Reference code: GB-0298-UC/P31
Title: Edward Towers Papers
Dates of creation: 1867-1957
Extent: 2 boxes
Held by: Ushaw College
Origination: Edward Towers (1880-1953)
Language: English and Latin
Edward Towers was born in 1880. He was educated at Ushaw College and ordained at the English College in Rome in 1906. After receiving a double doctorate in philosophy (1903) and theology (1907), he was appointed to teach these subjects at Ushaw
College. During the Second World War, Edward took on the role of procurator and, later, became spiritual director of the college. He was made an honorary canon of St Mary's Cathedral, Newcastle, in 1951. He died at Ushaw in 1953.
Papers of Edward Towers, including: correspondence with his family and his friend, Rev Edward Stephens, written during vocational training at the English College in Rome and as a member of staff at Ushaw College (with typescript transcripts of
some of the Rome letters); Ushaw papers, including notebooks, sermons, lectures, and research papers on Ushaw College history; historical material relating to both Ushaw College and the English College at Douai; and personal papers.
The papers cover a wide range of subjects including religious and other aspects of life in Rome and its surrounding villages at the beginning of the twentieth century; vocational training at the Venerable English College in Rome; financial
administration and teaching at Ushaw College; the production of the
Ushaw Magazine; the effect of the two world wars on the administration of Ushaw; the threat posed to Ushaw and the Catholic Church generally by modernism; and Catholic life in Lancashire during the Second World War and
the post-war period.
The historical material and personal papers were originally part of the Ushaw Personal Papers series.
Open for consultation.
Permission to make any published use of material from the collection must be sought in advance from ushaw.library@durham.ac.uk and, where appropriate, from the copyright owner. The Library will assist where possible with identifying copyright
owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material
A. Correspondence
1. Letters from Edward Towers to his family
2. Letters from Edward Towers to Edward Stephens
3. Letters from Edward Stephens to Edward Towers
4. Other Correspondence
B. Diaries
C. Lectures and Sermons
D. Other Ushaw Papers
E. Personal Papers
A. Correspondence1. Letters from Edward Towers to his familyUC/P31/A1/1/1-43 3 April 1901 - 18 March 1907
Letters from Towers to various members of his family written during his time in the English College, Rome, including: Holy Week celebrations (3 April 1901, [April 1904]); the Frascati village feast celebrations and an expedition to Monte Cavo; a
horse race at Parzio (9 September 1901); his attendance at a Greek High Mass and hearing of the large intake of students at Ushaw (30 September 1901); Christmas celebrations in the college (25 December 1901, 4 January 1907); the carnival in Rome and
preparations for the pope's jubilee in the college (18 February 1903); a reference to a dinner to celebrate St George's Day in the college, preparations for King Edward VII's visit to Rome, and chaos in the city caused by the strike (14 April 1903);
his eyewitness account of King Edward VII's visit to Rome (29 April 1903); an expedition to Albano (21 February 1904); his visit to Genzano, and the Frascati village feast celebrations (29 September 1906); preparations for his ordination (14 October
1906); his ordination ceremony (30 October 1906); and the football team at the English College (18 March 1907).
19 letters and 1 telegram
2. Letters from Edward Towers to Edward StephensUC/P31/A2/1/1-65 18 August 1897 - 31 December 1909
Letters from Towers to Edward Stephens, mostly relating to his studies and life in the English College in Rome and his teaching duties at Ushaw College, including: his view of Italian paintings and his involvement in a debate in the English
College in Rome on the subject of public exams (13 April 1901); the benefits of an education at Ushaw College and the reception of Douai students at Ushaw College (25 December 1901); his belief that there should be a central seminary for higher
education in England (25 December 1903); his views on Archbishop Bourne, the need for better education for priests, criticism of the English College (18 July 1904); restructuring the senior staff at the English College and his opinion of the poor
theological training of the Gregorians (20 October 1904); the opposition of new Ushaw students to the more established ideas in the college (12 February 1905); the incompetence of the teaching at Ushaw, the differences between Ushaw College and the
English College, the ecclesiastical visitation in the English College, changes in the syllabus (30 January 1906); his desire to teach philosophy at Ushaw, the election of the new general of the Jesuits, criticism of the
Tablet's stance on scriptural and theological matters (25 September 1906); students with Kantian opinions leaving St Edmunds (4 March 1908); a bishops' meeting calling for more younger students at Ushaw (8 November
1908); discussion of changes to the teaching of philosophy at Ushaw (20 February, 16 March 1909); discussions on a new president and bishop of Hexham and Newcastle following the death of Thomas Wilkinson, an account of his funeral (6 May 1909); his
fondness for the cemetery at Ushaw, the choice of a new president and bishop (25 May 1909); reaction to the appointment of Pippet as prefect of studies (23 November 1909).
