Connolly, Father John
![[ Father John Connolly, By Permission of Robert Salts, Unknown, Private Collection of Robert Salts ]](../../images/site/52450_2.jpg "[ Father John Connolly, By Permission of Robert Salts, Unknown, Private Collection of Robert Salts ]")
Born in Ireland, Father John Connolly came to St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church in Biddulph in 1879. He served at St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church from 1879 to 1895. From the start, Connolly was on bad terms with the Donnelly family. He heard about their misdeeds from neighbours and he blamed the Donnellys for much of the trouble in the area. Connolly encouraged his parishioners to sign an oath to end crime. A splinter group, the Vigilance Committee, grew out of this undertaking. He gave a controversial address at the funeral of the murdered Donnelly family. Connolly left Biddulph in 1895.