Canon Leteux arrived in the parish from Hemsworth and had gained an enormous reputation in his former parishes for promoting Catholic Education .  He was dubbed the "Lion of the West Riding" by the media for his dealings with the West Riding County Council.   As the first non-Jesuit parish priest at St. Austin's, his reception in the parish was not as smooth as he might have wished.  There were some parishioners who made life difficult for Canon Leteux and his fellow diocesan priests.   Nevertheless Canon Leteux's passion for education remained with him and he found reason to exercise it in Wakefield.  The pressure on St. Austin's school in Teall Street was rising due to increasing numbers of children wishing to attend.  There were new estates growing up in the town, notably in Lupset where a large number of Catholics were moving in.  Additionally there was a need in the parish to develop some kind of memorial to the Jesuits for their years of work in the city.

After several meetings the decision was made to establish a new school, Blessed English Martyrs, in Lupset, eventually to be followed by a church. Canon Leteux also envisaged a wider network of chapels of ease in Crofton, Crigglestone and Outwood.  His vision for the future would eventually reach fruition - but unfortunately not during his own lifetime. June 1933 saw Canon Leteux guide the parish's participation in the Wakefield Pageant in Thornes Park which incorporated almost every society and establishment in the town.  The Catholics of Wakeifle dwere to present an episode depicting the defeat in battle of the pagan king Penda at Crossgates in Leeds. The episode was overseen by Fr. Comerford, the new priest assigned to the embryonic parish of English Martyrs at Lupset.  It went remarkably well and was enjoyed by all. Sadly Canon Leteux passed away in September 1933 following a serious illness.  A measure of the esteem in which he was held in the area can be noted by the huge funeral procession which took him from St. Austin's to his resting place in St. Alban's Denaby.

 
 

Last Updated 2 July 2006

Amendments to: dpfgilroy@hotmail.com