The Catholic Church across Yorkshire's historic West Riding since 1878

The Catholic Church across Yorkshire's historic West Riding since 1878

Family History

In general the Diocesan Archives do not hold the parochial registers of baptisms, confirmations, marriages and burials. In the main these are retained by the parishes and access to such records is by arrangement with the Parish Priest concerned.

In recent years the Diocesan Archives have co-operated with the West Yorkshire Archive Service (WYAS) to facilitate the microfilming of the records from most of the parishes in the county that were established by 1900.

Where microfilming has taken place copies of the microfiche are held by the Diocesan Archives and also by West Yorkshire Archive Service. Further information about WYAS can be found at: www.archives.wyjs.org.uk

The microfiche records may be consulted at the Diocesan Archives and at WYAS. Researchers wishing to access records after 1909 will need to obtain permission from the Leeds Diocesan Archives.

North Yorkshire County Record Office (NYCRO) has also undertaken the microfilming of Catholic parish records from St Robert’s, Harrogate, St Joseph’s, Bishop Thornton and the former chapels at Allerton Park and Rudding Park. These records may be consulted at the North Yorkshire County Record Office in Northallerton. For further details see: www.northyorks.gov.uk/archives

A useful guide to historic Catholic parish records in Yorkshire can be found in Catholic Missions and Registers 1700-1880: Volume 4 – North East England, compiled and published by Michael Gandy and the Catholic Family History Society in 1993.

Please note the Archivist is unable to carry out detailed record searches on behalf of family historians.

Records held on microfilm

LEEDS

  • St Anne’s Cathedral
  • St Patrick
  • Mount St Mary
  • St Joseph
  • St Francis
  • Holy Family
  • Sacred Heart
  • Killingbeck Cemetery

BRADFORD

  • St Mary
  • St Patrick
  • St Ann
  • St Joseph

BINGLEY

  • Sacred Heart

CASTLEFORD

  • St Joseph

CLIFFORD

  • St Edward

GARFORTH (Inc. ABERFORD) 

  • St Benedict

HEMSWORTH

  • Sacred Heart

HORSFORTH

  • St Mary

ILKLEY (Inc. MYDDELTON LODGE)

  • Sacred Heart

KEIGHLEY

  • St Anne

SHIPLEY

  • St Walburga

SICKLINGHALL

  • Our Lady Immaculate

WAKEFIELD

  • St Austin

WETHERBY

  • St Joseph

From our Archives and Heritage

Planning the new Cathedral

Planning the new Cathedral

The plan shows the location of the first Cathedral Church of St Anne (built in 1838) which stood at the junction of Cookridge Street and Guildford Street (now The Headrow) and the site of its replacement, outlined in red.

Laying the foundation stone

Laying the foundation stone

The Foundation Stone of the new Cathedral was laid on the Feast of Ss Joachim & Anne, 26 July 1902. It now forms part of the War Memorial Chapel on the north side of the Cathedral.

A new Cathedral completed

A new Cathedral completed

An early postcard view of the new Leeds Cathedral, which was officially opened on 16 June 1904. The Consecration took place on 18 July 1924. The interior of the Cathedral was re-ordered in 1963 (during the Second Vatican Council) and most recently in 2006.