Society of the Sacred Mission

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The Society of the Sacred Mission is a Christian religious order first founded in 1893 by Father Herbert Hamilton Kelly, envisaged such that "members of the Society share a common life of prayer and fellowship in a variety of educational, pastoral and community activities in England, Australia, Japan, Lesotho, and South Africa."^[1] Fr. Kelly's missionary work began in 1902 in South Africa, and the next year Kelham Hall was purchased to become the main centre, a theological college and the head office.

Kelham Hall really was the core of the organisation for the first sixty years of its existence. "It had no lighting except oil lamps, no heating except open fires and no water above ground floor, but there was room for 100 students and plenty of space for gardens and playing fields. Kelham remained the mother house of the Society for seventy years."^[2] However, it was occupied by military personnel during both world wars. The Great Chapel was built there in 1928: "it was almost square with a great central dome, (62 feet across and 68 feet high) the second largest concrete dome in England."^[3]

While in 1962, the "SSM reached a numerical peak of more than 80 members and a large novitiate..by 1972, the college at Kelham closed as number of student applications drop."^[4] Applications to Kelham "dropped from 400 a year before the war to less than 40 students in 1971 and the college closed in 1973."^[5] Consequently, by 1973, a "subgroup of SSM move to Willen (Near Milton Keynes) to run a priory."^[6] By 1997 the contraction went further as "SSM members move out of Willen priory to a smaller house in Willen."^[7]