Prisoners of war attending mass in a convent sitting room and masses held in a pub are all part of the fascinating history behind churches in Twyford and Wargrave.
St Thomas More Roman Catholic Church at Twyford on Sunday, June 18, celebrated 40 years since it was dedicated and consecrated by the Bishop of Portsmouth.
Among those celebrating were three people who were there in 1983 and are still parishioners. They are Deacon Peter Kelly and his wife Jane who is the parish administrator and Mary MacPhee.
The current priest, Father Jude Mbonu, told Sunday’s congregation that in the early 1940s Catholics, including United States soldiers based locally, met for mass at Woodclyffe Hall, Wargrave.
In 1945, the sisters arrived at St John’s Convent in Kiln Green – and celebrated mass in their sitting room. This was at 3pm to suit the timetable of the prisoners of war from the camp in Tag Lane, Hare Hatch.
Having mass so late was a challenge when the then rule of fasting meant no eating that day before mass. The sisters’ chapel was built in the early 1950s.
In November 1958, mass started to be held in a Twyford pub. The idea was piloted by retired headteacher Mrs Fitzpatrick, Wokingham parish priest Fr Wallace and Stan Ross of the Royal Station Hotel who offered the use of his club room.
The parish was officially formed in 1967 with Fr Louis Catteral the first priest.
Worshippers moved to the old Polehampton School canteen in 1968.
Later, they shared St James Church of England Church in Ruscombe, with the Anglican service at 9am and the Catholic Mass at 10.15am.
There was a huge fundraising effort to build a Catholic church in Twyford, with a 100 club, known as the Football Club, run by Agnes Whiting at sixpence a week, jumble sales, fetes and barbecues which attracted more than 1,000 people.
Deacon Kelly remembers being asked to buy a brick for £5. He believes the building cost was £72,000.
The church was built in time for midnight mass in 1977, and officially opened a month later. It was dedicated and consecrated in June 1983.
Earlier, in Wargrave, a mass centre started in Mr and Mrs Bellord’s home, later moving to Dr and Mrs Black’s boathouse. Villagers worked to have their church, Our Lady of Peace, built and then opened in 1963.
The celebration at St Thomas More included a special mass and then a barbecue. Sizzling at the barbecue was John Edmunds who then went up the road to do the same job at the 1st Twyford Scouts Donkey Derby.
Father Jude said: “St Thomas More church is a caring and respectful place, for both our own parishioners and the wider community. With God’s help we aim for that to continue as it has for the past 40 years.”