39 letters
UC/P31/A2/2/1-38 12 March 1910 - 21 October 1911
Letters from Towers to Edward Stephens, mostly relating to his teaching duties at Ushaw College, including: his response to a controversial speech by John McCormack to the grammar class at Ushaw which expressed modernist and socialist views (12
March, 3 August 1910, 31 January 1911); his opinion of the new memorial window to Mgr Wrennall (17 March 1910); his fascination with the cemetery at Ushaw, the effect of Corbishley's death on him, the likelihood of Brown succeeding Corbishley,
Brown's attitude to the McCormack controversy (1 April 1910); the new vice-president, Broadhead, and his duties (19 April 1910); sending some students from Oscott to Ushaw and its implications for the teaching of the lay element at Ushaw (10 May
1910); his involvement in the
Ushaw Magazine (16 June 1910); his involvement in teaching sociology and his views on how to solve social problems (4 October 1910); the Hornby affair (14 December 1910); his involvement in the Ushaw Magazine, the need for the Church to tackle social issues in Newcastle, his impressions of Brown's presidency (27 February 1911); the large numbers of departures from Ushaw (23 March 1911); the poor results in the
matriculation exams (11 August 1911); plans for a new building at Ushaw which will include a central tower (7 October 1911); his views on the recent changes to diocesan administration, specifically the division of Liverpool, and plans for the new
building at Ushaw (31 October 1911).
28 letters
UC/P31/A2/3/1-40 19 February 1912 - 5 September 1916
Letters from Towers to Edward Stephens, mostly relating to his teaching duties at Ushaw College, including: his article on English socialism for the
Ushaw Magazine (19 February 1912); his role in educating others on the history of the college, the negative effect on students of introducing Charles Dickens and Walter Scott novels into the reading room, the question
of lay students at Ushaw, the decline in aristocratic Catholic families supporting the college (30 March 1912); the behaviour of John McCormack (23 May, 22 June 1912); plans for a painting of Francis Thompson (17 November 1912); his work on the
Ushaw Magazine (3 December 1912); the behaviour of John McCormack and the president suppressing an entry by Towers in the Ushaw Magazine on the financial success of Ushaw because of its
likely effect in reducing the budget (2 December 1912); changes in personnel at Ushaw (27 February, 7 April 1913); the authenticity of the original deed for the purchase of land from Sir Edward Smythe in 1799 (1 March 1913) the possibility of
Stephens returning to Ushaw (18 April 1913); Ushaw's poor exam results in contrast to St Edwards, the [?effect of the war] on the fate of Ushaw's foreign students (6 September 1914); Peverell's success in the army examinations, suggesting that
Stephens preach about the churching of unmarried female Protestants (27 August 1915); urging Stephens to keep his spirits up, Towers's uneasiness at Billington preaching on the subject of socialism (10 September 1915).
37 letters
3. Letters from Edward Stephens to Edward TowersUC/P31/A3/1/1-33 9 June 1901 - 13 April 1907
Letters from Edward Stephens to Towers relating to his life with detailed descriptions of his studies at Ushaw College, including: his opinion of the new mid-term exams at Ushaw (17 October 1901); the election of Austin as censor and the question
of giving the upper form authority over the lower form (4 May 1902); description of a [?cat] game (4 May 1902); the popularity amongst the Salford students of Bishop Casartelli during his visit to Ushaw (22 December 1903); the anti-Catholicism of
the Nonconformists in Durham and the likely effect of [?modernism] on Ushaw (28 March 1904); the scholarship fund from St Cuthbert's Society (12 September 1906); plans for the celebration of the college centenary (22 January 1907).
