The Bishop of Salford One of the few bishops absent from the recent C.T.S. Conference at Brighton was the Bishop of Salford, and the reason was learned with much regret : his Lordship
was unwell. Many knew that ill-health had dogged Dr. Henshaw's path for a long time past, but probably nobody at Brighton associated the announcement with serious misgivings. In mind one saw the bishop chester gathering which had originally been presiding, two years hence, at the Man planned for the present year, It was with a shock of the unexpected, therefore, that the news came last Friday night that the diocese was bereaved.
Mgr. Thomas Henshaw, D.D., was the fifth bishop in a diocesan line which included such noteworthy prelates as the scholarly Dr. Louis Casartelli, his inupediate predecessor, and Herbert Vaughan, the future Cardinal. With the diocese of Salford his entire life was connected, save for student years abroad and a period of service as a teacher at Ushaw College, where also he had made part of his own studies for the priesthood. He was born, in 1873, in a famous Manchester parish, St. Patrick's, Livesey Street, and in his pastoral work as priest and bishop he was always labouring for the harvest in East Lancashire.
Salford Grammar.School gave Dr. Henshaw his early education; thence he passed, as a student desirous of priesthood, to the English College at Lisbon. He had an Ushaw course, and studied also at the Institut Catholique in Paris and at Bonn. After his ordination, in 1899, and following his work as a teacher at Ushaw College, he was appointed to a curacy at St. Alban's, Blackburn; to that town he returned, later in his career, as rector at St. Ann's. For six years he was Vice-Rector at St. Bede's College, Manchester, where an important extension to the buildings was to be built by his interest. Elsewhere his record brings in parochial charge in various parishes: Nelson, Heaton Norris, Castleton.
Under Mgr. Casartelli, Dr. Henshaw was appointed to several diocesan offices. He held the post of Vice-Chancellor, was a Diocesan Trustee, and a member of the Finance Board. By such work as these different duties entailed he acquired a close knowledge of administrative affairs, so that when Dr. Casartelli died, early in 1925, the Holy Sec found the qualities needful for a successor in one who knew the diocese widely and well, Dr. Henshaw's elevation was announced in the same year, and on December 21 the late Archbishop Keating of Liverpool performed the consecration.
During his thirteen years of rule, and despite a constitution far from robust, on which ill-health made increasing inroads as time advanced, Dr. Renshaw led a busy and fruitful pastoral life. Absorbed in his diocese, he was with his people on all possible occasions, leading and exhorting them in religious, educational and social duty. On the education question, his was an outspoken force in leadership. A number of spacious new churches and schools are among the additions to Salford's Catholic resources in his time. As recently as the 17th inst., he was at a function for the
new school at Irlams-&-th'-Height. The late Bishop gave his presence to demontrations and other gatherings, indoors and out-of-doors, whenever he could be of help. In September, 1926, he welcomed to Manchester the National Catholic Congress, and put into that meeting a vast amount of personal service.
A few years ago Dr. Renshaw bought, as an episcopal residence, a house of many Catholic memories, Wardley Hall, at Worsley, famous in connection with the relic of Blessed Ambrose Barlow, O.S.B. It was there that his death took place.
Dr. Henshaw's body lay in state in the cathedral from Monday evening, and thousands of people visited it. A Dirge was sung on Tuesday evening and on Wednesday Dr. Downey, Archbishop of Liverpool, sang the Solemn Requiem which preceded the interment at Wardley Cemetery.