Now identified: The "Rev'd J. Boyan" = The Rev'd John Morgan, Chaplain to the Forces

[Honora]

Dear All

 

The Clifton Archives do not hold the National Catholic Directories 1912-1922. I had hoped to find a suitable candidate for Boyan in the directories either side of these dates. But... drew a blank.

I then turned to the useful  book  Fitzgerald-Lombard, Charles,English and Welsh Priests 1801-1914: A working List. (1993). The only suitable candidate was 

 

BOYLAND, John , Westminster Dioc, floruit 1915.

 

(floruit = was flourishing/active)

 

Priests could be moved between dioceses; many priests acted as temporary chaplains in the many camps around the country.

 

I have sent a query off to the chap who has written a book about RC chaplains.Hopefully he will come up with something. 

 

There is also the possibility he was an Irish priest, perhaps temporarily in England, just filling in - and somewhere in the diocese, there was once a small document giving him the faculities to act.

 

With the best will in the world, sometimes records, particularly in traumatic times are not necessarily kept efficiently, and of course, records can get lost.

 

Sorry - I had hoped to come up with an answer.

 

Honora

 

 

 

 

[nigelcave]

Priests could be moved between dioceses - but not easily, not if he was ordained to the diocese. Too complicated to go into here (and you are using up your aspirin!).  If he was Westminster Diocese than the Westminster archives should be able to help. It would be interesting to know where the fl. 1915 came from. If he was serving temporarily in the Archdiocese then one would expect to find some reference to this in an ad clerum, a regular circular from the bishop to his clergy. This would usually record, inter alia, changes in personnel, the arrival of priests into the diocese from outside and where sent etc etc - a bit like Part 2 orders.

 

This is where the fact that there was an Ordinary for the Forces can complicate things, because he would be responsible for issuing a celebret (more or less, permission to say mass within the issuer's jurisdiction and which could be used to identify the person as a priest so that, at the discretion of a parish priest, for example, when outside his parish [say on holiday] he could say a public mass). This is not legalism gone mad - imagine the situation in somewhere like Rome (with probably a minimum of 20,000 priests from outside the Diocese of Rome) or Lourdes (with possibly some 10,000 priests) passing through on a  temporary basis each year. There has to be some form of check.

Edited 6 June , 2018 by nigelcave

[keithmroberts]

No trace of a Reverend Boyland with any forename at Kew, and only two Boylands on the long numbers list with very different forenames. The mystery continues.

 

Keith

 

[Honora]

Dear Nigel

 

You clearly have some serious knowledge. 

My understanding is that many local parish priests filled in as  non-commissioned Officiating Chaplains in the army camps and military hospitals around the country.. 

 

My contact does not know of a John Boyland CF, but is visiting RAChD next week and will check. 

 

Honora

 

 

 

[keithmroberts]

Honora

 

" My understanding is that many local parish priests filled in as  non-commissioned Officiating Chaplains in the army camps and military hospitals around the country".

 

if you are correct in that, much can be explained. In that scenario a priest could easily be associated with the nearest barracks or hospital to Leominster. Climpston was a significant distance away but we know that when death occurred in the UK it was possible to have a body returned for burial close to the family home so a cleric acting locally as you suggest might easily fit the bill. We can't support that from the 1911 census, and so almost certainly only local records such as electoral registers or a local newspaper could provide the evidence in the absence of a diocesan directory.

 

Keith

[nigelcave]

Re your second para. Certainly: I know of at least three priests in the community at Ratcliffe College who acted as unpaid (that's important, else they would have appeared somewhere in Part 2 orders) chaplains - except they got increased petrol coupons (not to be sneezed at!) during WWII to, e.g., RAF stations and PoW camps.I should check the decrees (that is the annual 'postings' of the Order) to see how the church authorities, at least, referred to them.

 

If you are exhausting England and Wales possibilities, you might try the equivalent year books for Scotland (a separate hierarchy) and Ireland (also separate - but covers the whole of the island of Ireland).

[Guest]

2 hours ago, keithmroberts said:

Honora

 

" My understanding is that many local parish priests filled in as  non-commissioned Officiating Chaplains in the army camps and military hospitals around the country".

 

if you are correct in that, much can be explained. In that scenario a priest could easily be associated with the nearest barracks or hospital to Leominster. Climpston was a significant distance away but we know that when death occurred in the UK it was possible to have a body returned for burial close to the family home so a cleric acting locally as you suggest might easily fit the bill. We can't support that from the 1911 census, and so almost certainly only local records such as electoral registers or a local newspaper could provide the evidence in the absence of a diocesan directory.