19 letters
UC/P31/A3/2/1-35 2 March 1908 - 25 May 1916
Letters from Edward Stephens to Towers relating to his life as a priest at West Derby, Liverpool, and St Peter's, Lancaster, including: commenting on the modernist philosophy being taught at the University of Durham and calling for the withdrawal
of Ushaw students from taking classes there (2 March 1908); the bishop of Liverpool criticising priests for attending football matches (6 November 1908); a conference on modernism (23 December 1908); the requiem mass following the death of [Bishop
Thomas Wilkinson] and his hopes that the vice-president will succeed him, Mgr [Bernard] Ward's work for the Catholic Truth Society ([?May 1909]); the death of Canon Richardson, the bishop of Liverpool's plan to remove Catholics from the workhouses
and place them in homes, the Liverpool Presbyterians attempting to prevent a sale of a Presbyterian church to the Catholics (20 June 1909); his work in the Lancaster Asylum (29 October 1909); criticism of the quality of articles in the
Ushaw Magazine, the need for the best possible training for Catholic priests (1 December 1909); the death of Joseph Corbishley (26 March 1910); his opinion of the late Joseph Corbishley and a controversial speech at
Ushaw by John McCormack to the grammar class at Ushaw which expressed modernist and socialist views (31 March 1910); his opinion of Brown's rectorship of Stonyhurst, the lack of discipline at Oscott, criticism of Billington (27 May 1910).
23 letters
UC/P31/A3/3/1-62 31 July 1940 - 20 December 1941
Letters from Edward Stephens to Towers relating to his life during the Second World War, residing at the Sacred Heart Church, St Helens, and later working as a priest at St Patrick's Catholic Church in Earlestown, including: the effects of war on
teaching at Ushaw (8 August 1940); deciding whether to return to Ushaw and take up the professorship of Liturgy (12 August 1940); improvements at Stonyhurst, and the question of the professorship (14 August 1940); building a new church at Croxton to
provide a means of worship for the new Irish labourers (18 August 1940); offering his reasons for leaving and staying at Ushaw (18 September 1940); hoping that Towers will stay on and fight his corner at Ushaw, description of an air raid which
killed and injured Protestant and Catholic churchmen (29 September 1940); descriptions of further air raids (20 October, 26 December 1940); his difficulty in trying to get his church blacked out (1 November 1940); the future of Ushaw (15 December
1940).
48 letters
UC/P31/A3/4/1-90 11 January 1942 - 16 December 1943
Letters from Edward Stephens to Towers relating to his life during the Second World War working as a priest at St Patrick's Catholic Church in Earlestown, including: speculation in the Liverpool diocese over the creation of a Bishop Auxiliary
post, his opinions of the archbishop of Liverpool (17 February 1942); the dangers of allowing students to read certain books (6 April 1942); the deteriorating spiritual life of Ushaw (11 March, 31 May, 14 June 1942, 30 January 1943); the financial
and material difficulties placed on Ushaw because of the war and its effect on staff (17 November 1942); discussions of the education question at a bishops' meeting at Ushaw (22 September 1943); Catholic meetings in Manchester and Liverpool
denouncing the trade union movement, a description of Catholicism in Warrington (18 October 1943); criticism of Bishop Henshaw by the Ushaw students, the progress of the agitation movement on the education question, the purpose of student discipline
at Ushaw (1 November 1943); an account of a family dispute over a Protestant-Catholic marriage (16 November 1943).
