Family
Tree DiagramCharles William Joseph Froes
A Vist to St Joseph's , Shirebrook - 13th May, 2004 - By Peter Froes
I visited St Josephs Catholic Church on the 13th May, 2004, and met the Parish Priest, Rev. Francis J Carvill. Once I mentioned the name "Froes", Frank's eyes lit up, as he realised the connection with Charles Froes, the founder of the Catholic Church in Shirebrook. Charles, along with the Parishoners, built the Church in Shirebrook. Frank showed me Charles's grave - pictures are ..... Close to Charles's grave is the grave of Hannah Fretwell, Charles's Housekeeper for many years, at the bungalow by the church. picture attached..... Hannah's daugher Teresa, was born at the bungalow. When Charles retired, he went to live with Hannah in Church Walsop. Hannah's daughter Teresa bradley, died within the last few years in her nineties.
The article below, was printed in the Parish Magazine..
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"The Shirebrook Mission"
Mass was first said in Shirebrook in 1900, in an old Barn called Cox's Barn which was prepared by Messrs. Ward Dixon and Fretwell. Later when a building was set up on the recreation ground for an isolation hospital and condemned and never used as such, Fr Froes rented it, lived in part of it and had Mass in another part. He remained here for about for about 5 years and paid ten shillings per week rent. It was called the "Tin Cathedral". later the land on Langwith Road was bought from the Duke of Devonshire and the Church built. The building and land being cheap and costing altogether £2500 . About this time things looked well for the church, as they were sinking Shirebrook Pit , or part of it , and also building the railway that passes close by the Church. About 400 or more Irish Labourers were employed and it is said these were very generous and paid an outdoor collection of two shillings and sixpence each week. In fact an old non-catholic woman told me that her four lodgers used to leave her ten shillings each week to give to the collection. When these labourers gradually left, the parish had some difficulties. Father Froes retired and went to live in Church Warsop, where he died in 1930. After the death of Fr.Froes, two other Priests served the parish until the arrival of Fr. Cummins in 1933. In that year the church had holes in the roof, water was everywhere in the church, birds built nests in it, plaster was off the walls; it was a sad looking place indeed, and the groundswere like a common, used as such by children and those who wished to short-cut to the village. On Sunday , 6th September 1933 there were 9 people at the first mass, and 36 at at the second. Non- catholics thought thought that St Joseph's was finished - a failure - and strangest of all, ill-disposed Catholics vindictive from past quarrels an forgetful of God's honour seemed to glory in in it's apparent failure and so the present priest has exercised and denied himself much, in order to make the exterior and interior of Chuch and House worthy of the objects for which they were built. There are 811 Catholics in the Parish, the practising Catholics have increased to about 140.
Fr J.J.Cummins .P.P 1936
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The centenary of St Joseph's Church is in 3 years time
St Joseph's RC Church at Shirebrook.
Link
to the Mansfield Chronicle
Charles was born at Rothwell Haigh , Yorkshire, the same as Henry Celestine Froes, whose Birth Certificate proved he was born at Rothwell Haigh , not Wakefield.
Attended Ampleforth probably at the same time as Wilfred
Froes.
1881 CENSUS INDEX: DONNERVILLE, WROCKWARDINE, SHROPSHIRE
FRANCIS H. FROES Head W 64 Anuitant SOUTH AMERICA
CAROLINE FROES Daur U 19 Spinster YORK
CHARLES FROES Son U 17 Scholar YORK
MAUDE FROES Daur 15 YORK
WILFRID FROES Son 11 Scholar YORK
MARIE L. FROES Niece U 24 Spinster (B S), SOUTH AMERICA
ADELE FROES Niece U 23 Spinster (B S), SOUTH AMERICA
JANE DRUETT Servant U 37 Cook D Serv READING, BERKSHIRE
MARY DAVIS Serv U 25 Palour Maid D Serv WELLINGTON, SALOP
ALICE DAVIS Serv U 20 Housemaid D Serv WELLINGTON, SALOP