St Gerards

[buddha]

I have a testimonium De Baptismo for my father all in Latin.  I had it translated by a Catholic Father and apparently it is a copy of a birth certificate for my father as it was needed as proof that he had indeed been baptised before he could be admitted to a boys/childrens home/orphanage as he had been orphaned.  It is dated 15th August 1925 when my father would have been almost 6yrs old. The Home is called St Gerards and as far as I know it was in the Salford area.  I have tried before to get information on this home with no luck but wondered if anyone in that area may have heard of it as it would be another piece of the jigsaw filled.  Surely someone out there must have heard of it.  Many thanks Pat

[Barbara.H]

Hi Buddha 

I remember this name from last time you posted.  I've since acquired an old book dated 1929 with this address:

Catholic Protection and Rescue Society
President; the Bishop of Salford
Secretary; Rev. G Maspero
St Gerard's Home
104 Denmark Rd
Moss Side
Manchester

So although it was under the wing of the Salford Catholic society, the home itself was in Manchester.

http://www.rootschat.com/links/06fd/   reference here to a document in the National Archives at Kew.  Suggests it was still going in the 1950s.

Hope this helps

  Barbara

PS Denmark St is still there, but rebuilt since the 1920s, near Whitworth St in Manchester. You can see it on google Street View. 

[buddha]

Thanks Barbara, it was a rev.G.Maspero who signed this document at the bottom.  I did get some vague details from the Catholic Childrens Society but only really what I already knew.  At least now I have got some concrete evidence that it actually existed, and where it was.  Many thanks for information, regards Pat             

[buddha]

Hi Barbara, just to keep you up to date. Now I have got an actual address for the home,  I have sent an E.Mail off to Manchester archives requesting information on the home.  I have just had a reply saying they answer all E.Mails within 10days so hopefully will find out the history of the home.  Many thanks Pat

[Barbara.H]

Hope they find something for you. Do post any reply!

There are pictures of the St Gerard's building in the Manchester Image Collection
http://www.images.manchester.gov.uk/   (search on St Gerard's)

Seems that it became an 'Overseas Centre' in the 1960s - facility for newcomers to Manchester? - and it was on the corner of Greenheys Lane and Denmark St.

  Barbara

[buddha]

Thanks Barbara, I have just been looking at the pictures.  I wonder if the buildings in the pictures were the original building? Yes I will let you know if I get a reply.  I am quite excited about this latest info you have given me because I,ve never been able to find out anything about it before, and have been looking for a long time, Regards Pat and thank you

[deryckjohn]

I had a look at the site in Google St view, it is on the corner of Charles Halle Rd and Denmark Rd now. The structure to the right of the photo is still there, was the rest rebuilt or did the just add another storey?

Cornerstone Day Centre is on the site now.

http://www.salforddiocese.org.uk/press/2009/090202_cornerstone_appeal.html

[Barbara.H]

I think its the same building, I've just 'walked' round using the Street View. Looking straight on from Denmark Rd it looks pretty much the same as in the older pictures.  Charles Halle Rd used to be part of Greenheys Lane, this bit was renamed as Halle lived in the area for a while.

I noticed on the Manchester Images, one of the photos is from 1962, with an old terrace house right next to St Gerards. Then in 1972 they are in the process of knocking it down - now its just the patch of grass to the right of the building.

  Barbara

[buddha]

Hi Barbara, What is the identifier numbe of the picture you,re looking at?   Pat