Moor Street, Birmingham B4 7UG (O.S. GR SP0686)

In May 1862, a Unitarian meeting house was purchased, and consecrated for use as a Catholic church by Bishop Morris, who pontificated at the High Mass and preached. The style of the building is Doric, and by a clever architectural manipulation some old vestries adjoining the church were converted into a chancel connected with the rest of the building by a Byzantine arch. These and other alterations were carried out by the architect, Mr. Bates. The 'Mass-house,' destroyed by Lord Delamere in 1688, stood near the site of this church. The celebrated natural philosopher, Dr. Priestley, often preached at the Unitarian meeting house, which is now the Catholic church. When the purchase of the Place was in negotiation, the diocesan authorities received very generous treatment from the Unitarian body in Birmingham, a circumstance quite in keeping with the general good feeling existing between Catholics and the members of this persuasion arising from their suffering so long together from the operation of the penal laws. The congregation of St. Michael numbered about 4,000 in 1885. 

KELLY 1907