Oldham Community, 1841 - 2011
Scope and Contents
Consists of records acquired and accumulated by the Sisters of Mercy of the Oldham Community. Includes financial, administrative and property records; spiritual writings by the Sisters; a few branch house records; records of church, local and national events affecting the Sisters as recorded in the annals; and personal papers of Sisters.
Dates
- Creation: 1841 - 2011
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
In 1863, the Sisters came to Oldham at the request of Canon Wrennelin to educate the mill workers, most of whom were children, and to see to the needs of the poor in this industrial area. By 1907, the original Convent had become too small and the Sisters moved to the present house, Werneth Grange.
Branch houses were opened in Ashton 1871-1874; Rochdale 1885-1902; Colwyn Bay 1910-present; Harrismith, South Africa 1913-1921; Great Harwood 1917-1927; Todmorden 1919-1942 (taken over by Burnley Convent); Paddock House, Accrington 1921-1988.
Today the needs of the area have changed, the number of Sisters has reduced, and the age profile has increased. In keeping with one of Catherine McAuley’s sayings “Our centre is God from whom all our actions spring as from their source”, we now make the house a centre for prayer and hospitality, providing a venue for the deaf, a prayer group, Mercy Associates and diocesan Senior Religious. Retreat days are well attended by parishioners from the local parishes. Also the traditional Mercy “comfortable cup of tea” is well known to the “men of the road”. Some sisters continue to work in the local parishes, visiting the sick and housebound and assisting the priests in their ministries.
[Text taken from the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy website http://www.ourladyofmercy.org.uk/whereweare/dsp-default.cfm?loadref=179, accessed 05 December 2012]
Full Extent
5 box
Language of Materials
From the Fonds: English
Arrangement
The sub-fonds is arranged into series that reflect the content and context of the collection. It has not been possible to re-create the original order.
Other Finding Aids
A Microsoft Access database lists some material to item level. Former reference numbers and accession numbers have been recorded within the Repository Processing Note at file and/or item level.
Custodial History
The archives of the Oldham Community have been collected from the opening of the Convent of Mercy in 1863 to the present by Sisters of Mercy who belonged to the Community, and cover the running of their lives. The records of the branch houses Paddock House Accrington and Colwyn Bay have been catalogued as independent houses under the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy (formed 1983).
Accruals
Further accruals are hopefully anticipated.
Repository Details
Part of the Bermondsey Convent of Mercy Repository