PHOTOS FROM MAURICE CHARETTE,CIRCA 1936

Maurice Charette has sent some beautiful photos and, with a little luck, someone out there will be able to enlighten him, and us, as to the occasion.  It is definitely an event at St Patrick's Convent but what was the event?

Elizabeth Murphy, in white dress, 2nd from right, circa 1936

The photos belonged to his late mother and Maurice has identified her in the group of four women on the right side of the picture.  She is wearing a white dress and is second from the right.  Now let me tell you a little about this lovely lady.

What is this grand event at St Patrick's Convent, circa 1936?

Maurice's mother, Elizabeth (Betty) Murphy, was born in St John's 24th May, 1914.  She lived with her family at 9 Patrick Street.  The family later moved to 544 Water St. Elizabeth's father died in 1924, when Elizabeth was about ten years old.  Her mother was left to bring up Elizabeth and three sons, Bill, Tom and Michael, on her own.  No doubt, Mrs Murphy was an heroic woman as times definitely were  hard.  However, Maurice said that the Nuns were good to her and gave her work to help feed the family. They also helped her to buy a sewing machine. 

Gilbert and Elizabeth on their Wedding Day, 1st February 1945

During World War II, Gilbert Charette  from Britt, Ontario, was serving with the Canadian Army at Blackhead. He and Elizabeth met and fell in love. On 1st February 1945,  they were married at Elizabeth's Parish Church, St Patrick's, on Patrick St.  After the War, the couple and their baby daughter moved to Ontario where eight more children were born to them.  The couple enjoyed a long and happy marriage of more than sixty years. Elizabeth passed away on 26th November 2005.  Just months later, on 14th April 2006, Gilbert passed away.

Maurice lives in Sault Ste Marie but keeps in touch and visits his relatives in Newfoundland.  The family still attend Sunday Mass at St Patrick's and Maurice has accompanied them on several occasions.

Clergy attending event at St Patrick's Convent.  Who are they?

Doreen McAllister Heffernan has suggested that the priest, second from the left is a young Fr J J Murray who served at St Patrick's about that time.  Anne Walsh has told Maurice that her great aunt, Nellie Byrne, is the lady on the left of the four ladies on the right hand side. 

I am delighted to say that several others in this photo have been identified.  Marina Carew Aita puts forward Kathleen (Kay) Hayes as the young woman with the priest in the presentation photo.  Kay was a life long member and great supporter of St Patrick's Parish.  Carmelita Hearn has positively identified the girl at the extreme right of the group of four on the right hand side of photo.  It is her father's youngest sister, Bridie Hearn.  Bridie, a musician and teacher, was well known and respected in our parish.  Carmelita said Aunt Bridie would have been about sixteen years old when this photo was taken.

The priest on the right of the photo and in the presentation photo is, we are almost certain, Fr T J Flynn (later Bishop Flynn).  Fr Flynn was Pastor of St Patrick's from 1932 to 1945.  In 1945, he was consecrated Coadjutor Archbishop.  Judging from his clothes, I would say that at the time of this photo, he would have been Monsignor Flynn.  I am happy to be corrected on that if someone knows better. 

We think these photos are an historic treasure and we would be more than delighted if someone can tell us anything, (no detail is too small) about these photos, the people, and the event.  Please get in touch with us at mcallistrsmith@gmail.com.  We will be forever grateful!  

Maurice, I can't thank you enough for sharing these wonderful pictures and your mother's story with us.  It is so nice to learn a little about a  St Patrick's girl who, although at a different time, walked the same corridors and sat in the same classrooms as so many of us.

What is being presented here?

ST PATRICK'S DAY, ONCE UPON A TIME

Once upon a time,  St Patrick's Day wasn't St Patrick's Day in our parish without the annual play put on by Miss Kay Hayes and the St Patrick's Dramatic Troupe. Years move on and tastes change and now those wonderful plays are just a happy memory.  Thanks to my sister-in-law, Pat McAllister, I have been given an opportunity to stroll down memory lane with the help of an old programme from one of those magical nights.  I know  many of you also remember those plays so I am posting excerpts from the programme.  There are also some adds that will bring back fond memories because the companies and products they advertise are no longer with us.  Anyway, I hope you enjoy this and the memories it evokes.

