Scenes from the life of St Charles Borromeo - Stained glass by Edward Frampton , Ushaw College chapel

Richard Dunderdale. was a brother of Canon William Dunderdale.

 

WILLIAM CANON DUNDERDALE.

 

"The choice of a successor to Dr. Wrennall," as the Tablet thus

announced at the time, " has fallen upon Canon Dunderdale, of Great Harwood, in the Diocese of Salford, and the choice has been received with applause. Canon Dunderdale has long enjoyed the confidence of the clergy of Lancashire, of whose fund he has been for many years the indefatigable Secretary. He has also been for some time an active member of the Poor School Committee. His excellent business habits, punctuality, and considerate kindness to all are no doubt strong recommendations ; and his intimate acquaintance with the practical work of a priest's life on the mission, and his knowledge of what is required in the education of the clergy to fit them for their arduous duties, are no less important

qualifications for one who is to preside over a college with some two hundred ecclesiastical students. "

 

William Canon Dunderdale, son of Richard and Ellen Dunderdale, was born at Bolton, October 1st, 1827. He went to college February l0th, 1840, and commenced his studies in, the first class of Underlow. He had for schoolfellows among others of the clergy, Revs. G. Coulston, D.D., George Flint, and Gerald O'Reilly. At the close of his Philosophy in July, 1848, he was appointed Minor Professor, and taught mathematics, arithmetic, writing, and drawing for three years ; the drawing he continued to teach till the close of his college course in 1854. He was ordained priest,

September 23rd, 1854, and went on the mission, October 3rd, in the same year, as assistant priest to the Very Rev. Canon Toole, D.D., at St. Wilfrid's, Hulme, Manchester. On June 24th, 1857, he commenced a new mission at Great Harwood, with 78 Catholics for a congregation. Of this mission James

Lomax, Esq., was a liberal patron and benefactor. In April, 1858, the new church of Our Lady and St. Hubert was begun, and on November 3rd, 1859, was opened. In July, 1860, he was elected Secretary of the Lancashire Infirm Secular Clergy Fund, succeeding the Very Rev. Canon Worthy, then made Treasurer ; at the close of 1885 he had held the office

for 25 years. On the 12th of March, 1865 he was elected by concursus Canon Theologian of the Diocese of Salford. On January 5th, 1886, he left his mission at Great Harwood, with its 1300 Catholics, and entered on the discharge of the responsible duties of President of St. Cuthbert's College, Ushaw, to which he had been appointed by the co-interested Bishops, on the resignation of the Right Rev. Mgr. Wrennall, D.D., on November 26th, 1885. On New Year's Day, 1886, the members of our Lady and St. Hubert's, Great Harwood, in testimony of the high esteem, love, and gratitude, which they entertained for him, presented Canon Dunderdale with an illuminated address and purse of gold containing ^"no. The address expressed the deep regret which they felt at his loss from amongst them as their pastor, friend, father, and guide, for more than eight and twenty years, heartily congratulating him at the same time on the important position which he had been elected to fill, of President of St. Cuthbert's College, Ushaw. It was not on the 5th, as above stated, but on the 7th of January, 1886, that Canon Dunderdale was able to leave Great Harwood, and assume the duties of his new and important appointment. Though he had lived for many years so far from Ushaw, he was intimately and affectionately known by all the professors, and was no stranger to the students. On his arrival, the heartiness of the welcome he received showed in a way not to be mistaken how he was regarded by those over whose interests he had come to preside. As soon as he entered the college, he was received with enthusiastic cheers, again and again renewed. When silence was obtained, Dr. Lennon, the Vice- President, read the following address from the professors and students: TO THE VERY REV. WfLLIAM DUNDERDALE, PRESIDENT OF ST. CUTHBERTS COLLEGE, U.SHAW, CANON OF SALFORD. VERY REV. AND DEAR SIR, In dutiful affection we vonture op this yoor flirt appearance amongst tumour Pn. - nl.Mit to bid you a and resi>ectfnl we!< i >v.U ;uid unln-i'.i'inu ob.-Ushaw to their 1'ridi'iit i- one of the proiide-t of our traditions. Hut in \ .''li^'lit with which we have heard of your appointment, and tin- joy with ir coiniir.r. an- more ardent and n i duty of it-w'lf could have evoked. Your great and vr . witli which you hav d' of l'-haw in the past, whilst they hare > .'HIT Ihely and lastiii',' gratitude, have 1,-d 11-1 to hope for a splendid fir when i: . We know, too, '

 

ML' in coiuiii'.' to ii-, we ki:or ; ;. .pur fiiend- are ni.i : .

 

\oiir i .iinniu'. and w 'jratetul for it. 'I'l nly return that it is in oiir powvr t,, make will !>> found .

 

mpport which we ihall gin -dd to he reputation uf tbe college. Aud whilst we pn>mie you our affectionate and unceasing submission, we assure you our constant and earnest prayer shall be that your tenure of the office you are entering upon may be long and illustrious, and unclouded by anxiety or sorrow. We are, Very R'-v. and d> ar Sir, your obedient servant. (Signed) JAMES LENNON (on behalf of the Professors), THOMAS REILLY (on behalf of the Students).

