Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception

In December 1854, the second mission in Birkenhead was opened. New works, but especially the construction of the docks, had brought a large number of Catholics to this part of town. On 8 December 1860, Bishop Brown laid the foundation stone of the new church designed by the renowned architect Edward Welby Pugin. Two years later, on 25 May, Bishop Brown returned to open the new church. It was the first church in the Diocese to be erected in honour of the Immaculate Conception.  

Pugin built a magnificent vaulted church to the glory and splendour of God. The church was for many years the pro-Cathedral of the Diocese until the Cathedral in Shrewsbury was built.  

The reredos of the church is decorated with pictures of the Saints and the angels, focusing our attention on the fact that here earth and heaven meet. The stained glass windows feature many saints who were concerned with working with the poor, such as St Vincent de Paul, or who had come from communities like St Bernadette of Lourdes. The rest of the church including the stone pulpit are original.

Indeed, the church was severely damaged in the Blitz. It suffered a direct hit in March 1941, in which the parish priest, Canon John Tallon, his staff and a number of parishioners were killed. The building was left without a roof for ten years.

During this time, the inside was restored. This included the stained glass windows, mentioned above, that had been blown out after the bomb hit. When the church re-opened in October 1951, there was much celebration. This included a choir of 200 priests, nuns chanting, and a torchlight procession of 30,000 men, women and children through the streets of Birkenhead.  

The church is still active today in the community and open to visitors.