Denaby Main Convent of Mercy, 1927-2006
Scope and Contents
Consists of a few records accumulated by the Sisters of Mercy of Denaby Main Convent of Mercy, being records of church, local and national events affecting the Sisters as recorded in the annals and newscuttings.
Dates
- Creation: 1927-2006
Conditions Governing Access note
As a private archive, access to the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy Archive requires application to the Archivist and approval by the Institute's Leadership Team. Where items are closed for access, this is indicated at the appropriate level.
Biographical / Historical
The Denaby Main Convent of Mercy was founded as a branch house of Clifford convent, which was sold in 1971 so its branch houses were transferred to the new mother house at Cantley, Doncaster. In 1984 Denaby Main became autonomous within the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy, and the Institute Archivist encouraged annals to be kept.
Denaby Main convent was founded in 1927 for Sisters to teach infants and juniors in the parish school, St Alban's, and undertake visitation. In 1955 a new wing was built onto the convent which opened with hot and cold running water in 1956. In September 1958 the senior pupils at St Alban's School were transferred to the new St Pius X Secondary Modern in Wath-upon-Dearne, leaving much needed room for junior pupils. In 1962 a further extension was added to the convent, being more bedrooms for Sisters. A garage was also built to house the new car purchased to take the Sisters to teach in the new school at Edlington where M. Teresa was Headmistress from 1966 until her retirement in 1976. When M. Stanislaus retired as Headteacher of St Alban's School, a secular male was appointed Head. In 1984 the last teaching Sisters in St Alban's retired and 58 years of Mercy service ended. The 1984 national coal strike saw the Sisters helping parishioners with food, clothing and sometimes money (as they had helped during the 1926 general strike). Denaby Main became a member of Emmaus Province when the Institute established a provincial structure until 1996. From 1990, Denaby Main was selected by the Institute leadership as a Resource Centre for Vocation Ministry (and Formation House), with a community experimenting with shared leadership. In 1993 The Sister de Sales Parish and Community Centre was opened, a title unanimously decided by the Parish in tribute to Sister M. de Sales. At the end of 2005, it was decided that Denaby Main Convent of Mercy would close the next year, being a large building for a small mobile community and a frequent target of vandals.
Full Extent
1 box
Language of Materials
From the Fonds: English
Arrangement
Arranged at file level in chronological order.
Box D
Located in box D with Derby, Ednaston; and Derby-Swadlingcote.
Other Finding Aids
Where applicable, accession numbers have been recorded within the Repository Processing Note at file level.
Custodial History
The annals of Denaby Main Convent of Mercy were collated by community members, in particular M. de Sales Leonard, and much of the later records of the Resource Centre can be found in the Generalate records of the Institute Archives. The records of the community have been catalogued separately from its former mother houses, Clifford then Doncaster, as the community became autonomous within the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy (formed 1983).
Accruals
No further accruals particular to Denaby Main are anticipated.
Repository Details
Part of the Bermondsey Convent of Mercy Repository