OCTOBER 1957.

Father Thomas C.  Hill, who took up residence on October 29, 1957, was educated for the priesthood at St Joseph’s College, Mark Cross and at St John’s Seminary, Wonersh and was ordained there by the Most Rev Archbishop Amigo,  on June 7, 1941.  He had been a curate at Downham, Chichester and Brixton.  Before taking up residence in Hailsham, he paid a flying visit on October 12, to offer up Mass on the feast of St Wilfrid, the church’s patron. Father Hill largely looked after himself in St Wilfrid’s Cottage under somewhat uncomfortable conditions, where his situation before long aroused the concern of Mrs Violet Bowring and her husband Major Bowring. This lady promised £1500 towards the building of a presbytery if, within a year, the parish raised a similar sum.  The achieving of such a target represented a very considerable effort on the part of small congregation. Donations of £250 and £150 from Miss Mable Fooks of Arlington helped; and also the first parish garden fete, which was opened on August 9 by Lord Hailsham (later Lord Chancellor), who then lived locally at Carter’s Corner. A football pool was organised which became a major financial support. Mention should also be made of the bingo conducted by Mr A Seyfang and his supporters (some of them non-Catholic), weekly in the Primrose Hall.  This event during the period February 7, 1957 through to May 21, 1967, raised the noble sum of £2700 toward parish development.

November 1958.

On November 23, 1958, the Right Rev Cyril Cowderoy, who had succeeded Archbishop Amigo, held the first confirmation in the new church, when 18 individuals were confirmed.

June 1959

In the Notice Book, Sunday June 14, 1959, Father Hill was able to write; “Presbytery ‘phone moved and I with it.  Now call at the new Presbytery”. Architect was again Mr Bingham Towner.  Appointed builders were Thomas Rich of Hailsham, whose tender amounted to £4038 9s. 9d. Drawings, plans, specifications etc cost £176.  Eventual cost was £4800.  A loan was made available by the Westminster Bank, of which £1579 was drawn.  Mrs Bowring paid off the remaining £900 debt on the house.

                                      The New Presbytery

1961.

The Bishop conducted his first formal visitation on the feast of Christ The King in 1961, confirming 25 candidates.  He must have appreciated Father Hill’s capacities as a priest, because on May 20, 1962, the Notice Book reads: “My last Sunday here”, and the following Thursday Father Hill, (later Canon), left Hailsham, to be parish priest of Chatham.

1962.

Father William Parker who succeeded, was born at Dockhead, SE1, and ordained at Wonersh in 1933.  After serving as curate at Dockhead, Camberwell, Eastbourne (1939-40), and St Joseph’s, Brighton, he was appointed in 1951 parish priest, Strood. Here he built the church at Temple Farm. After being successively  parish priest at Downham, Send and South Norwood he volunteered, when over 50, as a missionary in Africa, but was obliged to return due to ill health.  He was appointed to Hailsham, but shortly afterwards went into hospital. During the exceptional cold winter of 1962/3, the offertories were so low that he was obliged to seek a grant in aid from Bishop’s House.

January 1964.

On January 25, 1964, Miss Fooks died, leaving £502. 10s. 3d. to the church.  From this legacy Father Parker had the church redecorated at a total cost of £218. 10s. 4d. Also some drapes were placed behind the statues of the Sacred Heart and Our Lady. On Trinity Sunday of the same year, Father Edward Le Riche, recently ordained, of a family well known and resident in the parish, offered his first Mass at St Wilfrid’s.

A welcome development of Father Parker’s incumbency was that, at the request of the Union of Catholic Mothers, the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions came on Saturdays to catechize the children. Father Parker, throughout his stay here, was dying of cancer and suffering with high blood pressure and other complications, for reasons of economy he decided to dispense with a housekeeper and look after himself. The responsibility for Hellingly Hospital preyed on his mind and several times asked the Bishop for a transfer, but it was not easy to locate somewhere suitable.

May 1965.

In May 1965, the new Diocese of Arundel and Brighton was formed.  The new Bishop was the Right Rev David Cashman, under whose jurisdiction Hailsham now was.

October 1966

The parish priest of Hindhead was offered to Father Parker if the priest there was willing to vacate it.  So, on January 10, 1966, they exchanged places. But Father Parker’s hopes were not to be realised.  After about two months, he was taken seriously ill and died after a long illness at the Holy Cross Hospital, Haselmere, on October 3, 1966. During his illness, he presented a small electric organ , which he had purchased second-hand for £175, to the parish. New Stations of the Cross, carved in Bath stone by the late Mr Joseph Cribb of Ditchling, were erected in Father Parker’s incumbency.  Miss Eileen Walsh of Arlington, who passed away on December 2, 1964, bequeathed the money.

So, with the failure of the intended swap, Father L E Whatmore was installed in the spring of 1966 as the new parish priest of St Wilfrid’s.