Simpson, Rev Canon TJ

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Watercolour portrait of Rev Canon TJ Simpson, St Mary's, East Parade, by John Sowden

from John Sowden's notebooks:

"Spent all the years of his priesthood in Bradford – only four years short of half a century and was conspicuously identified with the progress of Catholicism in the city. Native of Hull, where he spent his boyhood, he was educated at Saint Cuthbert’s College, Ushaw, and was ordained in Leeds by Bishop Cornthwaite.

During practically the whole of his career in the church he was associated with Provost Motler. Under Canon Motler he served his first Mass in Hull and in 1867, soon after his priesthood became curate to Cannon Motler, who two years before had been appointed as priest in charge at St Mary's Bradford. In 1881 the original St Mary's parish was divided into three – Saint Mary's, Saint Joseph's and Saint Anne’s.

Father Simpson took charge of St Mary's and was made Canon in 1888. He had a fine set of school premises built at Stott Hill to accommodate 900 children. The Canon at Pudsey was under Canon Simpson’s charge and in that borough a school chapel was opened.

Canon Simpson visited America in order to receive funds for Saint Peter’s School and his self sacrifice was such that, receiving a legacy of £1000 intended to the needs of his declining years he applied to the debt on the schools. In 1910 he was elected a member of the Board of Guardians and was Vice Chairman of the Board, a position from which he retired owing to ill-health. He died in 1913."

Year

1897

Creator

John Sowden

Image filename

sowden-174