Michael William Hodgetts (29 March 1936 – 12 December 2022) was an English Catholic historian who became a leading expert on priest holes and on Harvington Hall.
Early life Hodgetts was born in Birmingham on 29 March 1936, and was raised a Catholic. He attended King Edward's School, Birmingham and then studied classics at Worcester College, Oxford, as well as studying for three years as a seminarian at the Venerable English College, Rome, before becoming a teacher at St Thomas More Catholic School, Willenhall.
Career In the 1970s and 1980s, he sat on the International Commission on English in the Liturgy, alongside his work as a teacher, and his translation of the hymn Pange lingua is now used in the English-language Catholic liturgy for Good Friday.
In 1984, he was appointed to the management committee of Harvington Hall, a former manor house and centre of Recusancy that had been given to the Archdiocese of Birmingham in 1923. He edited the volumes series of the Catholic Record Society and the society's journal, Recusant History (now British Catholic History). In 1989 he retired from school-teaching and joined the staff of Maryvale Institute, a Catholic college of further and higher education.
Personal life He married Barbara in 1969. They had four children.
Hodgetts died on 12 December 2022, at the age of 86.
Works Books/Chapters Date Title1989Secret Hiding Places1990Revising the Order of Christian Funerals in Peter C. Finn & James M. Schellman edd., Shaping English Liturgy: Studies in Honor of Archbishop Denis Hurley1994Recusant Liturgical Music in Christopher Francis & Martin Lynch edd., A Voice for All Time 1996History of Blackmore Park 1596-1846-19961999(with V Alan McCleland) edd., From Without The Flaminian Gate: 150 years of Roman Catholicism in England and Wales 1850-20001999The Iron Form: Catholics and Philosophy between the Councils in McCleland & Hodgetts edd., From Without The Flaminian Gate: 150 years of Roman Catholicism in England and Wales 1850-20001999The Godly Garret, 1560-1660’, in Marie B. Rowlands ed., English Catholics of Parish and Town, 1558-1778 2000History of St Joseph's Upton upon Severn 1850-20002002History of Erdington Abbey2002History of St Joseph's Nechells2004Nicholas Owen in The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography2006Introduction to John Gerard: The Autobiography of an Elizabethan, tr Caraman, 2nd edition2008Art and Thought in J. J. Scarisbrick ed., History of the Diocese of Birmingham, 1850-20002009Coughton and the Powder Plot in Peter Marshall & Geoffrey Scott, edd. The Catholic Gentry in English Society: The Throckmortons of Coughton from Reformation to Emancipation2011(with Aileen M. Hodgson), Little Malvern Letters—I: 1482-17372024Secret Hiding Places 2nd Edn, ed Paul Hodgetts2026(with Aileen M. Hodgson) Little Malvern Letters—II: 1737-1870
Journal Articles Date Journal Title1959The VenerabilePriests' Hiding Holes1959Transactions of the Worcestershire Archaeological Society New SeriesAdam of Harvington1960The VenerabileBlessed John Wall - I1960The VenerabileBlessed John Wall - II1962Staffordshire Catholic HistoryStaffordshire Priest Holes1962The MonthNicholas Owen In East Anglia1962Transactions of the Worcestershire Archaeological Society New SeriesThe Priest-Holes at Harvington Hall1963Worcestershire RecusantJohn Wall’s Execution: An Eyewitness1963Worcestershire RecusantThe Recusant History of a County1964Transactions of the Worcestershire Archaeological Society New SeriesThe Priest-Holes at Hindlip Old Hall1965Recusant HistoryJohn Wall at Harvington?1965Transactions of the Worcestershire Archaeological