Esh, 1979 - 2010

In 1977, Fr G Bryce, Parish Priest of St Michael’s parish, appealed to the Alnwick Community for a sister to fill the Assistant Mistress’ post in St Michael’s school in Esh and received a positive response which resulted in the appointment of M Patrick Murphy RSM. Because of the distance from Alnwick, arrangements were made for Sister M Patrick to live with the Sisters of Charity in Esh during the week and return to Alnwick each Friday. On Sister Marie’s retirement in 1979 the sisters of Charity of St Paul withdrew, the Alnwick Community was, once more, successfully approached, and Anna M Ryan RSM was appointed as Headmistress, and Sister M Patrick continued in her Assistant’s post. The new Sisters received a warm welcome from the people who were happy that there would still be a religious presence in the parish especially as it was the expressed intention of the Mercy Sisters to build on the solid foundation laid by their predecessors. As there were only two Sisters, it was felt important that they should return to their Community each Friday – an arrangement with which they were more than happy to conform. The mustard seed had been sown and, as far as was physically possible, the Sisters extended the apostolates of Mercy through the Parish. With the establishment of the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy (1983), the position of the little convent in Esh was considered in depth, the decision being that, with the missioning of two more Sisters to the area, it should become a distinct unit within the institute (and later of the Northern Province). Considerable refurbishing of the Convent was undertaken and, with the increase and cessation of the weekly journey to Alnwick, the members of the Community were more readily available for participation in all aspects of the life of St Michael’s Parish. The first Superior to be appointed was M Josephine Twomey RSM, who came from the North Ormesby Community. With the passage of the years, the number of Sisters decreased in many Convents and this was true of that in Crook, situated a few miles from Esh. When that Convent closed in April 1992 the Sister still involved in the Primary School there, was assigned to the Community in Esh, from where she made the daily journey to teach in St Cuthbert’s Parish School. The small Community of Claretian Missionaries in nearby Langley Park, invariably provided support and encouragement to the Sisters and the Parish Priest, and all worked together with the laity towards the building of a true Christian community. The Claretians eventually left the parish in 2002 and it was a sad day for all. In 2010 Sister Anna finally retired from St Michael’s School in Esh and prepared to move to pastures new in Coundon.