St Joseph's Church, Aldershot

to the left]] In 1869, the Bishop of Southwark, Thomas Grant appointed Fr Thomas Purcell to serve the local Aldershot Catholic population. He rented a building on the corner of Alexandra Road and Cambridge Road, opposite the former Franciscan Convent, to serve as a chapel and school. The chapel was opened on 29 July 1869. In 1871, before Fr Purcell's time in the area came to an end, he purchased the land, for £400, where the current church is located. In 1871, the new priest, Fr Louis Hall, who came from St Joseph's Church in Southampton, bought a new plot of land for St Joseph's Primary School next to the same piece of land for the church. On 24 May 1883, a temporary church made of iron…

In 1902, Fr Francis O'Farrell came to Aldershot and set about collecting funds to build a permanent church. After 10 years, enough money was collected, building work started and the foundation stone was laid by the Bishop of Portsmouth, William Cotter, on 12 March 1912. The church was designed by George Drysdale. The temporary iron church that was previously on the site was dismantled and reassembled on Belle Vue Road to become St Mary's Church. On 30 January 1913, St Joseph's Church was opened. The frescoes on the nave walls were painted on-site by local artist Robert Senior. They depict scenes of the resurrection inspired by images from Isaiah, as well as the Wedding at Cana and others…