A well-known and much respected figure has disappeared from amongst us. For eighty-two years he trod the way of his pilgrimage and returned to his country, whence he came, July 2nd, 1920. John Placid Whittle was born at Brownedge, 1838, educated at Ampleforth, and there entered the novitiate, 1858. Just at this date the general novitiate was opened at Belmont and he was sent from Ampleforth to Belmont to finish his probation. He was professed 1860, August 30th. Returning to his Alma Mater he was ordained priest 1867. He began his missionary life at St Mary's, Liverpool, 1870; went to Woolton, 1873; was called back to Ampleforth as Prior, 1880, June 1st. He remained Superior about three years and a half, and then for nine years he took charge of St Anne's, Liverpool. From 1893 to 1896 he was at Maryport, and finally at St Alban's, Warrington. In 1908 he was honoured by the title of Cathedral Prior of Rochester. From St Alban's he was 'invalided' in his extreme old age to Ampleforth. Such is the bare record of the scenes of his labours and his life's activities. His life was an active life, and I think that wherever he went his unworldliness, his zeal and his devotion to his priestly calling were remarkable and won him the peculiar esteem of his parishioners. At St Anne's and St Alban's he undertook and carried through extensive additions and alterations which were very costly. He was always eager to seek and to achieve improvement. It is not for us here to weigh up the abilities of the man, or to make a critical estimate of the work he has left behind him. It stands good work; and his gifts always were for usefulness. But it is for us rather to look at the Priest in his long unswerving service of Almighty God; never diverging from the straight path of duty before him; never allowing anything to derogate from that priestliness with which he was clothed. More than fifty years Father Placid Whittle ministered at the altar, attended the confessional, sought out sinners for their healing, brought souls to the knowledge of Jesus Christ when they knew Him not. For fifty years he thus lived in a manifest simplicity, innocency, and regularity. Surely the merciful God has said to him 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant!' If it be not so, God help some of us! His brethren always praised him as an excellent missioner, and he was held in affectionate regard not only by those of his own familia but by others also who knew him. At his death the aged Fr Richards sent a very warm hearted appreciation of Father Whittle to the Abbot of Ampleforth.
No matter what our gifts or the scope of our life, there are many things we can learn, to our great help, from the example of Father Placid Whittle, who has so lately passed from our midst.
JOHN PLACID WHITTLE 2 July 1920
1838 27 Jun Born Brownedge
1851- Educ Ampleforth
1858 15 Dec Clothed Ampleforth
Completed novitiate at Belmont
1860 30 Aug Simple Vows Belmont
1863 Minor Orders Ampleforth
1863 $$ Subdiaconate Leeds
1865 1 Nov Diaconate Ampleforth Bishop Cornthwaite
1867 16 Mar Priesthood " " "
Taught at Ampleforth
1870 Sent to St Mary's Liverpool
1873-80 Woolton
1880-84 1 Jun Prior Ampleforth
1884 5 Jan Sent to St Anne's Liverpool where he enlarged the church & built the Priory
1893-96 Maryport
1896 26 Sep St Alban's Warrington
1908 26 Feb Received the titular dignity of Cathedral Prior of Rochester
1918 Aug Retired through ill health
Spent a few weeks at the Providence Hospital St Helen's then retired to Ampleforth
1920 Jun Sent to the Convent Nursing Home Whitby
1920 2 Jul Died at Whitby
5 Jul Buried at Ampleforth