After Fr Enraght’s dismissal from Holy Trinity, the new Vicar given the task of entering the hornets nest of the aggrieved Parishioners of Holy Trinity, Bordesley in 1883, was the Sussex born, ‘Low-Churchman’ the Reverend Alan Hunter Watts, who had previously served as a Curate at St Michael’s Bishopwearmouth (now known as Sunderland Minister).
Coincidently
many years later in 1917 the Revd Alan Hunter Watts was to be appointed
Vicar of Holy Trinity, Ship Street, Brighton, which was 10 minutes walk
from St Paul’s Brighton, the same church that Fr Enraght served as
a curate to Revd Arthur Wagner from 1867 until 1871. Revd Watts’ daughter Helen Watts,
became famous as a suffragette, being a founding member in 1907 of
the Women’s
Social and Political Union.
 |
| Image Credit the Hathi Trust Digital Library The Old & New Birmingham by Robert Kirkup Dent (1880) Holy Trinity, Bordesley, Birmingham. (Church closed in 1971) |
High Church and Low Church.
THE Birmingham correspondent of the Daily News wires that journal on 11th February 1883, concerning interesting proceedings as follows:—
Probably the most disgraceful scene ever enacted in an English church was witnessed to-day at the Church of the Holy Trinity, Bordesley.
Birmingham has lately achieved a lively notoriety in consequence of the Ritualist disputes' associated with the ministration of the Rev. Mr. Enraght.
A day or two ago the Bishop of the diocese served Mr. Enraght with a formal inhibition from officiating at Holy Trinity, and the living was offered to and accepted by the Rev. H. Allan Watts, a Low Church, clergyman, of Sunderland.
Immediately it was announced that Mr. Enraght had received notice to quit, and that a new clergyman would introduce a different sort of ritual, the choir resigned in a body, and the organist followed suit, and all sorts of menaces were held out to the new comer.
This morning the new vicar underwent the introductory process of reading himself in.
Extraordinary excitement was manifested in the neighbourhood, and in order to prevent a breach of the peace the Chief of Police, with a large number of constables, attended the church.
There was a great crowd in the churchyard, and the adjacent streets were filled with a noisy mob.
Admission to the church was gained with the greatest difficulty, the building being filled to overflowing long before the commencement of the service. Immediately the vicar made his appearance in the vestry he was served with a protest by one of the Ritualist Churchwardens objecting to his, presence on the ground that he was disposed to degrade the services and unset the regular machinery of the parish.
The vicar replied in a conciliatory tone, and gave an assurance of his intentions to work harmoniously; with both sections of the congregation.
On entering the church he was greeted with a storm of hisses and loud cries of "Traitor."
The members of the old choir took up a position at the end of the church, and were the loudest in the uproarious manifestations against the incoming vicar. A scratch choir had been organised for the occasion, but when they commenced to sing the Litany the old choir set up a counter demonstration with the object of drowning their voices.
A scene of indescribable confusion followed. and a number of timid people, fearing a disturbance, got up and left the church.
This produced something approaching a stampede, but the admirable police arrangements prevented any serious, consequences.
The more decorous portion of the congregation rebuked the brawlers in angry tones; but this had only the effect of increasing the tumult
The crisis was reached when the vicar ascended the pulpit He was pale and agitated, and amidst the Babel of sound his Voice was scarcely audible.
He began by saying that he hoped those members of his congregation who had attended the opening service with the object of creating a disturbance would become quiet and peaceable worshippers. He should be glad to meet them in friendly conference on the following day. Instead of conciliating the malcontents, this " message of peace" only caused the uproar to break out afresh. Derisive laughter and unseemly shouts proceeded from various parts of the building, and the supporters of the vicar were so enraged that a collision between the two parties seemed imminent.
The Chief of Police pushed his way among the rival sections, and entreated them to observe something like decency in a place of worship.
In a few moments sufficient quietude was restored to enable the vicar to commence his task of reading himself in.
