Haydock Bible - Ugthorpe

A plaque, dedicated to Rev George Leo Haydock was erected in the church grounds of St Anne's Ugthorpe in August 2023. A significant person in the village, and to the rest of the world.

George Haydock was born April 1774 near Preston Lancashire, the youngest son of George & Ann. He and his father were namesakes of an illustrious ancestor, Blessed George Haydock (1556–1584), a martyred seminary priest during the Elizabethan persecution, beatified in 1987. 

In 1785 at eleven years of age, he was sent to further his education at the English College, Douai, France, established in the 16th century for Catholic exiles, where provision

was made for secondary education in addition to training for the priesthood. Among his classmates were many who would go on to play significant roles in the English church, including future bishop Thomas Penswick, the future historian John Lingard, and the future Irish Liberator Daniel O’Connell. 

George Haydock's studies were interrupted in 1793 when the French Republic declared war on England and occupied the English College. On 5^th August that year, just before the students were expelled and forced into house arrest at a nearby country house, the 19-year-old George Haydock managed a harrowing escape back to England in the company of his brother and fellow student, Thomas.

Haydock was able in 1796 to resume his studies in earnest at a seminary established at Crook Hall, near Consett in County Durham. He was ordained a priest there in 1798 and remained as a professor until 1803 when the pastoral phase of his career began.

He served as Priest at St Anne's between 1803 & 1827. Hardly considered a desirable assignment, the small, poor Ugthorpe Mission was nonetheless a challenge enthusiastically met by the young priest. He promptly repaired and improved the existing execrable 1768 thatched roof structure that served as a Catholic chapel and shortly thereafter began planning for a new one. 

The Catholic Relief Act of 1791, although far from repealing all anti-Catholic legislation, had allowed for the building of Catholic chapels, albeit with severe architectural restrictions. Haydock eventually completed his new chapel and presbytery in 1810 and later added a school, a building that still stands. He also found time and opportunity to ply his property acquisition and management talents. "I have plunged into an ocean of business of farther shores of which I cannot yet descry," he wrote to his family. "I propose staying here (God willing) the remainder of my days." In the letter, he expresses interest in acquiring land to raise cattle and farm grain, wheat, barley, and potatoes. He appears to have acquired several pieces of land including rental cottages and a ten-and-a-half-acre farm which he leased for income. 

Although he was not destined to remain in Ugthorpe for the rest of his days, he would nonetheless complete his most memorable achievement while serving there. Haydock's tenure at Ugthorpe came during a critical period when the long era of persecution of English Catholics was finally drawing to a close. Since interpretations of Scripture were a significant part of the anti-repeal effort, Haydock set out to complete what would become his Magnum Opus: commentary for a new edition of the English Catholic Bible. That Bible was called the Douay Version (Douay-Rheims Bible), originally translated from the Latin Vulgate in the 16th century chiefly by Gregory Martin, one of the first professors at the English College, Douai (University of Douai).  

The commentary is extensive in its number of annotations and far-ranging in scope. Mostly, the annotations explain words or phrases that are not clear or offer interesting elaborations of the text. However, they also deal with textual and interpretational differences with Protestants and address issues with deists and atheists. Given the enormous scope of annotating the entire Bible, he was unable to maintain the demanding production schedule in addition to his pastoral duties at Ugthorpe. Therefore, another Douay alumnus, Father Benedict Rayment (1764–1842), was called on for assistance. He and a group of colleagues compiled the New Testament portion of the commentary. There was contemporary criticism that haste in preparation of the commentary resulted in some errors. However, given the spartan resources available for Catholic publishing in England at the time, the Haydock Bible must be considered a remarkable achievement.

George's brother, Thomas, was the Bible's publisher. Production began in 1811 and was completed in 1814, in a large, folio edition. As were many editions of the Bible at the time, Haydock's was published and sold by subscription, a few leaves at a time. Subscribers would accumulate the sets of leaves over the years and ultimately have the completed Bible bound. English Catholics enthusiastically welcomed this impressive volume that symbolized a reinvigorated Catholicism on the verge of winning its long fight to repeal the Penal Laws. At least 1,500 copies of the first edition were sold.

After Ugthorpe, Father Haydock's next assignment was at the east coast port of Whitby. While there, he continued his literary career with a series of prayer books, responding to an increasing desire by Catholic congregations to increase participation in the Mass. One book in particular, A Key to the Roman Catholic Office..., is of special interest. This wide-ranging work includes, among other things, a detailed list of the duties expected of a contemporary Catholic priest. Also, while at Whitby, Haydock continued to serve Ugthorpe as well for most of the period until 1827 when a permanent successor was assigned, Fr Nicholas Rigby.

On a personal note – the writer's great-great grandparents John Gallon & Catherine Roe were married by Fr Haydock on the 27^th of January 1827. His grandfather's and great-grandfather's names are written in the Gallon Bible; a Haydock Bible, seen below.