History - Priests at Havant

 

John CHAPMAN

1582

Ordained 1581. Imprisoned in the Winchester House of Correction because he was found in the house of Edberrow Bullaker, a relative of Blessed Thomas Bullaker OSF, the Franciscan martyr, at Warblington in 1582. Imprisoned in the Marshalsea from 1 November 1583 and still there in July 1585.

 

George JETTER

1606

At Warblington. Ordained 1581. From Essex, trained at Lisbon. Died 1609

 

Thomas BLACKFAN SJ
(Alias BENNETT)

1629(?)

Born in 1601, professed in 1628. A Jesuit. Died in 1663

 

John VANCAM
(Alias BIGGS)

1733-1750

Born 10 Feb 1693. Entered Lisbon College 1708 but left 1711. Entered English College Rome, 1712. Ordained 1716 and left for English mission. At Brockhampton 1733-1750 where he was known as John Biggs and lived with Mr Knapp at Langstone. He died in London 20th July 1756.

 

David MORGAN

1750-1758 Nov

Born at Pembroke Feb 1721. Entered Lisbon College 1734 & ordained March 1742. Left for the English mission December 1746. He was the first established minister at the chapel in Brockhampton Lane by 1750. Last entry in Registers is January 1757. He died in Bedhampton 4th November 1758.

 

 

John Philip BETTS

1750-1762

Previously at Twyford School, Winchester.

   

Thomas TALBOT

1756-1763

The Hon. Thomas Talbot worked with Fr. Morgan until the latter's death then with Fr. Wyndham. Afterwards was appointed Vicar Apostolic of the Midland District. Died in Bristol 1795.

 

Philip WYNDHAM

1758-1767

Born in Rome of English parentage. At Brockhampton in November 1758. Served at Brockhampton and Gosport until 1767. Became confessor to the convent at Bruges, then chaplain to the Duke of Norfolk. At the age of 92, he walked from Arundel to London. Died in Hammersmith in 1825.

 

 

Peter BROWNE

Aug 1760

Baptises

 

 

Ralph FAULKNER

In 1762

 
 

 

Richard KENDAL

end 1762-1763 Feb

 
 

Richard CORNTHWAITE

May 1767-1782 Nov

Born in Lancashire. From 1794 until his death in 1803 he served at Harvington Hall. Chaddesley Corbett, near Kidderminster.

   

Pat HUGHES

1769

Serves Gosport from Havant

   

Robert TOMMINS

1772

Baptises

   

Richard ANTROBUS

1777-1779

Baptises

 

James APPLETON

Nov 1782-1784 Dec

While at Brockhampton Road he published 4 volumes of sermons. Afterwards he was chaplain to Michael Blount and to Sir Walter Blount at Mapledurham.

 

John EARLE

Dec 1784 -1787 Oct

Apart from his time at Brockhampton Road, Fr.Earle worked mostly in London. He was assistant priest at Warwick Street chapel to Bishop James Talbot. He was also confessor to the Poor Clares at Manchester Square during 1794 and head chaplain at the Spanish Ambassadors Chapel in Dorset Street.

 

Richard SOUTHWORTH

Oct 1787 - 1817 Nov

Died in 1817 after 30 years in the parish at Brockhampton Lane

   

Joseph KNAPP

Jul 1781 - 1810 Aug

A native of the parish, Fr. Knapp baptised at various intervals. He died in Havant 18th Dec 1817 "regretted by all, but particularly by the numerous poor who looked up to him as their father".

 

Joseph KIMBELL

Nov 1817 - 1825 Jun

Before coming to Havant he was President of St Edmund's College, Ware

 

John BEW

1818 - 1829 Oct

Apparently John Bew lived and died in the house on the right-hand side after the Hayling Railway Bridge and his housekeeper was Kate Bulbec. He is buried at Warblington

 

John KEARNS

1825 - 1853

He went to Rome after being among philosophers at St Edmund's College during 1818 - 1819. "He died blind, or nearly so, at Bruges"

 

Daniel DONOVAN

May 1853 - 1854 Jul

 

 

Armengol RITORT

Jul 1854 - 1864 Dec

Born in Catalonia, Spain, Fr. Ritort came to England in 1841. For about a year in 1850 he was chaplain at Gosport to Princess Maria, wife of Prince Carlos of Spain. He died in 1864 and is buried at Warblington.

