Recollections of Blaisdon Hall
Father Craven and Father Bell outside front gate of St. Josephs Home, Enfield
Below is a Photo of Father Craven, who later progressed through Cannon and Monsignor, as Administrator of the Crusade of Rescue, until he was made an Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster Diocese. His Titular Title, was "Bishop of Sebastopolis". He is shown with Father Bell.
His Parish, as Bishop, was St. James, . A magnificent Church which was the place of worship for the Spanish Ambassador, his family and his Retinue (see picture below). I visited the Bishop at Spanish place quite frequently and his was always most interested to learn how we all were doing.
It was Cannon Craven, as Administrator, who formulated the agreement with the Salesians to jointly purchase Blaisdon Hall as a place to prepare the Crusade Boys, and others, for a life outside the institutional environment, which was all they had experienced up till time to move on.. He felt that the boys were, otherwise, in no way prepared to face the world, straight from a Crusade of Rescue establishment. I have read, in back copies of St Peter's Net, the Crusade's Newsletter to its Benefactors, how he anguished about how to best protect his young boys, and I am sure it was Divine Inspiration that came to his aid.
What an inspirational determination this was, and how so many Crusade Boys, and others, became so well equipped by the Salesians, to not only face the world, but in most cases progress extremely well in their adult lives. How true to the last lines of the Salesian School Song they became!
"And May Thy Sons Hereafter Bring Honour To Thy Name"
John Ward
Bishop Craven's Church
Father Nicholas in my Parish Priest and is also Westminster Diocesan Archivist