58 letters
UC/P31/A3/5/1-114 21 January 1944 - 12 December 1946
Letters from Edward Stephens to Towers, mostly relating to his life working as a priest at St Joseph's, Birkdale, including: a description of his new mission as priest of St Joseph's, Birkdale (4 February 1944); an article in the
Ushaw Magazine disparaging Francis Thompson, his criticism of the current poets being studied at Cambridge (T.S. Eliot and Gerard Manley Hopkins), and the piety of the American Catholic soldiers staying nearby (5 April
1944); his appreciation of Bishop Challoner, his impressions of the convent at Birkdale (4 May 1944); the death of John Gillow's only son in the Second World War and the end of the Gillow lineage (8 June 1944); information on the history of tree
planting in the grounds of Ushaw (17, 18, 21 June 1945); his belief that Towers is well-suited to his position at Ushaw (15 May 1946); the death of Bonney (15 July 1946).
78 letters
UC/P31/A3/6/1-57 30 January 1947 - 13 December 1949
Letters from Edward Stephens to Towers, mostly relating to his life working as a priest at St Joseph's, Birkdale, including: information on the stonework over the well at Ushaw (30 January 1947); urging him to acquire A. Theisser's books for the
library (2 May 1947); his opinion on the difficulties posed by marriage for the [?Anglican] clergy, his opinions of Catholic seminaries in England (27 April 1948); the Catholic mission in Oxfordshire and its difficulties (12 July 1948); the diocesan
fund and financial difficulties (22 September 1948); letter enclosing a typescript Latin letter to the pope concerning his jubilee (7 April 1949); the resurgence of the Catholic faith in Paris (2 June 1949); praise for an article by Evelyn Waugh on
American Catholicism published in the
Mouth; the success of a public meeting on the Catholic Church in eastern Europe (22 November 1949); calling for an authorative publication of Lingard's letters and his influence, criticising an [?anti-Catholic] article
in The Times (13 December 1949).
41 letters
UC/P31/A3/7/1-84 9 February 1950 - 8 April 1953
Letters from Edward Stephens to Towers, mostly relating to his life working as a priest at St Joseph's, Birkdale, including: official recognition of Ushaw by the Ministry of Education, the long-term effect on Ushaw students who engage in dancing
with females during the Christmas holidays, the dangers posed to clergymen in Liverpool (9 February 1950); an account of his attendance at the president of Oscott's jubilee (12 March 1950); the appointment of Towers as spiritual director (17 April
1950); the poor spiritual life of the young students (26 April 1950); the increase in the cost of living (4 May 1950); his hopes that the bishop [?of Hexham and Newcastle] recovers from his recent illness to vote in the forthcoming election of the
new Ushaw president as he is the only supporter of the college (22, 27 June 1950); the grave financial state of the Catholic parishes, contrasting the education at Ushaw with Maynooth (18 September 1950); the appointment of Paul Grant as president
(6 November 1950); Towers's fifty years of service to Ushaw (15 October 1951); the poor state of Ushaw's finances (23 January 1952).
73 letters
4. Other CorrespondenceUC/P31/A4/1/1-56 29 August 1903 - [?1950]
Letters from a number of correspondents on a variety of topics, including: Bishop Thomas Wilkinson to Mr Chronnell concerning the situation at Ushaw (29 August 1903); F. Goldie to Towers concerning objects to be photographed (9 November 1908)
Towers to [?Prescott], and [?] to Towers on Towers's article on socialism and the Catholic Church (9 January, 4 March 1914); Towers to Canon Billington concerning a posthumous tribute to Bishop Hedley in the
Ushaw Magazine (12 November 1915); J. Caterall to [?Towers] concerning a relic of teh Ven. Richard Leyburn in his possession (5 February 1926) W. Dennett to Towers relating to income tax claims for charitable purposes
(5 December 1930) [?E. Blackbeard] to [?Mosa] concerning the condition of certain pictures (14 May 1936); S. M. Luigi (Little Company of Mercy, Limerick) to Towers on her work as a missionary in South Africa, the Infirmary at Ushaw, and her thoughts
