Fr Tony was born on 6th February 1920 and arrived in Middlesbrough from Nottinghamshire.

The family lived in St Joseph’s parish in Marton Road, and following his primary and secondary education at St Joseph’s and the Marist Grammar School, Tony began working for the Northern Echo newspaper.

Just prior to the outbreak of World War II, at the age of 19, he began his seminary training at Ushaw College. Tony was ordained on 13th April 1947 with Canon Louis Collingwood in St Joseph’s, Middlesbrough. For the following 20 years Tony fulfilled five curacies at;

• St Wilfrid’s, York
• Our Lady and St Peter, Bridlington
• Our Lady’s, Driffield
• Sacred Heart, Redcar,

and

• St Mary’s Cathedral, Sussex Street, Middlesbrough (‘the old Cathedral’) which included an interregnum role at St William’s, Dormanstown.

He had only one appointment as Parish Priest, which was here at St Clare’s, Brookfield, Middlesbrough where he was for 27 years.

On his retirement, Fr Tony was priest in residence at St Andrew’s, Teesville, where he continued an active and helpful support to his brother priests. Eventually, with failing health, Fr Tony was in residential care.

He was called to the Lord on Wednesday 11th August (the feast of St Clare) at James Cook University Hospital.