Convent of St Joseph, Order of the Poor Clares, York, UK
St Joseph's was a convent in York formed by the Order of the Poor Clares. The nuns moved to smaller premises then the number of residents dwindled.
Visited February 2014 - October 2015 York, Yorkshire, UK Redevelopment
St Joseph’s Convent in York was founded in 1864 by a group of sisters who came to York from a convent in Bruges. The Nuns were from the Order of the Poor Clares, who aim to be as self sufficient as possible.
The buildings were designed by a local Roman Catholic ecclesiastical architect, George Goldie, and were built between 1870 and 1875. At its peak during the 1940s, the convent was home to more than 40 nuns, but numbers slowly declined over the years.
The convent is set in 6.3 acres of land and is surrounded by a 15ft wall. Buildings on the estate include The Lodge which is the former Priest’s House as well as The Extern and The Quadrangle, which includes Sisters’ House, The Chapel and Cloister buildings.
St Joseph’s Convent of the Poor Clares – Nuns in the grounds and external view of the conventSt Joseph’s Convent of the Poor Clares – Altar in the main chapel
St Joseph’s Convent, York – Altar
St Joseph’s Convent, York – Wooden Statues
St Joseph’s Convent of the Poor Clares – Statues in the chapel
St Joseph’s Convent, York – Rear of the chapel
St Joseph’s Convent, York – Windows in chapel
St Joseph’s Convent of the Poor Clares – View towards back of chapelSt Joseph’s Convent of the Poor Clares – One of the many St Joseph figures around the building
St Joseph’s Convent – Figures in archwaySt Joseph’s Convent – Jesus and St Mary
St Joseph’s Convent – Figure on wall of chapelSt Joseph’s Convent – Figures and cabinet
St Joseph’s Convent of the Poor Clares – Joseph and MarySt Joseph’s Convent of the Poor Clares – Jesus and St Mary
St Joseph’s Convent, York – Medical room
St Joseph’s Convent, York – Medical room
St Joseph’s Convent of the Poor Clares – Holy Bible
St Joseph’s Convent, York – Arched doorwaySt Joseph’s Convent – No idea, don’t even ask!St Joseph’s Convent, York – Corridor
St Joseph’s Convent, York – Arched windowsSt Joseph’s Convent, York – Arches in roomSt Joseph’s Convent, York – Green corridor
St Joseph’s Convent of the Poor Clares – StaircaseSt Joseph’s Convent of the Poor Clares – Room with pointed arch windows
Nice pictures. The nun on the left in your first picture is my cousin. The caretaker was her brother, who sadly died last year. Your reminisce about him was typical.
The picture of the statues he’s holding a cross and a panel with writing on it, she’s holding a box type thing – a monstrance, are St francis of Assisi and St Clare. In real life they were cousins. He founded the Franciscan Friars, she founded the Poor Clare Nuns. So they’d have a real importance to the Nuns who lived in St Joseph’s Monastery.
York, Yorkshire, UK Redevelopment 
Sweet report man!
Nice pictures. The nun on the left in your first picture is my cousin. The caretaker was her brother, who sadly died last year. Your reminisce about him was typical.
The picture of the statues he’s holding a cross and a panel with writing on it, she’s holding a box type thing – a monstrance, are St francis of Assisi and St Clare. In real life they were cousins. He founded the Franciscan Friars, she founded the Poor Clare Nuns. So they’d have a real importance to the Nuns who lived in St Joseph’s Monastery.
That’s very interesting, and a fact I didn’t knowk. Thank you for the information, I’ll add that into the image descriptions.
Did the nuns ever look after abandoned babies, particularly around 1941?