 

The President, who seemed unprepared for such an outbreak of irrepressible and spontaneous sympathy and was much moved by it, said that though he had parted with pain from friends most dear to him, it was with sincere joy and gladness that after an absence of thirty years on the mission he found himself once more an inmate of Alma Mater. He was glad of the opportunity of returning thanks to the superiors to whom he looked for help in the arduous task that had been im] upon him ; he thanked the students too, in whom he knew he should find true followers of their predecessors in their love for the college and their desire to be an honour to it. He had come to make their interests his interests, their sorrows his sorrows, their joys his joys, and he hoped that each one of them would find him a sincere friend. He trusted that if sacrifices had been made, not only on his part, but also on the part of others whom he had left behind, they would draw down a blessing on each one of them, that united they might be able to complete the good work they had in hand to the glory of God and the honour of Alma Mater. As soon as he had concluded his reply, all repaired to the College Chapel where the Te Deum was sung. Nothing could have been more enthusiastic or more universal than the joy at Ushaw that day. Canon Dunderdale's tenure of the office of President was however of short duration. Not many weeks after his installation, his health, which was not the strongest, began to give way under the onerous duties and responsibilities which had devolved upon him. Moreover, after an active missionary life, the seclusion of a college was far from being compatible with, or beneficial to his health's improvement. Hence for these and other reasons he found himself compelled to resign the dignity to which he had been raised. From Ushaw he retired to his former mission at Great Harvood, where he laboured with renewed zeal, enjoying the affection, gratitude, and respect of a faithful people. The Canon's brothers, John and Richard Dunderdale, both received their education at Ushaw. The health of the former, after ten years' zealous and successful labours at Barnard Castle, failed him, and he died at his father's house at Bolton, January 4th, 1870, at the age of thirty-seven years. He was buried at Our Lady and St. Huberts Great Harwood. The latter named brother, Father Richard Dunderdale, having been ordained priest, September 6th, 1856, commenced his missionary labours at St. Ann's, Manchester. He was next sent by Bishop Turner to found a new mission at Blackburn, where he first erected an iron church ; he then built St. .Mary's beautiful church, which from time to time has been embellished by the gifts of friends and the liberality of others. Father Dunderdale was twenty-seven years at Blackburn: he went there October 1 5th, 1860. Previous to his death, he had been for some time in weak and delicate health. On the morning of the 9th of August, he calmly passed away at the age of fifty-eight years. The funeral obsequies took place at St. Mary's, Blackburn, at which the Bishop of Salford, and upwards of eighty of the deceased's fellow priests assisted. The Bishop preached ; the Very Rev. Canon Dunderdale sang the Requiem Mass. His remains were then conveyed to Great Harwood, and interred in a vault by the side of his younger brother, the Rev. John Dunderdale, at Our Lady and St. Hubert's. The Rev. Richard Dunderdale was a priest of blameless life and manners " placnit Deo, et inventus est Justus" devoted to his duties and the spiritual welfare of his flock, to whom he was much endeared, and five hundred of whom, the Sunday but one after his funeral, paid a visit to his grave, at Great Harwood. The grave had scarcely closed over his deceased brother when Canon Dunderdale, whose state of health for some time past had not been very satisfactory, was overtaken by sickness, which terminated fatally, and cut short his useful life. Having borne with exemplary patience and resignation his protracted illness, and fortified with the rights of holy Church, the Canon breathed forth his soul in peace on the morning of Sunday, October 2nd, the Feast of the Must Holy Rosary. On the day previous he attained the age of sixty years, thirty of which he had passed at Great Harwood, labouring with tireless /cal for the salvation of souls, and the advancement of religion. God be gracious to him ! His flock, his friends, and fellow priests lament his departure; but let them take comfort "Bead mortui qui in Dsmino moriuntur." He has departed from their midst, and gone to

 

" Where fret and fear, and toil and troubling cease,

And knows at last what joy it is to live,

Where life is love, love immortality,

And perfect peace God's last best gift to give."

 

As the Bishop of Salford observed in his discourse at the funeral of the Canon, Canon Dunderdale had proved himself a model parish priest, and no greater need of praise could be given to a priest ; he was also in every way a model of order, regularity, and attention to duty. Indeed he (the Bishop) knew not where to turn to replace him. During his last illness, a crucifix, blessed by the Pope, with a plenary indulgence attached for the hour of death, along with his Rosary, was his constant companion. The body of the deceased was laid to rest by the side of his two brothers, Revs. John and Richard Dunderdale, in the cemetery attached to the beautiful church of Our Lady and St. Hubert. There was a very numerous attendance of the Salford diocesan clergy at the funeral. The Right Rev. Mgr. Wrennall, D.D., the Right Rev. Mgr. Gillow, Ushaw College, and the Very Rev. Canon Carr, V.G. , of Liverpool, were also present on the mournful occasion.

Done