Parish of St. John Vianney

St. Andrews

The first recorded baptism at St Andrew’s took place on 9th May 1954: Christopher Ainsworth was baptised by Fr Gaskell. The first recorded marriage was on 15th November when Robert Robinson and Maureen Bellis exchanged vow.

A Parish Club was added to the site in 1969 and a major refurbishment of this took place in 2006. St Andrew’s church and presbytery were only ever intended to be temporary buildings until the influx of workers to Ford and other factories in the area could be gauged. During the 1980’s the sanctuary was re-ordered with a marble altar being obtained from the closing of Notre Dame. Matching baptismal font, lectern and tabernacle stand were also obtained. Unfortunately in 1994 the presbytery and church were condemned and emergency work was carried out to bring them up to acceptable health and safety standards. A refurbishment of the Hall took place in 2004.

The boundaries of St Andrew’s were approved on 7th April 1958: “From a point where Speke Hall Rd crosses the railway line the boundary follows this line East to Hale Bank Station; thence North via Lower Rd to Brook House; thence by paths to Liverpool Rd via Springfield Farm, Spring Farm, Yew Tree Farm; thence West via Liverpool Rd to Mill Bridge; thence by sign-posted footpath to Gerrard’s Lane (crosses tenements) thence via Lydiate Lane to Macketts Lane; thence South to footpath to Woolton; thence by path to Ross Avenue; thence South to footpath to Ross Avenue; thence South to Speke Rd; thence West to footpath across golf links; thence South by this path to Old Hillfoot Rd; thence via Hillfoot Rd, and Speke Hall Rd to the bridge”.

Fr Gaskell remained at St Andrew’s until 1973. He died June 28th 1979. He was replaced by Fr Peter Cronin who was Parish Priest until 1979. He now lives in retirement in Southport but returns to our new parish on supply work. The next Parish priest was Fr John Magee who served at St Andrew’s for fifteen years from 1978 to his death on 14th July 1993. Fr Anthony McCaffery came to the parish in 1993 and left in October 2002. He was replaced by Fr Joseph Feeley who was appointed Parish administrator and then Parish Priest the following summer. Fr Feeley was the last Parish Priest of St Andrew’s and left in September 2005. St Andrew’s was also served by the following curates: Fr Austin Stirzaker 1962 – 1964; Fr Patrick Murphy 1964 – 1973; Fr Dennis McNamarra 1973 -1978 and Fr John Harris 1978 -1984.

On 29th November 2002 Archbishop Kelly came to St Andrew’s to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of its foundation. Following a recent time of trauma this was an occasion for celebrating all that was good and all the people who had contributed to the life of the parish. It was an occasion for reunions and for moving forward.