 

Eugene REARDON

Sep 1864 - 1882 Dec

Fr Reardon was the parish priest at the time of the move from Brockhampton Lane to West Street, Havant in 1875.

 

 

John HORRIGAN

1871

Part of the year - returned Apr 1888 as parish priest

 

William STONE

Dec 1882 - 1888 Jan

Served Havant until his death in 1888

   

John CORNEY

1888

Resident for part of the year as Assistant priest

 

John HORRIGAN

Apr 1888 - 1895 May

Died of typhoid 13th May 1895

 

Joseph HAYES

May 1895 - 1902 Feb

Left the parish as suffering from tuberculosis

 

Albert CLARKE

Feb 1902 - 1906 Nov

Remembered as "A very thin man, who always wore a broad brimmed hat and carried an umbrella clutched to his shoulder. Fr Clarke died in Australia

 

Louis HALL

Nov 1906 - 1909 Jul

Mgr Canon Louis Hall was a notable musician. He composed and taught settings of English vespers, whih were sung at St Joseph's every Sunday

 

Hugh BRESLIN

Jul 1909 - 1909 Dec

From Co. Donegal, Fr. Breslin moved to Lyndhurst after Havant

 

James DALY

Dec 1909 - 1924 May

Fr Daly came from Jersey and became a Canon in 1913. He opened the new church on Hayling Island. He died in Havant October 1925 after living in retirement in one of two villas in West St left to him by a parishioner, Mrs Dart.

 

Francis BAILEY

May 1924 - 1950 Feb

Canon Bailey came from Waterlooville where he was chaplain to the convent. He was made a deacon when appointed to Havant. Died 5th February 1950 after a long illness.

 

Robert SCANTLEBURY

Feb 1950 - 1962 Jun

Canon Scantlebury was the most prolific historian to work on the records of the Catholic Portsmouth Diocese and published a number of books. Died 29 April 1975.

   

Lionel TARGETT

1952 - 1958

Assistant priest

   

Roy BENNETT

Jul 1957 - 1965 May

Assistant priest

   

Henry DOBBIN

1958 1963

Assistant priest

 

William MURPHY

Jun 1962 - 1981 Aug

Canon Murphy was parish priest at the time of St Joseph's centenary in 1975

 

 

Edward RICHER

Jul 1963 - 1966 Feb

Assistant priest

   

John DORAN

Jul 1965 - 1968 Oct

Assistant priest

   

John KEENAN

Mar 1966 - 1966 May

Assistant priest

   

Richard DAVEY

Aug 1968 - 1970 Aug

Assistant priest

   

Michael MORRISSEY

Aug 1970 - 1974 Sep

Assistant priest

   

Gerard FALLON

Sep 1974 - 1982 Feb

Assistant priest

 

Anthony PENNICOTT

Aug 1981 - 1985 May

 
   

Joseph MCALLISTER

Mar 1982 - 1985 May

Assistant priest became Parish priest in 1985

 

Joseph MCALLISTER

May 1985 - 1992 Oct

 

 

 

Francis REYNOLDS

May 1985 - 1988 Apr

Assistant priest. Absent Feb - Jun 1986

 

 

Peter HOLLINS

Jun 1988 - 1990 Sep

Assistant priest

 

 

Richard MANIAK

Sep 1990 - 1991 Sep

Assistant priest

 

Tom GRUFFERTY

Oct 1992 - 1995 Oct

Born in Co Mayo, Fr Tom was ordained in 1973 and then served in Portswood, Southampton before being appointed first Parish Priest of Sandhurst. Before coming to Havant he spent eight years at Holy Ghost, Basingstoke.

 

Desmond MAGENNIS

Oct 1995 - 1996 Oct

Fr Des Magennis was from Melbourne, Australia and exchanged parishes with Fr Tom for a year

 

Tom GRUFFERTY

Oct 1996 - 2014 Aug

On his return, Fr Tom served for the remainder of his 22 years in Havant before moving to Christ Church, Dorset.

 

Marcus BRISLEY

Aug 2014 - 2015 Sep

Fr Marcus came to Havant from Charminster, Bournemouth and following his year in Havant he moved to the Parish of Crowthorne & Sandhurst.

 

Leslie ADAMS

Sep 2015 - 2021 Aug

Fr Leslie came to Havant from the Parish of Buckland and Farringdon in Oxfordshire