 

Keith

 

     One possibility  in the local v Army Chaplain  elimination process is a further look at the cemetery  records to see if the chap officiated at any other interments.(and if he did-whether there is a variant/correct spelling of his name!!)

[Matlock1418]

This may need a call for help from whichever Local Studies Library covers Leominster. There should be an account of the funeral service in the local newspaper, "Leominster News".

 

Thank you and one an all for your lead and endeavours on my behalf

 

All GWF pals - "STAND DOWN" Re: Rev. BOYEN

 

He appears to be Rev. MORGAN

 

Have today tracked down the Friday 22 Feb. 1918 Leominster News at Herefordshire History - Page 6, column 3 = "Military Funeral at Leominster" - Pte. John Thomas Warburton - who got many column inches detailing his death and burial

https://herefordshirehistory.org.uk/archive/herefordshire-newspapers/leominster-news/leominster-news-1918/leominster-news-february-1918/138258-leominster-news-22-02-1918-pg00006#prettyPhoto/0/ 

 

https://herefordshirehistory.org.uk/archive/herefordshire-in-the-great-war/first-world-war-newspapers/leominster-news/leominster-news-1918/leominster-news-february-1918/leominster-news-22nd-february-1918/138258-leominster-news-22nd-february-1918-page-6?q=22 February 1918

 

Captain / Reverend John Morgan, Domestic Chaplain to the Bishop of Truro and Chaplain to the Forces attended Pte. Warburton whilst ill at Kimnel Park and took the funeral service & officiated at the graveside at Leominster Cemetery.

 

Now need to track down the Rev. Morgan and his details - but that will be another story and may yet need another post as this one is long enough.

 

Thank you for your efforts.

 

HEREFORDSHIRE

For ref of all: there are digitally-accessible Herefordshire newspapers and Burial Records at Herefordshire History - very handy, wish I'd known that sooner!

https://herefordshirehistory.org.uk I didn't find it easy to search but after trawling I got there.

:-) M

[Guest]

Excellent- and just to confirm it-here is the medal card for him as listed on "Discovery" by The National Archives. Cheshire Regiment-that settles it. Hooray!!  

 

Medal card of Morgan, John. Corps: Royal Army Chaplain's Department attached Cheshire Regiment. Rank: Reverend.

War Office: Service Medal and Award Rolls Index, First World War. Mill J - Nolan P. Medal card of Morgan, John. Corps Regiment No Rank Royal Army Chaplain's Department attached Cheshire Regiment Reverend.

Held by:	The National Archives - War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies
Date:	1914 - 1920
Reference:	WO 372/14/86947
Subjects:	Armed Forces (General Administration) | Army | Conflict | Medals | Operations, battles and campaigns

[Matlock1418]

Excellent- and just to confirm it-here is the medal card for him as listed on "Discovery" by The National Archives. Cheshire Regiment-that settles it. Hooray!!  

 

Too right - had also just found his MIC

Easy when you have the right name.

Thanks for your efforts - nay, help - you got me looking in the right place

Thanks to all.

:-)

[daggers]

Excellent result after much deep digging!

It is very useful to have the newspaper link, too.

Daggers

[keithfazzani]

Whoever filled in the register must have been very hard of hearing! Anyway well done for tracking him down and I am sure we have all learned much of interest from this thread.

[Matlock1418]

Not that I am aiming to have the last word on this thread [and this isn't necessarily it - go on, spoil my day ;-)  Please don't, but if you must ... ]

Thought this might be of interest to anyone later further interested in the Rev'd John Morgan

https://www.chaplains-museum.co.uk/entity/139960-j-morgan?q=morgan 

His 22/11/15 [Anglican] Chaplains' Interview Card [from the Museum of Army Chaplaincy] - interestingly marked Kinmel Park 4/1917 - ties it all up nicely

I hope!

Thanks to all that looked and especially those that offered their valuable info - not that I understood it all re: religious matters - hopefully very useful for other who follow, boldly going where I now fear to tread.  ;-) 

:-)

Edited 7 June , 2018 by Matlock1418

[keithmroberts]

 

Well done. Its good to ahve him sorted.

 

here's a little more from Crockford's

 

Late Exhibitoner of Hertford College, Oxford, BA 1910,  MA 1914. Cuddesdon Theological College 1910,  deacon 1910,  St A. for Ban.    Vicar of Llanbeblig w Carnarvon 1920  Res Chaplain to Bp of Truro and Llanaber 1910-1912,  p.b. of Truro Cathedral 1912-16, TCF 1916-1919, Chaplain HM Prison Carnavon 192-22.

[Matlock1418]

59 minutes ago, keithmroberts said:

here's a little more from Crockford's

Not wanting to have the last word - except to say thanks.

