Our Lady of Ransom Rayleigh, Essex 1966-2004 In 1958 Father Andrew Dorricott, was appointed parish priest of Rayleigh in Essex. When he arrived in the parish the total weekly offerings amounted to £14. In spite of lack of money and other serious problems Fr. Dorricott was determined to have a Catholic Primary School built in the parish. To wait to get into a programme and secure government grants would mean no school would be built for years. A group of parishioners began fund raising and six acres of land in Little Wheatley Close was offered by a parishioner as a site for the new school.
The next endeavour was to find a group of Sisters to would help financially and take the responsibility of running the school. Indirectly, he heard that the Sisters of \Mercy in the Diocese of Cloyne, Co. Cork, Ireland, were planning to establish a foundation outside of Ireland and that already they had been approaches from different places in the world, so time was of the essence! On 24 October 1961, he arrived in Mount St. Mary’s Cobh to put his request to the Mother General and Team. After much prayer, discussions and a reciprocal visit he got a promise of help from Cloyne Sisters of Mercy.
In the period before they qualified for a grant, two third of school cost was borne by the parish. Intensive fund raising began. The remaining one third of the cost was borne by the Sisters of Mercy plus the cost of building their convent.
While the school and convent were being built the first two Sisters came to England in 1963. They were to be joined by two others in 1964 and three others in 1966.The Canvey Island Sisters provided hospitality for them until their convent was built in December 1966. Negotiations with Essex Education authority commenced, Names and details of prospective pupils had to be collected to prove that there were sufficient numbers to warrant a school. In due course plans for the building were submitted and passed by L.E.A. . For three years a legal battle raged between the church authorities and the owner of land to the south of the site over a right of way. This wasn’t settled for many years causing great hardship and expense. Eventually, in November 1965, the builders, French & Co. moved on the site. For the next nine months there was constant hassle between the workers and the few antagonistic to the project which slowed down the building of the school.
In the meantime, the Rayleigh children were taught in two halls in Hadleigh and Benfleet by the Canvey Island Sisters and two Cloyne Sisters while awaiting the opening of their own school. The Cloyne Sisters came to Rayleigh Church every Sunday to give Religious Instruction. Through this contact they became acquainted with many of their future pupils.
Finally, the school opened 6 September 1966, though the building was far from finished and the entrance road was muddy. The parents held steadfast and sent their children to the new school and one hundred and sixty eight pupils ranging in age from 5 years to 12 years were enrolled that day. The late Sr. M. Paul Murphy was the first head teacher, from 1966-1984.
Our Lady of Ransom School was officially opened by Bishop Bernard Wall 7 May 1967 in the presence Mother Joseph Mary, Mother General of the diocese of Cloyne. On the 8 December 1966 the convent was opened and blessed by the Bishop Wall. Over the years the school was enlarged and developed. It went from strength to strength, always supported by the Parents Association and other loyal friends. Several Sisters from the Cloyne diocese worked in the school and parish between 1966 and 2004.
The new millennium initially ushered in a few disappointments. In 2004, Father Dorricott retired. The convent closed and the remaining Sisters of Mercy returned to Ireland in September 2004. The convent was eventually gifted to the diocese to be used by Our Lady of Ransom School and Rayleigh parish. It is now the new headquarters of the Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society. Holy Mass continues to be occasionally said in the Convent Chapel. (2022)
The parish of Rayleigh acknowledges a deep debt of gratitude to its many benefactors, living and dead. The great generosity of the Sisters of Mercy from the Diocese of Cloyne is warmly appreciated.
Southern Province 