Recent History

Death of Msgr Tom Fallon

Tributes paid to popular Handsworth priest.

As Reported by BIRMINGHAM LIVE.

TRIBUTES have been paid to a popular priest who has died aged 80.

Monsignor Tom Fallon was the priest at St Francis Catholic Church in Hunters Road, Handsworth, for more than 30 years. He passed away peacefully on Thursday evening 11/10/2012.

As well as giving the community support during the Handsworth riots in the 1980s and the Lozells riots in 2005, he also provided a much-needed home to Vietnamese boat people when they arrived in the city in the 1970s and 80s.

Rev Fr Gerard Kelly, who took over from Msgr Fallon, said: “He worked for all of the people in Handsworth. He was good at seeing to people’s needs and caring for them. “One of his biggest achievements was his work for the Vietnamese community. He set up the Vietnamese Community Centre in Handsworth and was very active in seeing to their welfare. He gave them a base from which to build their community. People still come back now to visit their roots.”

Parish Priests

1841 – 1849 Served from St. Chad’s

1849 – 1850 Rev. John Walker

1850 – 1853 Rev. Henry Weedall D.D. (Mgr.)

1853 – 1856 Rev. John Moore D.D. (Canon)

1856 – 1860 Rev. William Grosvenor

1860 – 1882 Rev. Ruddloph Bagnall

1882 – 1903 Rev. Francis Hopkins (Canon)

1903 – 1904 Rev. Walter Ireland D.D. Ph.D.

1904 – 1921 Rev. John O’Hanlon (Mgr. Provost)

1921 – 1924 Rev. Charles J. Cronin D.D. (Mgr.)

1924 – 1941 Rev. Edward Godwin Ph.D. (Canon)

1941 – 1949 Rev. Reginald O’Reilly D.D. Ph.D.

1949 – 1958 Rev. Raymond Walsh (Canon)

1958 – 1977 Rev. Augustine W. Emery (Canon)

1977 – 2012 Rev. Thomas J. Fallon Ph.D. (Mgr.)

2012 – 2025 Rev. Gerard Kelly

2025 – Rev. James Ipinlaye