 1896-1915. RX/6.
-A letter from Vaughan dated 1 July [1902], from Mount Street, to the Guild [Manchester]. H1/V
-Renunciation 1884. 1/4/1/3
-News cuttings on Fr Vaughan's libel case 48/1/10
-For photographs see SJ/PH/1236
AccessConditionsThe papers are available subject to the usual conditions of access to archive material in the Jesuits in Britain Archives.
PublnNote -The menace of the empty cradle. London 1917. BQ 7485 V
-What of Today? London 1914. BQ 7485 V
-Ten lectures delivered in the Free Trade Hall by Fr Bernard Vaughan SJ in reply to the Bishop of Manchester on "The Roman Claims". London 1895. BQ 7485 V
-The Woman that was a sinner. A sermon preached at the Church of Notre Dame de Bon Voyage, Cannes. London 1898. BQ 7485 V Contains a signed presentation note to the library at Mount Street. Requires conservation.
-Loaves and Fishes. London 1923. BQ 7485 V
-Sinless Mary and Sinful Mary. London 1906. BQ 7485 V
-Socialism from the Christian Standpoint. Ten conferences. New York 1912. BQ 7485 V
-Society, Sin and the Saviour. Addresses on the Passion of Our Lord. London 1908. BQ 7485 V
-The Sins of Society. Words spoken… in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Mayfair during the Season 1906. London 1906. 14th edition 1909. BQ 7485 A
-Society, sin and the Saviour, Addresses on the Passion of Our Lord. Given in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Mayfair, 1907. London 1908. BQ 7485 V
-The Matchless Mind. Life lessons from Blessed Joan of Arc. London 1910. BQ 7485 V Donation inscription by Fr Vaughan.
-Notes of Retreats given by Father Bernard Vaughan, S. J. Recorded from the notes of Caroline Lady Paget. London 1928. BY 16.38 V
Persons
CodePersonNameDates
DS/UK/681Vaughan; Bernard (1847-1922); Jesuit Priest1847-1922

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