109 years ago today the foundation stone of St Joseph's church was blessed by the Bishop of Liverpool. Canon Billington: "Skerton grew with the recent rapid growth of population in Lancaster. The distance from school was a great inconvenience to Catholic parents residing there, and through Miss Coulston's benefaction a school chapel was provided." Following the opening of the school in 1896, "Miss Coulston next determined to build a permanent church of St. Joseph and a priests' house... The architects were Pugin and Pugin... The house was completed in 1899, but Miss Coulstone retained this for her life, making it her residence, and dying there in 1909. The church was completed in little more than a year, and was consecrated on July 3, 1901; it was opened on the following July 7. Electric light was installed in 1902."
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