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Please note : most of these items have been taken from photocopies
and the quality is therefore rather poor at times.
HAVE YOU GOT THE ORIGINALS ?
If so, I'd love to borrow them — and promise to return them safely.
NEWSPAPER CUTTING
November 1957 (likely)
The Middlesex Chronicle (likely)
"FAREWELL TO FATHER HAMESHeston Catholics' Gifts
Last Sunday evening, the Catholics of Heston met in the White Father's Hall to say goodbye to Father Hames and to present him with a token of their affection and appreciation.
The parishioners' spokesman, Mr L Dennis, the headmaster of Bulstrode School, pointed out that this was a joyful occasion.
"As Catholics we have the true faith, and we don't want to keep it to ourselves," he said. "We are happy to have known such a priest as Father Hames, and we are now glad that he is achieving his desire to return to Africa. The monument to Fr Hames will not be in the new church for which he has worked so hard, but in the hearts and minds of every man, woman and child in the parish."
As a tangible proof of their esteem, a Spiritual Bouquet, prepared by the parishioners and a cheque for £256 collected by them, were presented to Fr Hames by Mr Dennis.
Fr Hames, in expressing his thanks, quoted one of the prayers of the Mass of the day. "How kind and good it is for brethren to be together," and went on to say that the Spiritual Bouquet was the most important part of the gift — it was a share in the spiritual life of the Catholics of Heston. He had been very happy at Heston, and whilst he was delighted to be returning to Africa, he was sad to be leaving. He promised to remember everyone in his prayers and a Mass."
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(Source: Heston Parish, via David Rose)
The Order of Services for 1942, when the bombs were falling all around and people
must have wondered if their homes would still be standing when they returned from church.
The Collins family, who later moved to Summerhouse Avenue in Heston, lost 5 of their children
when a bomb ripped through the house in Martindale Road and killed the children
who were hiding under the table.
You may just be able to read the phrase "For the duration of the War . . . " ; by this time
all hopes that it would soon be over were long gone and morale in 1942 was probably
at its lowest point. (David and I were born in that year, by the way !)
Sorry that I couldn't make this photocopy more legible.
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