 

The cover of a St Patrick's Day Concert Programme

 

Setting the scene

The synopsis

 

 

Love the ads!

Meet the cast
(Remember Marty's?)

The cast, continued

 

Did Mary Downey play two parts?



Sometimes multi-talented George also acted in the plays

Did you, or your mother, shop at the London?



With all of this amazing talent entertaining us between acts,
we certainly got our money's worth!

The final "thank you" and the last page of the programme

For those of you who, like me, have had the very great pleasure of listening to "THE BIG 6" on Saturday mornings, here's the tune that still brings me back to those lazy, carefree Saturdays. 

 

 

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY!

AN OASIS IN THE DESERT OF LENT

ST PATRICK

Back in the 1950s and early 1960s, Lent was a very sombre time, a time of penance and mortification.  Lent was a very serious season then and certainly not a lot of laughs.  However, smack dab in the middle of all this austerity there was one shining, glorious day that released us from seriousness and brought joy to the heart.  What day was that?  Why, St Patrick’s Day, of course!

 

ST PATRICK'S DAY RIBBON

St Patrick’s Day meant a day off school but it meant a lot more than that.  For that one lovely day we could indulge in candy again or put sugar in our tea.  The men, if they were so inclined, could have a little drop of the hard stuff or a smoke.  Phew, what a day!    We would pin on our St Patrick’s Day ribbons, usually purchased at the little shop on Water Street owned by dear little Miss Jenny Hayes,  and head off to Mass.  Then it was home to breakfast and the Big Six Program on the radio.  If you were lucky, sometime during the day you would have a green ice cream which Brookfield always produced especially for St Patrick’s Day and unavailable any other time.

In St Patrick’s Parish the very highlight of the day was the St Patrick’s Day Concert put on by St Patrick’s Dramatic Troupe!  The venue for the play was Holy Cross Auditorium or St Patrick’s Convent Auditorium and both the afternoon and evening performances were always well attended.  We went to the evening performance with our parents, aunt, and uncle and we always had chocolates to munch on! 

 

MISS KAY HAYES

Who remembers those wonderful plays and the great singers, musicians and storytellers who entertained us while the scenery was being changed behind the curtain?  I remember one great act was a man who was a whizz on the spoons.  Who accompanied him on the piano?  Was it Mrs Simms or Mrs Molloy?  I am not sure.  Anyway, the plays were organised and directed by the magnificent Kay Hayes.  George O’Brien was the talented parishioner responsible for painting the scenery.  The play was often, if not always, a comedy, sometimes inadvertently.  Like the time a group stood on stage waiting for a phone to ring.  Someone back stage forgot to ring the bell so eventually one of the actors just said “Ding-a Ling” and with a straight face an actress picked up the phone and said “Hello”.  Well, the audience thoroughly enjoyed this bit of unscripted comedy.  Who were some of the parishioners who annually brightened our St Patrick’s Day?  I remember such people as Blondie Horan, Pat McAllister, George O’Brien, Helen Molloy, Eleanor McAllister, Gerald Costello, Shannon McAllister, Joe Newman, Bill Harris, Mary Downey and Mary Gosse.  I am sure some of you will remember more names and I hope you will remind us of them.  Also, your memories of those eagerly anticipated St Patrick’s Day Concerts that were such an important part of parish life then would be more than welcomed if you would like to share them here.



THE MUSICIANS

The days of the ‘play’ are long gone in St Patrick’s Parish but St Patrick’s Day is still celebrated with gusto I believe.  Last St Patrick’s Day saw parishioners and friends invited to a ‘time’ in the Parish Room after Mass.  There was food galore, a drop of wine, singing, dancing, music and laughter.  Ah, the music and singing!  The Parish Priest, the inimitable Fr Wayne Dohey, and a group of very talented parishioners kept everyone singing and dancing and, as the saying goes, “a good time was had by all”.

A SONG FROM FRANCES

While the way in which St Patrick’s Day is celebrated in St Patrick’s Parish has changed, the good people of St Patrick’s and their pastor still know how to commemorate our Patron Saint.  Perhaps most importantly of all, the spirit of community and friendship that has always existed in the Parish is still as strong as ever.  Long may it be so!

AND FATHER SANG TOO

 

THE LADIES KNOW HOW TO DANCE!

 

 

A VERY HAPPY ST PATRICK’S DAY TO EVERYONE!