Thomas Henshaw
Encyclopedia
Thomas Henshaw was the fifth Bishop of Salford, a Roman Catholic diocese in the north-west of England.
in Manchester
. He was educated at the Salford Catholic Grammar School, the English College, Lisbon
and at St Cuthbert's College, Ushaw, where he taught French for three years as a Minor Professor.
, he then spent a year at Bonn University, before taking the chair in Dogmatic Theology at Ushaw College
.
In 1905, he Henshaw returned to his native Salford Diocese
serving for the next six years at St Bede's College
as Professor and Vice-Rector. In 1912, he was appointed curate at St Alban, Blackburn until 1913 when he became Rector at the Holy Saviour, Nelson
, in 1916, he moved to St Mary, Heaton Norris, and in 1920 took charge of St Gabriel, Castleton. In mid-1925 Fr Henshaw was appointed Parish Priest at St Anne, Blackburn, where he completed the work building the new Byzantine church started by the previous Priest Fr William Shine, who had died suddenly earlier that year..
had died in January 1925, but it would be almost a year before a replacement was appointed, that replacement was Fr Henshaw, he was consecrated Bishop on 21 December 1925 at Salford Cathedral
by Archbishop Keating, and was classified as a "pastorally minded and pragmatic parish priest with financial acumen and quiet scholarship".
Education was Henshaw's forte, even if the vision of Catholic education in Westminster and in Salford occasionally clashed. Particular problems of physically defective "blacklisted" schools and of the beginning of slum clearance in inner urban areas, taxed the mind and pocket of the Catholic community. This was ever truer when the 1936 Education Act separated schools into Junior and Senior Schools and ended, at least in theory, the all-age parish elementary school.
The lay organisations continued to develop, with notable newcomers such as the Legion of Mary
and the Young Christian Workers
. Henshaw's attitude to the continual shortage of priests was simple. Pray and the Lord will provide.
In 1926 the diocese also hosted the National Catholic Congress in Manchester. In 1927 he acquired the Wardley Hall
Estate in Worsley
as the official residence of the Bishop of Salford
He died on 23 September 1938, aged 65.
Early life and education
He was born on 2nd February 1873 in Miles PlattingMiles Platting
Miles Platting is an inner city district of Manchester, England. It is east-northeast of Manchester city centre, along the course of the Rochdale Canal and A62 road...
in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. He was educated at the Salford Catholic Grammar School, the English College, Lisbon
English College, Lisbon
The English College, Lisbon was a Roman Catholic seminary that existed from the 17th century to the 20th century.-Early history:...
and at St Cuthbert's College, Ushaw, where he taught French for three years as a Minor Professor.
Early career
He was ordained priest on 18 October 1899. Following ordination, Henshaw was sent to the Institut Catholique, Paris, where he specialised for three years in Dogmatic TheologyDogmatic theology
Dogmatic theology is that part of theology dealing with the theoretical truths of faith concerning God and his works, especially the official theology recognized by an organized Church body, such as the Roman Catholic Church, Dutch Reformed Church, etc...
, he then spent a year at Bonn University, before taking the chair in Dogmatic Theology at Ushaw College
Ushaw College
Ushaw College was a Roman Catholic seminary near Durham, England that closed in 2011. Ushaw was the principal seminary in the north of England for the training of Catholic priests.-History:...
.
In 1905, he Henshaw returned to his native Salford Diocese
Diocese of Salford
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Salford is a Latin Rite Roman Catholic diocese centred around Salford Cathedral in the City of Salford in Greater Manchester, England....
serving for the next six years at St Bede's College
St Bede's College
There are several schools named St Bede's College, including:*St Bede's College, Christchurch, New Zealand*St Bede's Catholic College, Bristol, England*St Bede's College, Manchester, England*St Bede's College , Australia...
as Professor and Vice-Rector. In 1912, he was appointed curate at St Alban, Blackburn until 1913 when he became Rector at the Holy Saviour, Nelson
Nelson, Lancashire
Nelson is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England, with a population of 28,998 in 2001. It lies 4 miles north of Burnley on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal....
, in 1916, he moved to St Mary, Heaton Norris, and in 1920 took charge of St Gabriel, Castleton. In mid-1925 Fr Henshaw was appointed Parish Priest at St Anne, Blackburn, where he completed the work building the new Byzantine church started by the previous Priest Fr William Shine, who had died suddenly earlier that year..
As Bishop of Salford
Bishop Louis Charles CasartelliLouis Charles Casartelli
Rev Louis Charles Casartelli was a Roman Catholic priest and was the fourth Bishop of Salford.- Early life :...
had died in January 1925, but it would be almost a year before a replacement was appointed, that replacement was Fr Henshaw, he was consecrated Bishop on 21 December 1925 at Salford Cathedral
Salford Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of St. John the Evangelist, usually known as Salford Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the City of Salford in Greater Manchester, England. Located on Chapel Street, Salford , not far from Manchester city centre, it is the seat of the Bishop of Salford and mother...
by Archbishop Keating, and was classified as a "pastorally minded and pragmatic parish priest with financial acumen and quiet scholarship".
Education was Henshaw's forte, even if the vision of Catholic education in Westminster and in Salford occasionally clashed. Particular problems of physically defective "blacklisted" schools and of the beginning of slum clearance in inner urban areas, taxed the mind and pocket of the Catholic community. This was ever truer when the 1936 Education Act separated schools into Junior and Senior Schools and ended, at least in theory, the all-age parish elementary school.
The lay organisations continued to develop, with notable newcomers such as the Legion of Mary
Legion of Mary
The Legion of Mary is an association of Catholic laity who serve the Church on a voluntary basis. It was founded in Dublin, Ireland, as a Roman Catholic Marian Movement by layman Frank Duff. Today between active and auxiliary members there are in excess of 10 million members worldwide making it...
and the Young Christian Workers
Young Christian Workers
The Young Christian Workers is an international organization founded by Rev. Joseph Cardijn in Belgium as the Young Trade Unionists; the organization adopted its present name in 1924. Its French acronym, JOC, gave rise to the then widely-used terms Jocism and Jocist...
. Henshaw's attitude to the continual shortage of priests was simple. Pray and the Lord will provide.
In 1926 the diocese also hosted the National Catholic Congress in Manchester. In 1927 he acquired the Wardley Hall
Wardley Hall
Wardley Hall is an early medieval manor house and a Grade I listed building in the Wardley area of Worsley, in Greater Manchester . . There has been a moat on the site since at least 1292. The current hall dates from around 1500 but was extensively rebuilt in the 19th and 20th centuries. The 1894...
Estate in Worsley
Worsley
Worsley is a town in the metropolitan borough of the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies along the course of Worsley Brook, west of Manchester. The M60 motorway bisects the area....
as the official residence of the Bishop of Salford
He died on 23 September 1938, aged 65.