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Thanks Mike. How about sending us some photos of the event? We would all love it if you could share your reunion with us. Anyway, have a wonderful get-together and enjoy again the company of old friends.
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I have heard from our staunch supporter, Joan REYNOLDS Fogarty, about a recent get together. In early June, the longtime schoolfriends met at Clovelly Golf Club, which is now Baly Haly.
Joan also sent a photo.
The friends are, L-R:
Brenda Grouchy, Betty Pye, Judy Squires, Eleanor Vatcher, Mary Corcoran, Joan Alston, Joan Fogarty, Patricia Leonard, Rosemary Healy, Madeline Thomson, Catherine Stanley.
Joan, as always, I am grateful for all you do to help and support this Blog. You and your group of friends are just amazing. I wish all of you good health and many, many more happy get togethers. Love you all. 💖
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| The Fighting Newfoundlander, Bowring Park |
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| Detail from Beaumont Hamel Memorial, Bowring Park |
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| Plaque from St Patrick's Convent School, Deanery Avenue |
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| Newfoundland Memorial Park, Beaumont Hamel at night |
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| Marker at Beaumont Hamel Memorial |
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| Mary Louise McKay Hurst, RIP |
Kelly said her grandmother always spoke fondly of her days at St Patrick's and still held dear friends from "home" and St Patrick's.
I am going to post the obituary that Kelly sent to me. As you will know, I have never before posted an obituary on this Blog, although I do post them on our Facebook page. I am posting this beautiful obituary because I think it proves me right when I say "Once a St Patrick's Girl, always a St Patrick's Girl". More importantly, I am posting it in the hope that someone just might be able to help Kelly in her quest.
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Thanks for any help you can give and a BIG thank you to Kelly for allowing me to post her grandmother's beautiful obituary.
FIRST CATHOLIC ORDINATION
In the summer of 1816, Bishop Thomas Scallen arrived in St John’s. He was to be the third Bishop of Newfoundland, succeeding Bishop Lambert. Accompanying Bishop Scallen was a 38 year old Deacon, Nicholas Devereux, whom he said was “good, moral and studious”.
Nicholas Devereux was born in County Wexford in 1778. Bishop Scallen and Nicholas Devereux hold a remarkable, but possibly little known, place in our Catholic History. The year of his arrival, 1816, Bishop Scallen ordained Nicholas Devereux in the Old Chapel on Henry Street. Thus, Bishop Scallen performed the first ordination of a Catholic priest in Newfoundland and Nicholas Devereux became the first Catholic priest ordained in Newfoundland.
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| The Old Catholic Chapel, Henry Street |
The newly ordained priest’s first appointment was as curate to Rev Andrew Cleary in Sacred Heart Parish, Placentia. After three years, Fr Devereux was made curate at Immaculate Conception Parish, Harbour Grace. He ministered there for eleven years. In 1830, Fr Devereux was appointed the first Parish priest at Burin where he remained for two years.
In 1832, Fr Nicholas Devereux was on the move again. This time he was made parish priest of the district of Bonavista Bay where he was to take up residence at King’s Cove. This would be his last appointment.
After a long, painful illness, Fr Nicholas Devereux died at his residence in King’s Cove on 25 April 1845. He was 67 years old. Fr Devereux, the first Catholic priest ordained in Newfoundland, was laid to rest in the Parish Cemetery in King’s Cove. (The very same King's Cove where one will find Pat Murphy's Meadow which was immortalised by J M Devine in that well loved Newfoundland song.)
I think most of us have heard of the famous Captain Arthur Jackman and his equally famous brother, Captain William Jackman. Well, did you know that there is a special connection to the brothers and our own St Patrick's Convent? Read on for an interesting little bit of history.
Henry Goodridge of Paignton, Devon, founded his business at Renews sometime in the early 1800s. In 1828, Henry’s youngest son, Alan, arrived in Renews and stayed there to run the business.
The Jackmans worked for the Goodridges skippering their ships that crossed the Atlantic or carried freight up and down the Shore. Captain Thomas Jackman was master of one of Goodridge’s vessels. Captain Thomas and his wife, Catherine Johnson, had five sons and one daughter. When Alan Goodridge decided to move the headquarters of the business to St John’s, Thomas Jackman followed and his young sons grew up there.
Several of Thomas Jackman’s sons followed in their father’s footsteps and became captains out of St John’s. Two sons, Arthur and William, became famous for their brave and heroic deeds. Captain William was a true hero. He rescued 27 people from a sinking ship at Spotted Islands, Labrador, in the Autumn of 1867. Captain Arthur was a famed whaler, sealer and navigator. In 1886 Arthur took the arctic explorer, Robert Peary, on his first trip to the Arctic.
William and Arthur’s mother, Catherine Johnson, died and eventually their father, Captain Thomas, remarried. His new wife was another Catherine, Catherine White.
Catherine White was born in Wexford, Ireland, in 1820. Catherine and Captain Thomas lived on Brine St, St John’s, in the kindly shade of St Patrick’s Church. Sadly, on 19 July, 1870, the old Sea Dog, Captain Thomas, passed away at his home.
