Our Lady Queen of Peace and Blessed Margaret Pole

Our Lady Queen of Peace and Blessed Margaret Pole is a Roman Catholic church in Douglas Road, Southbourne, Dorset BH6 3ER. It is in the Diocese of Portsmouth.[1][2]

History

Before the parish was founded Mass would be said by a retired parish priest from Christchurch, Provost Ballard (1822–1916). George Ballard was a convert who had been ordained in 1852 and was the parish priest in Christchurch (1880–1889).[3] In his retirement he lived in Foxwold, Foxholes Road and Mass was said privately there until in 1890 Mrs Gale, owner of the Southbourne Cliffs hotel, gave the use of their billiard room. After the death of Provost Ballard an army hut was erected in 1918 opposite the hotel in Belle Vue Road and mass was said by priests from Christchurch until the site was sold in 1928.[4]

Present site
Our Lady Queen of Peace

The present site was donated by Mr Reginald Cecil Lybbe Powys-Lybbe (1881–1930), a benefactor to the Church and a descendant of Margaret Pole,[5] and a temporary church erected in 1928, which was opened by Bishop W.T. Cotter. This later became the church hall. The hall was later rebuilt in 1956.[1]

The church was opened and blessed on 24 May 1939 by Rt. Rev. Bishop W. T. Cotter, Bishop of Portsmouth. It was consecrated on 27 May 1964 by Rt. Rev. Bishop T. Holland, Coadjutor Bishop of Portsmouth, assisted by Most Rev. Archbishop J.H. King, Bishop of Portsmouth. The architect was Thomas Birchall Scott, F.R.I.B.A. (1872–1945)[6] with the Portland stone statue of Our Lady over the entrance by Mr Lindsay Clark, A.R.B.S.[4]

The church is built in the Italianate basilica style.[1] The church was dedicated to Our Lady, Queen of Peace with secondary dedication to Margaret Pole.

The first parish priest in 1934 was Father Jesse Hetherington, followed by Father Joseph Murtagh (1949–1961), Father Timothy Dwyer (1961–1965) and Father Henry Murphy.[4] After Father Murphy retired after 40 years he was replaced by Father John Dunne, who retired in 2009.[7]

There is a plaque recording "Of your charity pray for the soul of Reginald Cecil Lybbe-Powys-Lybbe who generously gave the site on which the Southbourne church property stands. A Mass is said annually on Low Sunday for the repose of his soul. R.I.P."[4]

References
  1. "Bournemouth – Our Lady Queen of Peace and Blessed Margaret Pole". Taking Stock. 23 December 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. "Our Lady of Queen of Peace and Blessed Margaret Pole". Twentieth Century Society.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. "News". Bournemouth Graphic. 17 March 1916.
  4. Church information leaflet
  5. "MASS FOR" (PDF). OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE AND BLESSÉD MARGARET POLE CHURCH SOUTHBOURNE-ON-SEA. 2020.
  6. "Church of St John Fisher. The Architect". Diocese of Westminster.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. "Fond farewell to a popular priest". Daily Echo. 11 September 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

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