The Church of St Luke in Frodsham serves a Parish extending from Sutton Weaver to Ince along the A56 and out towards Delamere to include Kingsley, Norley and Manley. New housing since the Second World War has meant an increase in population particularly around Frodsham, Helsby and Elton. In 1993 the Catholic population of the Parish was estimated as 1250.
Our story begins with Mass said by Fr W. E. Jones, parish priest of Runcorn, on Whit Sunday 1914 in an upstairs dance room known as the 'Town Hall'. Mass continued to be said regularly from then on by priests from Runcorn each Sunday wither in the 'Town Hall' or Spencer's Cafe or Hughes' Tea Room, Overton.
Meanwhile at Helsby during the Second World War a Mass centre was established by Fr G. Higgins of Runcorn for people working there. The management of Helsby Cables Ltd. allowed their canteen to be used for Sunday Mass. When it became necessary to have a second Mass at Frodsham, Fr Campbell of Ellesmere Port came for the Helsby Mass. At the end of the war Runcorn became again responsible.
In 1949 a chapel dedicated to St Luke was opened in Ship Street, Frodsham, on a site secured by Fr G. Higgins of Runcorn, and Fr Bernard Hewitt was appointed as the first Parish Priest. He took up residence in Coronation Villa, Norley.
Previously in 1945 Mr and Mrs Neville Cox came to live at Wickentree Farm, Norley. They sought approval from the Bishop to provide a facility for Sunday Mass in the Delamere area. A hen coop was converted by Mr Cox, who also provided statues, stained glass windows and a tower with recorded bells. The first Mass was sung on Easter Sunday that year with only one person present apart from the Cox family. Mass continued to be said by a priest from St Joseph's College, Upholland, and then by a priest from the Salvatorian House at Christleton. The cost of the whole enterprise was borne by the Cox family until they left in September 1950.
Wickentree Farm was made over to the Diocese and when the Cox family moved out, Fr Hewitt moved in. A barn was converted to be the chapel, as the hen house was in poor condition. It had been dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption, a title chosen by Mr Cox and allowed by the Bishop. Later it was discovered that that was the dedication of the Old Abbey of Vale Royal, which possessed land on which the chapel stood. From Norley Fr Hewitt planned and supervised the building of a new Presbytery in Frodsham. The chapel at Norley was kept on after Fr H. M. Leay, who followed Fr Hewitt, sold the house and farmland and moved to the Presbytery in Frodsham, but it was eventually closed in 1986.
From 1949 Helsby was included in and served in the newly formed Parish of St Luke. In 1961 an old army nissen hut in Upper Rake Lane was acquired and adapted as a Church dedicated to St Mary Magdalene.
The parish was handed over to the care of the Conventual Franciscans in 1964. With developments at Elton Sunday Mass began to be said at the County Primary School (1971), and later in 1973 at the Community Centre. Plans and negotiations began for a Catholic School in Frodsham (under the patronage of St Maximillian Kilbe originally, but eventually of St Luke) and the first phase opened in January 1976, the first headteacher being Mr Reg Mahoney. The second phase of the School was added in September 1980, and the mobiles in May 1983.
The Church in Helsby was closed in 1978 and Fr Andrew Fraser OFM Conv. set about planning the new Church (with Social Centre underneath) in Frodsham on High Street, and this was opened on 8th December 1981.
In 1985 the Parish reverted to the care of Diocesan priests. The old Church in Ship Street and adjoining land was sold and the building is now used by the Post Office as a sorting office.
The continuing lack of a Hall and concern over the mobiles at School made the possibility of transfer to a building recently vacated by the County most desirable. The transfer was effected and St Luke's Primary School (six classrooms and a hall) acquired its new address: The Willows, Frodsham, on 24th April 1995.
Many priests have served in this area over the years on occasions or for some time. A comprehensive list, if available, would be very long. The following list of those appointed as Parish Priests since the Parish was formed:
