Archives of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brentwood comprising:
papers relating to the foundation of the Diocese including correspondence files concerning foundation, February-November 1917; Canon Burton's notes on the history of individual parishes in the diocese, 1917; general files relating to diocesan history, 1917-2003; files relating to Causes of Martyrs (beatification and canonization of local martyrs), 1917-2003;
Diocesan administrative papers relating to the Holy See, arranged by Vatican 'departments' including Propaganda Fide, Secretariat of State, Holy Office (Doctrine of the Faith), Congregation of the Council, Apostolic Penitentiary, Seminaries and Education, Bishops, Clergy, Religious, Liturgy (Rites), Sacraments, Saints, Varia (non-Christians, Christian unity, migrants, congresses/jubilees, communications, laity, miscellaneous) , and printed Papal documents, Apostolic Delegate/Nuncio (from 1938-), Bishops' Roman Agency/Dataria, Papal blessings, and Ad Limina Visits (regular visits of the Diocesan Bishop to Rome), 1917-2003;
general correspondence of the Bishops of Brentwood, and some biographical information, including Bernard Nicholas Ward, Apostolic Administrator 1917, Bishop 1917-1920; Arthur Doubleday, 1920-1951; George Andrew Beck, Coadjutor, 1948-1951, Bishop, 1951-1955 includes papers relating his work on Catholic education; Bernard Patrick Wall, Bishop 1956-1969, includes material relating to Vatican II; Patrick J Casey, Bishop 1970-1980; and Thomas McMahon, Bishop 1980-present;
administrative papers relating to Hierarchies, (national and international) including the Synods of Bishops; English and Welsh Bishops, 1917- present; other Bishops, 1917- present; military ordinary and chaplains, 1917-present; Hierarchy meetings (includes some printed minutes from 1867, but is mainly 1917-present); Hierarchy Commissions and Committees; Jubilees and celebrations; National Pastoral Congress, 1980; Papal visit, 1982;
papers relating to the Episcopal and Curial administration, including finance and property, Trust funds, Episcopal Registers/Bishop's House/Diocesan Offices, Chancery and Vicar General, Ad Clerum and circulars, 1917-present; Pastoral letters to clergy and peoples, 1917-present; Diocesan Synods, 1950s, and Synods of other Dioceses; Council of Priests and National Conference of Priests, 1960s-present; Diocesan Pastoral councils, 1980s-present; Deanery Conferences (including some minutes) 1980s-present; Diocesan publications including Brentwood Diocesan Magazine, 1920-1921, Diocesan Newsletters, 1970s-1980s; Diocesan Newspapers, 1980s-present; Diocesan Year Book, 1952-present; press cuttings, 1910-present;
files relating to clergy serving within the Diocese Pre-1917 Clergy; Diocesan Clergy: General; and Diocesan Clergy - deceased; non-Diocesan Clergy, on loan, Chaplaincies, temporary faculties and applications refused; Clergy Funds and Associations; [1875]-present; among the priests of the diocese were John Carmel Heenan (Bishop of Leeds 1951-1957, Archbishop of Liverpool 1957-1963, Archbishop of Westminster 1963-1975, Cardinal 1965), John Petit (Bishop of Menevia 1947-1972), Brian Foley (Bishop of Lancaster 1962-1985), and Alfred Gilby (1901-1998) (Catholic Chaplain to Cambridge University, 1932-1965);
papers relating to the Chapter of Canons, advisors to the Bishop, 1917-1984;
files relating to individual parishes within the Diocese including official documents such as reports and visitation returns, [1910]-present; general parish files; and history and correspondence, 1917-present;
administrative papers relating to other Diocesan Officials and Commissions including Diocesan Travelling Mission (to remote areas) and Private Chapels, 1952-1969; justice and peace, 1970s-present; ecumenism, 1970s-present; liturgy and music, 1970s-present; art and architecture/Historic Churches Commissions; pilgrimages, 1950s-present; Pastoral, Social Welfare and Youth, 1970s-present;
administrative papers relating to Roman Catholic education including the Director of Vocations, Ecclesiastical Education Fund; and students files for Students for the priesthood, 1917-present; dimissorials (non-diocesan subjects); Senior Seminaries, 1917-present; Junior Seminaries 1917-present; other institutions, 1917-present; administrative papers of the Schools Commission / Director of Education, 1930s-present; papers relating to primary, secondary and independent schools in London Boroughs and Essex, mainly 1917-present; and administration of the Brentwood Religious Education Services (BRES) and catechetics, 1974-present;
papers relating to Catholic societies, non-Catholic societies and social issues such as the Society of St Vincent de Paul, Catholic Women's League, Knights of St Columba, Legion of Mary etc, 1917-present;
papers relating to Religious orders within the Diocese, and their members, including men religious and women religious; secular institutes, religious: general, and abortive foundations;
papers relating to Diocesan buildings and architecture, including general files; files relating to the Cathedral; and files relating to war damage, 1940s-1950s;
maps and plans, mainly of the local area and diocesan buildings, [1900]-present;
photographs, 19th and 20th century, including portraits of clergy, and church and chapel buildings interior and exteriors;
video and audio recordings of ceremonies and events;
miscellaneous papers including manuscript writings of William Joseph Petre (1847-1893), 13th Baron Petre (Monsignor Lord Petre), priest, peer and educationalist;
published works including Catholic Directory, 1850s-present; Brentwood Diocesan Directory, 1952-present; Catholic Who's Who, 1915-1952; and copies of published histories of parishes of the diocese; and volumes from the libraries of the Bishops of Brentwood;
some material deposited with the Diocese by parishes includes of Harwich Roman Catholic Parish registers of Baptisms, 1864-1955; Confirmations, 1881-1947; Marriages, 1865-1952; deaths, 1864-1879; and parish notice books; Thorndon Park Roman Catholic Parish, (closed in 1946) registers including baptisms, 1791-1816, 1856-1882; and church marriages, 1857-1941; Witham Roman Catholic Parish register including baptisms, 1839-1957 and church marriages, 1841.
Diocese of Brentwood , Roman Catholic Church in England , 1917-