Spike's goon but not forgotten!

From the archive, first published Tuesday 12th Feb 2008.

A converted former church in Rawdon where comedian Spike Milligan was married is up for sale.

Now divided into three homes the grand building once welcomed the cream of British comedic talent as Mr Milligan wed Patricia Ridgeway, of Calverley, on an April morning 46 years ago.

St Joseph's Court, in Woodlands Drive, was then known as the Grand Catholic Church of Our Lady of Good Council and St Joseph and was the scene of more than 150 people and reporters who clamoured to the church for the big day.

The Telegraph & Argus was there among the throngs of well-wishers and a report of that Saturday's events tell of how the groom-to-be was nearly late for his own wedding.

His car was stopped as it turned off Apperley Lane by an inspector of the Automobile Association who warned the driver there was a big occasion at the church and he would have to find another route.

When the driver explained who the passenger in the back of his vehicle was he stepped aside and Mr Milligan arrived at 10.45am, moments before his 26-year-old bride.

The arrival of fellow Goons member Harry Secombe delighted the autograph hunters as he signed his way into the church.

Mr Milligan's daughters Laura and Sile were bridesmaids, his son Sean was a page boy and EMI recording chief George Martin, who went on to find fame as The Beatles' producer, was best man.

The couple went on to have a daughter, Jane. Patricia, known as Paddy, died in 1978.

The five-minute ceremony took place in what is now the sitting room of number three St Joseph's Court, which is on the market for just short of £500,000.

Amanda and Peter Quinn moved into the house when it was originally up for sale four years ago.

Mrs Quinn said: "Someone mentioned the Milligan connection to us and when we moved in I went to the library to do a bit of research.

"I actually bumped into a local author who pointed me to a book he had written about local history.

"I suppose it depends what generation you are from, but for a lot of people it would mean a lot to them."

Mrs Quinn said she was not spooked by the thought of moving into the neo-Gothic style church.

She said: "The first night we climbed into bed we lay there staring at the vaulted ceiling. According to one of the books I read, a big statue of Mary used to stand behind where the bed was. At first I felt that I shouldn't be there but it quickly passed and I enjoyed living there."

Occupying what was once the chancery end of the church, number three retains pointed stone arched windows and doorways and a double height master bedroom with exposed red bricks said to have been hand-made in Rome.

The church was designed by Edward Simpson, of Leeds, and built by John Warrington in the grounds of his house in 1909. As the community grew it was replaced as a place of worship by a new church in New Road in the 1950s.

e-mail: ben.barnett

@telegraphandargus.co.uk