Father Thomas died at St Mary's, Brownedge, near Preston, February 8th, aged 79. He was born in Liverpool on September 21st, 1870. He came to Ampleforth in 1884, and was in the School until 1891. He was not a clever boy, but the transparent goodness of his nature won for him the genuine liking of his companions. It was a strong and earnest faith which most of all marked his whole life. He received the Benedictine habit at Belmont in 1891, and four years later returned to Ampleforth. He was ordained a priest on March 20th, 1899, and in 1902 he began a long life of work in parishes belonging to the Abbey. To this work he devoted himself with great fidelity. His kindness and cheerful spirit gained the affection of his people, and his care and persevering efforts for the careless and the lapsed drew from a fellow priest the remark 'When a case seems hopeless in spite of every effort see if Fr Thomas can succeed'. His little oddities of manner detracted nothing from the evident worth of his work through all the fifty years of his priesthood. One story has often been told against him. It is said that his head-priest at Maryport asked him to buy a lawn-mower at a sale that was to take place at some large house in the neighbourhood. For some reason Fr Thomas was unable to secure the mower, but returned home quite satisfied, bringing instead a full suit of armour which was going cheap. It stands in the Ampleforth museum as he intended it to do.
He was assistant at three or four of the Lancashire parishes, and at Dowlais and Maryport. While at Brindle (or Hoghton near Preston) he worked untiringly to bring thousands to that quiet place to take part in a pilgrimage in honour of Blessed Edmund Arrowsmith S.J., the martyr of that district.
From 1925 to 1940 he was parish priest of Barton-on-Humber, and there in spite of the small number of his people he was able at last by persistent effort to build the sanctuary and part of the nave of a new church, and a priest's house.
The last ten years of his life were spent at Brownedge. His sight failed till he was almost blind, yet despite this difficulty and advancing years he was still wonderfully active, visiting, instructing, and giving what help he could to the other priests. It was a great happiness to him, in the last year of his life to keep the golden jubilee of his priesthood. His death on February 8th was followed in a very few days by the death of the head priest, Father Ambrose Byrne, a double loss for the parish and the monastery.
THOMAS NOBLETT 8 February 1950
1870 21 Sep Born Liverpool
1884- Educ Ampleforth
1891 3 Sep Habit
1892 6 Sep Simple Profession Prior Raynal
1893 21 May Minor Orders Belmont Bishop Hedley
1896 12 Jan Solemn Vows Ampleforth Prior Burge
1897 7 Feb Subdeacon Ampleforth
1898 29 Jun Deacon Ampleforth
1899 20 Mar Priesthood Ampleforth Bishop Lacy
1902 Assistant at St Alban's Warrington
Assistant to Maryport
1908 23 May Assistant at Dowlais
1913 28 Oct Assistant at Leyland
1917 Nov Assistant at St Mary's Warrington
1921 Sep Assistant at Brindle
1925 24 Jan Parish Priest at Barton-on-Humber
1940 Jan Assistant & semi-retired at Brownedge
1950 8 Feb Died at Brownedge
Buried at Brownedge