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Edward Ollerenshaw
1922-1925
Born in 1902, Edward Ollerenshaw was the eldest child of Edward Ollerenshaw- a Hatter and Hosier- and Annie Fleming. Edward was born and raised in Wigan, Lancashire, with his parents and his two younger siblings, Maragret and William. As a child, Edward attended Wigan blue coat school (a church of England Charity School) but in 1914, shortly before his 12th birthday, he became a student of Wigan Grammar School on a free place, his fees initially being covered by the school trustees and later by the Education authority. In 1920, Edward was struck down by a serious illness described in his school records as ‘a disease of the blood vessels.’ As a result he was unable to begin his intended studies at University. Instead, he remained at school by special permission of the school governors, despite being above the normal age limit.
Edward was eventually able to being studying for a degree in English Language and Literature at the University of Manchester in 1922. Whilst at Manchester he was a resident of St Anselm and appears there on the electoral rolls of 1924 and 1925.
Edward graduated with 2nd class honours in 1925 and, following graduation, completed his ordination training at Lincoln Theological College. Ordained in 1926, he was first appointed curate of St Marks in Worsley, Manchester and was then at Atherton, also in Manchester. In fact, the first twenty-eight years of Edwards’ ministry were spent in the Manchester area, with his final appointment being to Wardleworth, near Rochdale, where he was vicar between 1949 and 1955. In this period, Edward married Ida with whom he had a son and daughter.
In 1955, Edward was moved to Carrington with Frithville in the county of Lincolnshire and from 1959 to 1968 Vicar of Frampton, Lincolnshire, until he was forced by ill-health to retire in 1968. At the time of his retirement, he spoke of how happy he had been in the parish and his regret at leaving before the renovations of the parish church had been completed. Edward died in December 1972 and was buried at Frampton.
Herbert James Osgathorpe
Gartness Hostel 1919-1921
St Anselm Hall 1921-1922
Herbert James Osgathrope was born in Hastings, Sussex, in 1897, the eldest of the four children of Frank and Julia Osgathorpe. As a young boy, however, Herbert moved with his parents to Wouldham, Kent, where the family lived in the local post office. Whilst there Herbert attended Wouldham Elementary School before becoming a student at Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathmatical School in January 1912, leaving in December 1913. In the summer of 1914, Herbert was admitted as a male learner at Maidstone Post Office, transferring to Reigate in July 1915.
Herbert volunteered to join the Army in World War 1, but under the Derby Scheme was made a ‘Class B, Army Reserve’, meaning he could remain at home and in his job until called up. For Herbert, this came in February 1916 when he was appointed as an office Telegraphist in the Royal Engineers, joining the GCHQ Singal Company in July 1916.
At the end of the war, Herbert joined the Knutsford Ordination Test School during its early period in France, from there arriving at Manchester and, presumably, Gartness Hall, in 1919. Herbert was one of the students transferred to St. Anselm during the 1921 merger and appears as a resident of St Anselm Hall in the 1922 electoral roll. This was the same year that he graduated from Manchester with a B.A.
Following graduation, Herbert completed his ordination training at Lincoln Theological College and was made deacon in 1924, his first appointment being curate of Mopet, Northumberland.
Herbert was made priest in 1925 and in 1926 married Eleanor Watkin, with whom he had two children.
Between 1929 and 1936, Herbert was vicar of Ulgham, Northumberland, a period of his life he evidently enjoyed as on leaving he wrote to his parishioners ‘This is going to be a fearful wrench. My wife and I have been very happy here amongst you… Nevertheless we feel we ought to do our share in Newcastle… There is a big job to be done’ Herberts next appointment was to Walker, a suburb of Newcastle, from 1936 to 1944, before he was appointed to Bedlington, Northumberland.
Herbert remained in the parish until his retirement in 1966, and whilst there came full circle, becoming founder and padre of the Bedlington Branch of TocH, the organisation connected to Knutsford Ordination School where Herbert had first prepared for priesthood in the aftermath of the First World War.
Herbert died in 1982. He is buried at Bedlington alongside his wife.