West Croydon, Our Lady of Reparation (St. Mary)

"Mass was said occasionally here during the eighteenth century by priests from the several ambassadors' chapels in London. On August 23, 1767, Fr. John Baptist Maloney was convicted at the Surrey Summer Assizes, held at Croydon, of saying Mass and exercising his priestly functions. He was condemned to perpetual imprisonment, but shortly afterwards banished. The present mission dates from 1837. Next year, Fr. Patrick O'Moore, a Spanish priest of Irish descent, who had left Spain in consequence of the Carlist troubles, opened a chapel first at Duppas Hill and afterwards at Broad Green, London Road (1841). As he could not speak English, catechetical instruction was given by Dr. Lashmar, a Catholic physician of the town. From 1850 to 1857 the mission was served from Norwood. In the latter year, Fr. Alphonse, afterwards Canon David, came to reside as permanent rector. The Catholic population, estimated at about 1,400 in 1861, is now about four times that number. Lady Vanstruser - afterwards a Dominican nun at Stone, Staffordshire - defrayed the cost of erection of the present Gothic church, opened by Bishop Grant, 1864. Adjoining the church and presbytery in the Wellesley Road are fine schools, under the direction of the Sisters of Mercy. The Josephite establishment, St. George's College, founded in the Wellesley Road, 1869, was removed to Woburn Park, Weybridge, 1884. The premises are now the St. Mary's Industrial School (Sisters of Mercy). "

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