Two years after the demise of her husband, Catherine White Jackman joined the Presentation Congregation at St Patrick’s Convent. This was on 1st August 1872. After a year as a Postulant, Catherine was received into the Congregation on 1st August 1873. Catherine, who was 52 years old, was given the name of Sr Mary Monica.
It seems that Catherine White/Sr Monica Jackman had not been forgotten in her native County Wexford either. On 4th September 1897, two Wexford Newspapers, The Enniscorthy Guardian and The New Ross Standard reported that “a day of great rejoicing had taken place at the Presentation Convent of St Patrick’s, Newfoundland” as Sr Monica Jackman celebrated her Silver Jubilee.
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| Catherine White Jackman, stepmother to heroes |
Back last autumn Christine Butler sent me a file of photos from their 2024 get together. It was really a double celebration. It marked 50 years since this loyal group of girls had graduated from St Patrick's Convent and also their 65th Birthdays. There were many photos and Christine told me I could choose some to post. Well, I didn't want to choose "some". I wanted to post all. In November I started to post them and, if you care to search back, you will be able to find those posts with a selection of photos of the ladies and of our very much changed school.
In today's post I will try to post the remainder of those great pictures. I hope you will enjoy it.
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| Back to School |
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| Oh, oh! Did you forget your Rubber Bag? |
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| That looks like the original floor. |
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| You look right at home but the classroom has changed a bit. |
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| We have climbed these stairs before |
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| Quite a change here |
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| This is different |
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| Is it still single file to the right? |
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| If you look very closely, you will see a tiny figure cast by the light. Could that be Sr Brendan directing one of St Patrick's award winning choirs? 😇 |
As promised, I am back with the rest of Christine's photos. I think it was a happy and very memorable day for this special group of friends.
As that famous Bunny from our past used to say, "That's all folks". I hope you enjoyed all the great pictures. A very big thanks to Christine and the lovely ladies for sharing their special gathering with us. The very best of luck to you all and I look forward to news of your next get together.
Oops, I almost forgot. I saved this one till last because I wonder if anyone can tell me if this is the original flooring? The floor that Sr Immaculata's girls spent hours mopping and that Sr Immaculata watched over with fanatical care? Forget your Rubber Bag at your peril! 😱
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| That can't be the original flooring, can it? 😮 ☘☘☘☘☘☘☘☘☘☘☘☘☘☘ |
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| Bishop James Louis O'Donel |
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| The Old Chapel, Henry St |
The Chapel was enlarged in 1825. Also, in 1825, the Bell was erected. This was the first Bell ever used to call the Catholics of St John’s to worship. The inscription on the Bell read “John Redhall, fecit 1825.”
By the 1830s the Old Chapel had outlived its usefulness as the Catholic population had increased. Also, by this time, it was found to be in poor condition. Bishop Fleming later described it as “a wretched building little better than an extensive stable, badly built and badly ventilated and now tottering in danger of falling and so wretchedly contracted that a considerable portion of the Congregation are compelled on the Sundays to abide the pelting of the storm, the freezing winds and drifting snows … with their heads bowed in prayer beneath Heaven’s own Canopy.”
In 1870, the Old Chapel was ordered to be taken down and, in 1872 it was demolished. The site was purchased by the newly instituted Star of the Sea Association who built their very first public hall upon the spot.
The Fishermen’s Hall, Queen Street, was erected in 1861. In 1872/3 Bishop Power purchased the Fisherman’s Hall. He dedicated it as a Catholic Chapel. Named St Peter’s, it was divided into two floors. The upper Floor was used as a Church and the ground floor as a School. The School was staffed by the Sisters of Mercy.
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When the Old Chapel, Henry St, was taken down in 1872, the Bell was installed at St Peter’s Chapel on Queen Street. From there it continued to call the faithful to prayer until the Chapel, after the opening of St Patrick’s Church, was converted to a school.
This history making Bell was then obtained by Rev J St John, pastor of St Joseph’s Church, Salmonier. It would be interesting to know what became of that Bell which would have been such a gladsome sound to the ears of our St John’s ancestors.
Sadly, we all know that the part of our history that was the Star of the Sea Hall has been sold and replaced by the ugly Star of the Sea Residences. All for filthy lucre! How very sad.
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| Grave of first Newfoundlander to become a Presentation Sister |
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| On a cold, windy day, two staunch St Patrick's girls pay their respects at the grave of one of the foundresses of St Patrick's Convent |
"Friendship is a golden chain, the links are friends so dear, And like a rare and precious jewel, it's treasured more each year" Helen Steiner Rice ⏳⏳💖💖
Pat HURLEY McDonald sent this photo and news of a delightful time with treasured friends.
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| Bernadette, Mary, Lila, Cynthia, Margie, Nancy, Maureen, Sheila, Pat |
Nancy STANLEY Cook hosted a lunch at her home on Saturday, 4 January 2025. The longtime friends, St Patrick's Girls all, had a wonderful time.
Many thanks to hostess, Nancy, and to Pat for the news and photo.
Helen Steiner Rice was not wrong!
