Ushaw College Photo Essay Number Ten: Et Reliqua (posted 20/06/2010)

When, in the Divine Office, one of the Fathers of the Church is commenting on a passage of Scripture, the first couple of lines of the text are quoted, and then the words 'Et Reliqua' are added.  'And the Rest' - the reader understands that the whole passage is to commented upon.

That's what this is - And the Rest - What's Left!  I only have a few more photos to show; and then, mes amis, le fin!

 There are two points of interest in this photo - the beautiful Eagle and the Paschal Candle.  In my day, the Eagle was the place where Mr (Father ) Hollis stood on a small platform to conduct the choir and the whole College during High Mass and Vespers or Compline.  The choir was seated in the benches to either side of the Eagle: tenors and sopranos to the right and basses and altos to the left; the choir of course sang four-part music.  The College sang Gregorian chant; Mr Hollis took two practices a week, on a Tuesday and a Thursday, to prepare for the coming Sunday's High Mass and Vespers, and also, of course, for any special forthcoming events.

The Paschal Candle was always on the Gospel side of the sanctuary - what I particularly remember about this is that when it was first lit on Holy Saturday the priest who was acting as deacon and whose job it was to light the candle was always the largest, most rounded, professor in the College - Mr Tommy McGoldrick ('Hammurabi' to us students, because he taught us History beginning with the period of Ur of the Chaldees and its King Hammurabi).  The only way to light the candle was for Hamma to climb a rickety-looking pair of step-ladders, clutching the bottom of his alb and vestments and completely dwarfing the steps, with us onlooking students hoping nothing would go amiss!  You can believe that!

This is St Peter's Chair in the cloisters leading to St Cuthbert's Chapel; it used to be on the other side of the cloisters in my day, and students entering or leaving the chapel used to kiss the foot of the statue and wipe it with the sleeve of their jackets.

This is the old Ushaw Mill on the road that leads to the west side of the College; I cannot remember its history.  All I can say is that it looked like this when I was in College and it hasn't changed in fifty years. Nearby there are a number of fairly modern houses which College servants live in.