Summaries of Members' Articles

Over the years our members have written a number of articles about Walpole and the history of parts of our area - roads, houses, parks, shopping parades etc. We have uploaded as many as possible - with some still waiting in the 'to do' list.

The full articles are available to our members; this page just gives a short introduction to each. Why not join us to see them all? Maybe then you could write an article for our website?

Do give us any feedback through the Contact Us page.

The Peccant Priest of Christ Church

Do you know what “peccant” means – I must admit I didn’t till I read a most remarkable and amazing little book called ‘The tragicomic tale of the Reverend William Lambert or how at Ealing in 1856 a peccant priest was suspended by a bumbling bishop’.

The Turbulent Priest of Mattock Lane

Those of you with long memories may remember the original Questors Theatre (not at all like the present building!) which stood in Mattock Lane prior to the modern building being erected in 1964. Known as ‘the tin hut’, it had previously been a Catholic church called St Joseph and St Peter, which a century ago was the centre of local and even national notoriety concerning its priest, Father Richard O’Halloran.

Lost Martinware? The Martin Brothers revisited

Love it or loathe it, the work of the Martin Brothers has been an established part of Ealing and indeed Walpole, where there has been an exhibition at the Pitzhanger Manor House for many years.

However, since the recent restoration of the Manor House, the collection has gone.... Tegwen Evans went on a mission to find where....

The Faith Healer of Mattock Lane

In the 20th century St Raphael's House assumed a more obvious religious association when it became the home and headquarters of Dorothy Kerin (1890 - 1963), a famous faith healer. Paul Fitzmaurice explains.

MP on PM on PM

The bi-centenary of Spencer Perceval’s assassination was marked by a re-enactment on the BBC’s PM programme by none other than local MP Stephen Pound. Tony Williams reports.

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