It was the industrial revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries which transformed the area of Teesside and new communities sprang up around the factories, mines and shipyards. One of these was Port Clarence where there was a resident priest by 1879 and a church, St.Thomas of Canterbury, in 1900. The greatest development took place due to ICI works, opened in 1919, and a Mass centre was opened in the Memorial Hall in 1929. Fr.Connell, Parish Priest of St John's provided a Mass centre west of the railway line in The Swan Hotel in 1947.

On November 13, 1949 Holy Rosary Parish was erected with Fr. Brady as first Parish Priest. Greenholme House was purchased and became the presbytery, and a temporary wooden chapel ("The Hut") was blessed in 1950. Bishop Cunningham laid the foundation stone of the present church on May 16, 1959 which was solemnly opened on September 22, 1960. Early in the following year Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Primary School was opened. In the early 1960's the parish expanded, and "The Hut" was transferred to Beamish Road, and so began St Joseph's parish. Another parish primary school, St Paul's, was opened in Easter 1969 with further expansion in 1971; the sanctuary in the church was re-ordered with the permanent stone altar brought forward in 1977, and with the removal of altar rails, re-siting of the baptismal font, and a new lectern in 1984. The Silver Jubilee of the church building was kept in 1985 with week long celebrations and a flower festival. Once again, in November 1999, the Golden Jubilee of the parish was celebrated in similar fashion.