on religious houses generally (2 May 1938) correspondence between Towers and Bishop Joseph McCormack complaining of the separation of Ushaw students who joined the Searchlight Corps and the poor condition of the army camp (18, 29 July, 23 August
1939); J. Myler to Towers, McCormack to Towers, on a controversy surrounding the conduct of Fr. Stephens (29 July, 14 August 1940); McCormack to Towers (with an enclosed statement), [?A. C.] to Towers, Richard Bilsborrow to Towers, concerning
Towers's relationship with the president of Ushaw (20 September, 4, 10 October 1940); Fr Luigi to Towers relating to the effect of the war on Ushaw students (11 November 1940); correspondence between McCormack, Richard Downey (archbishop of
Liverpool) and Towers, as well as statement by Towers, on the possibility of Towers resigning his position as procurator (1 October 1941, 27, 28 May, 4, 6, 14 June 1942); R. Gowland to Towers on the introduction of sisters as domestic workers at
Ushaw College (18 August 1942); E. Costeller to Towers concerning memories of his friends at Ushaw (27 May 1943); Thomas H. Kenuckey to Towers: memories of [?cat] games at Ushaw (31 May 1943); McCormack to Towers giving his advice on a article by
Towers (15 October 1948); McCormack to Towers, [?J. R, A.] on the declining health of Charles Corbishley (28 November 1949, [1949]); S. M. Luigi on news of friends (19 February 1950, 24 February 1951, 25 November 1953); [?A. M.] to Towers on his
trip to Belgium (4 December 1950); and W. V. Smith to Towers answering a query on the Taylor family [?1950]
38 letters
UC/P31/A4/2/1-28 21 - 27 October 1905
Letters, mostly from friends and family, congratulating Towers on his ordination to the priesthood
27 letters
UC/P31/A4/3/1-92 25 May 1927 - 6 December [1941]
Correspondence between Towers and others during his time as procurator of Ushaw College, mostly on the administration of various funds, investments, and other financial matters.
The earlier letters (1927-8) cover Joseph Broadhead's time as procurator.
67 letters
UC/P31/A4/4/1-47 9 September 1933 - 1 October 1941
Correspondence, mostly between Towers and others relating to the administration of the Canon Blackoe Fund and its use for the construction of Liverpool Cathedral, including: the Archdiocese of Liverpool Finance Board secretaries (James Redmond
and B.A. Kavanagh), Bennie Blackoe, Canon Blackoe, Duncan Ferguson, as well as other financial documents, including receipts and statements,.
37 letters
UC/P31/A4/5/1-9 23 July 1902 - March 1908
Letters from Revd Cecil Burns, professor at St Edmund's Ware, to Towers, mostly of a personal nature with reference to clerical friends and acquaintances
Covering note by Towers, dated March 1908, explaining the context of these letters and Burns's decision to leave the priesthood in 1908
6 letters
B. DiariesUC/P31/B1 20 November 1902 - 24 September 1905
Diary of Towers written while studying at the Venerable English College in Rome, with brief daily entries describing his daily routine, visits to various places, and attendance at religious services, including his visit to Santa Sabina and the
church at the Grande Albergo to see the return of the Madonna Sassoferrato (21 November 1902); reference to a football match between the Philosophy and Theology students (25 November); the distribution of prizes by Cardinal Tripepi (25 November);
the question of whether Irish students should be allowed into the college (3 December); a description of Christmas Day and services in Rome (25 December); a visit to the catacombs of Priscilla (31 December); visiting the Piazza Navona at Ara Caeli
to see the Epiphany fair (5, 6 January 1903); a letter from the Vicariate warning students against mixing in crowds of people [?in Rome] (25 January); a visit to San Gregorio and Tivoli (19 February); celebrations of the 25th anniversary of the
election of Pope Leo XIII (20, 21 February, 3 March); the difficulty in obtaining tickets for the papal ceremony at St Peter's Basilica (25, 26, 28 February, 1, 2 March); the consecration of Mgr Stanley as auxiliary bishop of Westminster at St
Gregorio (18 March); an account of a strike in Rome and its affect on public services and businesses (8 April); the religious devotion of the people towards a statue of Our Lord on top of Scala Santa (10 April); a meeting with Bishop Preston (26
