Community of the Resurrection 3

Initially members of the community were small numbering just 10 or so brethren. This rapidly increased, and in 1907 there were nearly fifty fathers in the community.
Although moving to the "industrial north" had been Gore's wish, a site at Mirfield put them very much in the middle of Protestant "non conformist" territory, especially amongst the working classes. No doubt the unmarried clergymen dressed in their long cassocks and belts attracted a deal of curiosity and suspicion to the goings on of the community.




The Refectory House of the Resurrection.



The College of the Resurrection looking out over Battyeford at about the time of it's completion in 1905.



The newly completed Retreat House.

A twist of fate eventually put pay to the suspicions when, while the Fathers were holding a meeting to raise funds for the building of the new Leeds University Hostel, a visiting group of ultra-Protestant Kensitites gathered outside the Black Bull to protest against and condemn the activities of the community. They handed out pamphlets declaring:
"Englishmen to Arms!
Refuse to subscribe One Penny to this Monkery!
Christians! Churchmen! Englishmen!
Beware of the Mirfield Monks!
The community seeks to entrap our wives into hateful confessional!"
Quite a large crowd gathered and the situation was only defused when one of the fathers stood on a chair and addressed the crowd directly to explain the aims and objectives of the community. Apparently the charm with which he delivered this address easily won over the locals and they dismissed the protests of the Kensitites.

Over the following years the fathers and their activities were largely accepted into the community with many locals attending "quarry services" or theatrical events there.
In those early years building work to make the site suitable for Gore's intention was rapidly taking place. The College building, with its distinctive tower, was completed along with the Retreat House and the original House was extended.

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]


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