Society Third SeriesElizabethan Recusancy in Worcestershire I1965Worcestershire RecusantA Certificate of Warwickshire Recusants 1592 I1965Worcestershire RecusantA Certificate of Warwickshire Recusants 1592 II1966Worcestershire RecusantThe Priest Holes at Harvington: Some Further Notes1967Worcestershire RecusantJohn Wall’s Juramentum1967Worcestershire RecusantRecusant Houses of Warwickshire and Worcestershire I1967Worcestershire RecusantRecusant Houses of Warwickshire and Worcestershire II1967Worcestershire RecusantTwo Harvington Letters1968Staffordshire Catholic HistoryThe Royal Hiding Places at Boscobel and Moseley1968Worcestershire RecusantRecusant Houses of Warwickshire and Worcestershire III1970Transactions of the Worcestershire Archaeological Society Third SeriesElizabethan Recusancy in Worcestershire II1970Worcestershire RecusantPriests At Harvington 1660-16901972Recusant HistoryElizabethan Priest Holes I : Dating and Chronology1973Recusant HistoryElizabethan Priest Holes II : Ufton, Mapledurham and Compton Wynyates1973Recusant HistoryElizabethan Priest Holes III : East Anglia, Baddesley Clinton and Hindlip1973Worcestershire RecusantLong Live King James: A Satirical Poem1974Worcestershire RecusantJesuits at Baddesley Clinton October 15911975Recusant HistoryElizabethan Priest Holes IV : Harvington Hall1975Worcestershire RecusantRegister of Thomas Butler of Much Wenlock I1976Music and LiturgyTranslating Liturgical Texts1976Recusant HistoryBrough Hall Caterrick and Thorpe Hall Norwich: A note1976Recusant HistoryElizabethan Priest Holes V : The North1976The Clergy ReviewRecusant Liturgical Music1976Worcestershire RecusantRegister of Thomas Butler of Much Wenlock II1977Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland NewsletterThe English Church without Bishops: 1559-16231977Recusant HistoryElizabethan Priest Holes VI : The Escape of Charles II1977The Clergy ReviewThe English Tradition and Liturgical Reform1977Worcestershire RecusantRegister of Thomas Butler of Much Wenlock III1978Worcestershire RecusantCharles II at Bromsgrove?1980Recusant HistoryTanner on Nicholas Owen: A Note1980Worcestershire RecusantSeventeenth Century Priests at Harvington1981Worcestershire RecusantAn Inventory of Harvington Hall 18261981Worcestershire RecusantHarvington Hall 1929-1979: A Study In Local Historiography1982Recusant HistoryA Topographical Index of Hiding Places1982Worcestershire RecusantParadisus Redivivus?1982Worcestershire RecusantPark Hall, Castle Bromwich1983WorshipSense and Sound in Liturgical Translation1984ECA JournalPriest-Holes and Recusancy1985Eighteenth-Century Life (Williamsburg, VA)Secret Hiding Places: A Narrative of Tradition and Truth from the Restoration to the Regency1985LiturgyRejoicing in Psalms?1985Worcestershire RecusantAn Inventory of Harvington Hall 17971986Worcestershire RecusantRecusants in the Midlands1986Worcestershire RecusantShropshire Priests in 16051989Recusant HistoryLoca Secretiora in 15811991Midlands Catholic HistoryDe Angelis on the Barrel-Organ, 18191991Midlands Catholic HistoryRecusant Contributors to the Worcester Cathedral Organ 16131992Midlands Catholic HistoryMrs Packington and a Shakespearian Emblem1993Music and LiturgyDe Angelis on the Barrel-Organ, 18191994Midlands Catholic History‘Wharton’s Ghost’ 17851994Midlands Catholic HistoryThomas Belson’s Complaint1994Recusant HistoryThe Yates of Harvington 1631-16961995LiturgyRevising the Missal: Introit and Communion Antiphons1995Midlands Catholic HistoryOrigins of Recusancy: The Pakingtons 1530-801998Recusant HistoryA Topographical Index of Hiding Places II1999Recusant