April); an account of King Edward VII's visit to Rome (27, 28, 29, 30 April); the visit of the German Emperor [Willhelm II] to Rome (3, 4, 5, 6 May); a visit to Tivoli (2 June); attending a procession organised by the Blue Nuns concerning the
Blessed Sacrament at St Stephens (11 June); a discussion on Papal Infallibility (15 June); a dispute involving [?Mgr] Walsh being forced to leave the college (18, 19, 20, 21 June); the reception of the English Pilgrims by Pope Pius X (24 November);
a description of a college concert and speeches given at the celebration of the feast of St Catherine (25 November); a graduation and prize-giving ceremony to celebrate his doctorate (2 December); a celebration at the college of the Immaculate
Conception (9 December); his audience with the pope (17 December); a speech by Cardinal Merry del Val calling for the conversion of England to the Catholic faith (29 December); writing a letter to the
Catholic Times complaining about the inaccuracy of their account of the Christmas celebrations in Rome (9 January 1904); an account of the celebrations of the feast of St Gregory (12 March); an account of a Gregorian
congress (7-14 April); a description of the crowds at the papal mass in the Basilica (11 April); an audience with the pope for those who had attended the Gregorian congress (13 April); a discussion on the nature of sacrifice (1 August); defending
the students at the English College from accusations of heavy drinking (5 August); taking examinations for orders (16 August); a description of a village festival (1-5 September); a visit to Mount Cavo (6 September); the threat posed by a planned
celebration in memory of Garibaldi in the local village (24 September).
1 volume
UC/P31/B2 14 September 1929 - 19 May 1930
Diary of Towers written during his time as procurator of Ushaw College, with brief daily entries describing his daily routine and duties, mostly on financial administration and general upkeep of the buildings, including: the requiem mass for the
vice-president, Joseph Broadhead (25-28 June 1929); the dismissal of Mr Horan, the watchman, for heavy drinking (22 September 1929); a meeting of bishops at Ushaw in which Towers spoke of the difficulty of managing the Hill Top property and
farmhouse (24 September); building a new wing near the infirmary (26 September, 5, 7, 23 October 1929, 31 March, 3 April, 14, 19 May 1930); discussions on a new farmhouse (9 October, 2 December 1929); the appointment of a new chef (14-15 October
1929); the accidental letting of an Ushaw-owned building in Darlington to Jews for a synagogue (5 December 1929); the status of Ushaw and the question of paying income tax on the Cornsay properties (2, 25, 30 April 1930).
1 volume
UC/P31/B3 20 May 1930 - 14 January 1931
Diary of Towers written during his time as procurator of Ushaw College, with brief daily entries describing his daily routine and duties, mostly on financial administration and the general upkeep of the buildings, including: a disagreement over a
bequest to Ushaw (21 May); discussions on a new farmhouse (27 May, 19 December 1930); objects left by Merry del Val to the college (2 June 1930); building a new wing near the infirmary (10, 30 September, 16, 18 October, 17 November 1930); a dispute
over the Cornsay deeds (9 December 1930); the status of Ushaw and the question of paying income tax on the Cornsay properties (10 December 1930).
1 volume
UC/P31/B4 17 January 1931 - 28 June 1932
Diary of Towers written during his time as procurator of Ushaw College, with brief daily entries describing his daily routine and duties, mostly on financial administration and the general upkeep of the buildings, including: a new boiler system
(11 February, 5, 7 April 1931); costs associated with the new wing, as well as the new heating and lighting system (19 March 1932); a dispute with the Church Commissioners over a coal royalty at Bondgate (2 June 1932).
1 volume
C. Lectures and SermonsUC/P31/C1/1-2 1919 & 1953
Notes of instruction for retreats delivered to Ushaw students.
2 notebooks
UC/P31/C2/1-14 [1943 x 1947]
Lecture notes by Towers on theology delivered to Ushaw students.
14 notebooks
UC/P31/C3 1950
Notes of instruction on the subject of meditation.
1 notebook
UC/P31/C4 1935
Lectures delivered at a conference to philosophical students and Big Lads.