He had scarcely commenced the Thirty-nine Articles when the members of the old choir made a rush for the door, and then exit was followed by some more of the Ritualistic faction. By this time the vicar was fully convinced that he had nothing to do but continue his work of reading the Articles, no matter whether he was heard or not
At frequent intervals his voice was drowned by fits of coughing and other concerted interruptions. Some of the most systematic disturbers evoked bursts of laughter by shouting out a familiar piece of "gag from a local pantomime. which was followed by counter cries of " Shut up," and "Go to ."
Towards the" end of the reading the vicar seemed so exhausted that his voice scarcely travelled beyond the pulpit. He did not venture upon a sermon, but on finishing his formal task of reading himself in he abruptly left the pulpit, and the proceedings were brought to a termination. But the most disgraceful scene of all had yet to be enacted.
Not satisfied with their unseemly interruptions inside the church, the mob rushed outside to join their companions in the churchyard, with the apparent object of mobbing the vicar.
The police formed a compact phalanx to escort the clergyman to a place of safety. The vicar placed himself in the middle of his bodyguard, amidst a tumult of groans and shouts. Some of his supporters cheered him, and pressed forward to assist the police in clearing the passage.
At one point it was difficult to see how a free fight could be avoided, as the rowdies made a determined rush, and the police and the vicar were carried helplessly for short distance along the churchyard. Here an obstinate stand was made, and the attack was repelled.
On reaching the church gates another obstacle had to be encountered in the hostile crowd in the street, who were groaning and shouting in the most fearful manner. But for the desperate exertions of the police there is little reason to doubt that the unfortunate gentleman would have been subjected to grievous ill-treatment. To add to the confusion of the scene, many women who could not escape from the crush sot up piercing shrieks.
The mob followed the vicar and his body-guard howling and pushing them about till the gentleman reached his residence. Here another demonstration was made, and it was deemed necessary to leave a number of policemen outside the house to protect it from damage.
The Sunday school was closed because the teachers had all "struck." During the day the vicar was presented with an address of congratulation by the Low Church section of his congregation, expressing a hope that his ministrations would continue for a large number of years. The vicar, in reply, thanked his parishioners, and said he wished to be clearly understood that he represented all sections of the congregation. He was glad to hear that the work of the parish committee representing the Low Church-section-had now-been brought to a termination, for as long as it continued it would be a bone of contention to all parties.
A number of police patrolled the churchyard during the afternoon, and an increased force was ordered for the evening service.
The old vicar. Mr. Enraght, is still living at the vicarage, adjoining the church, but wisely abstained from taking any part in the demonstration.
No arrests were made during the morning, but it is to be feared that if any further brawling is indulged in, some stern repressive measures will have to be taken.
The forbearance of the police under the circumstances was worthy of the highest praise.—The proceedings at the evening service were even of a more disgraceful character than in the morning. The force of police was doubled, but nevertheless several free fights took place. Catcalls were indulged in from the commencement and the vicar on appearing in the pulpit was greeted with a storm of howls. Several of the ringleaders were' turned out and to prevent a rush of roughs the church doors had to be closed. The result was that a number of police were shut in the building, and were unable to come out to quell the uproar outside.
During one of the fights inside the building the screaming of a number of women added to the confusion of the scene, and the vicar in vain appealed to the brawlers to desist from further disturbance. Several disfigured eyes and bloody noses attested the severity of the scuffles. The vicar's opening sermon, which was couched in very , conciliatory language, was frequently interrupted with most offensive remarks, such as "Shut up, traitor," "Go back to Sunderland," "When, is the harlequinade coming on?" followed by "When is the farce coming on”
Extra precautions had been taken to get the vicar safely away. Forty or fifty policemen were formed in solid Line to afford a clear passage, and by an irresistible rush the rev. gentleman was literally carried away down the churchyard amidst an indescribable scene of excitement. Several women were upset! in the struggle to get out into the street.
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Transcribed in 2020 by D. Sharp from
the Queenslander
Newspaper Australia, (12th
May 1883)
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See the Revd Richard Enraght Biography