HistoryThe Owens of Oxford2000Midlands Catholic HistoryCampion in Staffordshire and Derbyshire 15812002Recusant HistoryThe Throckmortons of Harvington 1696-19232003Midlands Catholic HistoryThe Holtes of Aston Hall Birmingham2004Midlands Catholic HistoryRushock Court 15952005Midlands Catholic HistoryThe Chimney Hide at Mapledurham2005Recusant HistoryA Topographical Index of Hiding Places III2006Midlands Catholic HistoryThe Gunpowder Plot in Warwickshire and Worcestershire2006Recusant HistoryMille Maeandris Nicholas Owen 1606-20062006Recusant HistoryThe 1958 Conference in Context2007Music and LiturgyRecusant Liturgy 1559-17912008Midlands Catholic HistoryItinerant Priests in Oxfordshire 15922009Midlands Catholic HistoryWorcester Conformity certificates 1614-272009The Basilican (St Chad's Cathedral Magazine)Papistry and Brewing: The Malt House at Harvington2010Midlands Catholic HistoryRecusant Liturgy 1559-17912010Recusant HistoryCampion in the Thames Valley 15802011Midlands Catholic HistoryGreys Court, Oxfordshire2012Midlands Catholic HistoryBarsford Bridge 15842012Midlands Catholic HistoryThomas Strange and the Powder Plot2012The Basilican (St Chad's Cathedral Magazine)Pugin & Newman2013Midlands Catholic HistoryFrancis Martyn (1782-1838) and St Mary’s The Mount2014Midlands Catholic HistoryMidland Recusant Altars2014The Basilican (St Chad's Cathedral Magazine)‘Firmness to this Glass’: The Stonework at Harvington2015Midlands Catholic HistoryLyford Grange 1581-16812015Midlands Catholic HistoryThe Jesuits in Sutton Coldfield: A Note2016Midlands Catholic HistoryHides and Hinges: Boscobel and Harvington2016Music and LiturgyRecusant Hymnody 1559-18002016The Basilican (St Chad's Cathedral Magazine)Franciscans in Birmingham, 1656-17162017Midlands Catholic HistoryThe Simeons of Britwell House, Oxfordshire, and Aston-By-Stone, Staffordshire2018Midlands Catholic HistoryCharles II in Warwickshire 10 September 16512019Midlands Catholic HistoryHenry Garnet’s Pilgrimage to Holywell, 16052019The Basilican (St Chad's Cathedral Magazine)Birmingham Catholics, 1560-16602020Midlands Catholic HistoryThe Layout of Elizabethan Recusant Houses2020The Basilican (St Chad's Cathedral Magazine)‘Lead, Kindly Light’: Newman’s Hymns2021Midlands Catholic HistoryRycote, Thame Park and Waterperry 1530-18002021The Basilican (St Chad's Cathedral Magazine)Georgian Chapels2022Midlands Catholic HistoryLady Yate's Fund for Harvington2022Midlands Catholic HistoryThe Elizabethan Catholic Underground2022The Basilican (St Chad's Cathedral Magazine)Benedictines in Worcestershire and Warwickshire, 1600-18002022The Basilican (St Chad's Cathedral Magazine)The Jesuit Residence of St George, 1580-17802023Midlands Catholic HistoryDodd and his History2024Midlands Catholic HistoryNicholas Owen: Jesuit Lay Brother? Archdiocese of Birmingham Historical Commission Date Title1987St Chad's Cathedral1990Midlands Catholic Buildings1991Harvington Hall guidebook (repub.1998 and 2011)2002Life at Harvington2017Midland Martyrs
Unpublished / Works in progress TitleEighteenth Century Chapels in the Archdiocese of BirminghamElizabethan Catholic Gentry: Portraits in Settings Elizabethan Catholics in LeicestershireElizabethan Catholics in LincolnshireElizabethan Recusancy at EynshamGrafton Manor, Badge Court and Purshall HallHindlip House 1606Linen on HedgesRecusant Houses of the Midlands and East AngliaRobert Persons in the Welsh Marches 1580The Comptons of Compton WynyatesThe Fortescues of CookhillTixhall Hall and GatehouseWords for Music Perhaps: The Mechanics of Texts for Hymns
Awards Knight of St Gregory the Great (1990)
References