1 notebook
UC/P31/C5 [early 20th century]
Manuscript texts of sermons by Towers
1 file
D. Other Ushaw PapersUC/P31/D1 April 1843 - 3 October 1912
“Regulations for Divinity”, with additions.
4f
UC/P31/D2 7 June 1867
(1) Charles Frederick Smythe, Acton Burnell, Salop
(2) Francis Ridout Ward, Grays Inn Square, Middlesex
Indenture presenting a deed of estates from (1) to (2) in the counties of Warwick, Salop and Durham.
3f
UC/P31/D3 11 June 1881
“Names of the subscribers to the fund for lighting the college of electricity in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the ordination to the priesthood on June 11th, 1881, of the President, the Right Rev. Monsignor
William Henry Canon Brown, Protonotary Apostolic of the Pontifical Court”
9f
UC/P31/D4 18 November 1897 - 21 December 1899
Printed editorial circulars seeking subscribers for the
Ushaw Magazine
3f
UC/P31/D5 [1900 x 1910]
Manuscript [?transcript], entitled
“The constitutions of S. Cuthbert's College Ushaw drawn up for the English Pontifical College at Douai by their Eminences Card. Burghesius et Card. Farnesius by order of His Holiness Pope Clement VIII. Anno
1690”
31f
UC/P31/D6 [1900 x 1910]
Miscellaneous notes by Towers on Ushaw College history, including: notes on a vestment designed by W.A. Pugin; notes on Bishop Thomas Wilkinson; references in the
Orthodox Journal to Ushaw history; notes on plantations at Ushaw; a notebook entitled “Notes on Hebdomadary book from beginning down to the opening of old St Cuthbert's”; a notebook
with historical notes on a range of Ushaw topics including the Old Bounds, the cemetery, cat, a list of buildings completed during Charles Newsham's presidency, numbers of students (1850-1910), the seminary, building the college, and extracts from
the correspondence of Thomas Eyre and Charles Newsham.
14f and 2 volumes
E. Personal PapersUC/P31/E1 [?19th century]
Illustrations of various people, including Thomas Fitzherbert Brockholes (portrait by F.W. Salvin); Luigi Gentili; and Catholic martyrs (Charles Baker Lewis, Anthony Turner, John Gavan, Thomas Harcott and William Irland)
7 illustrations
UC/P31/E2 27 June 1903
Degree certificate from the English College in Rome awarding Towers a doctorate in Philosophy.
4f
UC/P31/E3 [1904]
Personal expenditure of Towers in Rome, 1903-1904.
2f
UC/P31/E4 28 June 1907
Degree certificate from the English College in Rome awarding Towers a doctorate in Theology.
4f
UC/P31/E5 [1900 x 1910]
Handwritten transcript of a poem by John Henry Newman written at the Birmingham Oratory in 1849, entitled
“The Pilgrim Queen”.
1f
UC/P31/E6 [1900 x 1905]
Typescript transcript of a poem by Myles Pinkney (1599-1674), entitled
“The Sweetest Night”.
1f
UC/P31/E7 [?1900 x 1905]
Manuscript by Edward Towers entitled
“Views of Rome”
11f
UC/P31/E8 [?early 20th century]
Song of the Northern Brethren Fund
2f
UC/P31/E9 [?1940 x 1949]
Letters to the
Durham Advertiser from Towers and Rev Westley Bothamley on the subject of mortal sin and the confession
4 newspaper cuttings
UC/P31/E10 23 August 1951
Letter, with an English typescript transcript, by Joseph McCormack, bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, appointing Towers to the position of honorary canon of St Mary's Cathedral, Newcastle.
3f
UC/P31/E11 20 August 1951
Panegyric preached at the funeral of the Rev Frederick Towers at the Church of the English Martyrs, Preston.
2f
UC/P31/E12 22 September 1952
Letter from Duncan Ferguson to Towers on the strong financial position of Ushaw College and the role of Towers as procurator.
2f
UC/P31/E13 1913 - 6 November 1968
Executors' papers of Edward Towers, mostly financial records and correspondence.
1 file