May be not ... 

and ... others may find the following John Morgan links of interest - he became Archbishop of Wales no less, 1949-1957 = https://www.churchinwales.org.uk/election-of-the-archbishop-of-wales/  [with photo] and http://yba.llgc.org.uk/en/s2-MORG-JOH-1886.html  

Amazing where you get to from a 'dodgy' spelling of Rev'd's name in a burial record!

 

[Guest]

  To follow on from Keith Roberts....John Morgan susbsequently became Archbishop of Wales. And...the geratest glory...even made it to Wikipedia. I post, with acknowledgements to the Dictionary of Welsh Biography (online),it's biography of him-which confirms Kimnel Camp as well: Phew!! 

 

MORGAN , JOHN ( 1886 - 1957 ), Archbishop of Wales ;

b. 6 June 1886 at the rectory, Llandudno, Caern. , youngest of the five children of John Morgan , Archdeacon of Bangor , 1902-24 . Educated at St. George's National School , Llandudno , the Cathedral School , Llandaff , where he was soloist in the choir , Llandovery College and Hertford College , Oxford , (as an Exhibitioner ), and Cuddesdon College . He graduated B.A. , 1910 , M.A. , 1914 , Honorary D.D. University of Wales 1934 . He was ord. deacon in 1910 at St. Asaph , for the Bishop of Bangor , and was curate of Llanaber with Barmouth , 1910-12 . He was ord. priest in 1911 . From 1912-16 he was resident chaplain to the Bishop of Truro and honorary priest-vicar of Truro Cathedral . During 1916-19 he was temporary chaplain to the Forces , when he served in the Mediterranean , Kinmel and Shoreham . In 1917 he returned to Wales to be vicar-choral of St. Asaph Cathedral and vicar of St. Asaph . In 1919 he was appointed priest-in-charge of Llanbeblig and Caernarfon , and in 1920 on the implementation of the Welsh Church Act , he became vicar of the parish . Whilst he was there he served as chaplain to the prison and was rural dean of Arfon , 1928-31 . In 1931 he was appointed canon of Bangor Cathedral and in 1933 he became rector of Llandudno . The following year he was elected Bishop of Swansea and Brecon , succeeding E.L. Bevan , and was consecrated in St. Asaph Cathedral on Whit Tuesday, by the Archbishop of Wales , Alfred George Edwards ( DWB , 184) , who had ordained him deacon . In 1939 he was translated to Llandaff in succession to Timothy Rees ( DWB , 831) and in 1949 he was elected Archbishop of Wales to succeed David Prosser (see below) . He d. at St. Thomas's Hospital , London , in June 1957 aged 71, and was buried at St. Asaph .

John Morgan was short in stature; a man, thorough in all his doings and meticulous regarding details, he demanded that all things should be seemly and in order, whether it was an ordinary service or a special occasion. He was an excellent administrator and abhorred disorder and slipshod ways in others. He could be a strict disciplinarian, like his father, but he could be gracious and merciful when the occasion arose. He regarded the office of bishop as a charge, and was unwilling to give way on matters of principle. In Brecon he fulfilled the office of dean as well as bishop and he laid sound foundations there for the cathedral ceremonies and music. At Llandaff , the administration of the diocese called for a strong arm and clear vision. War broke out soon after his appointment and the cathedral was ruined by enemy bombing. He was responsible for its re-building and subsequent re-consecration in the spring of 1957 .

He was an accomplished musician and could play the organ since his boyhood days in Llandudno . He was chairman of the Bangor Diocesan Music Committee and in 1934 he was elected chairman of the committee which brought out the Welsh hymnbook Emynau'r Eglwys . From 1939 he was also chairman of the Music sub-committee . The words edition was published in 1941 and the music edition in 1951 . During his term of office the Liturgical Commission was set up to revise the Book of Common Prayer .

His last public service was to consecrate G.O. Williams Bishop of Bangor at Llandaff on 1 May 1957 . He returned to hospital that evening.

A shy man, only his close friends knew that he was a good raconteur, an excellent mimic, with the ability to use the Caernarfon town dialect.

Sources:

• Y Llan , 5 July 1957 , 7 Apr. 1933 , 13 Apr. 1934 ;
• Yr Haul , Summer 1957 ;
• Province , Summer 1957 ;
• The Church Times , 28 June 1957 ;
• Who was who? , 1951-60 ;
• Welsh Church Year Book , 1936 ;
• Emynau'r Eglwys (Cardiff, 1951) (1951) ;
• Y Crynhoad (Liverpool) , May/June 1950 ;
• MS. T.I.E. in the author's possession.

Author:

Mary Gwendoline Ellis, M.A., Aberystwyth

Published date: 2001