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Research in Other Countries => New Zealand => New Zealand Completed Requests => Topic started by: minniehaha on Tuesday 24 November 15 00:41 GMT (UK)
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Hello,
Some years ago I was given brief notes about two ancestors who had been enrolled at St. Dominic's College in Dunedin. The girls at this time, in 1873, were aged ten and seven years. I doubt that the school would actually have been a "college" but am looking for any historical information about the establishment.
Where was the school situated?
Where, if any, are the records now held?
Did the school have accommodation for boarders?
Minniehaha.
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Hello
It is now called Kavanagh College,there is a paragraph about St Dominic's here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kavanagh_College#St_Dominic.27s_College_.281871-1976.29
address 340 Rattray St, Dunedin, 9016
Cheers Janette
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Minnie
Early Dunedin (The Evening Star) was as confused of how Catholic institutions relate to each other as I am
Otago Daily Times , Issue 4492, 12 July 1876, Page 3
ALLEGED LIBEL ON THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CLERGY OF DUNEDIN.
F. W. Petrie, architect, residing, in Dunedin inferred, from reading the Evening Star, that it had mistaken the Dominican Order for that of the Sisters of Mercy. Substituting the Order of St Dominic for the Order of Sisters of Mercy (from which a nun had apparently defected to marry a priest)
2002 photo of priory a listed building http://www.heritage.org.nz/the-list/details/372
Catholic Buildings are - St Josephs Cathedral - St Dominics Priory - St Dominics (now Kavanagh) College are together in the block of Smith St - Rattray St - Tennyson St - York Place. Kavanagh College buildings are above (west of) the Cathedral.
1873 seems to have been the beginning of schooling. The Tablet was a Dunedin based Catholic Weekly
New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 60, 3 May 1873, Page 4
DOMINICAN CONVENT BOARDING AND DAY SCHOOL FOR YOUNG LADIES. THE Course of Instruction comprises an English Education in all its branches, French, German, and Italian Languages and Literature Music, Singing, Plain and Fancy Work, Drawing, Painting, etc., etc. For Terms and further particulars, apply to the LADY SUPERIORESS, DOWLING STREET, DUNEDIN. Visiting hours from 2 to 4 p.m. Private Lessons in the Languages and Accomplishments are also given at the Convent.
Otago Daily Times , Issue 4574, 14 October 1876, Page 3
TENDERS are requested for the Construction, in Brick, of a CONVENT for the Sisters of St. Dominic, in Dunedin. Full particulars at the office of the undersigned. FRANK W. PETRE, Engineer aud Architect, Bond street, Dunedin
Records would be with the School or Diocese (or possibly the Hocken)
Signal
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Thank you Janette and you too, Signal, for your input. This has led me to the following:
"St Philomena’s College
The Sisters of Mercy decided it was important to set up a high school for girls in Dunedin. St Philomena’s College was opened in 1897. The Siter used one of the rooms in their convent as a classroom. On the first day there were just 4 students at the new College. At night the classroom was used as a bedroom for the Sisters.
As more girls came to St Philomena’s, there was not enough space in the convent so a new school had to be built.
In 1975 St Dominic’s College and St Philomena College merged and became one new school. This new school was called Moreau College. In 1989, Moreau College was closed and students were sent to Kavanagh College."
It would seem from the above that Kavanagh College was/is a separate building at a different address.
Signal, the Galbraith girls from Smith Street would have had the school virtually on their doorstep.
I'm very impressed by the subjects on offer. Rather more than the "three Rs".
The Priory is a beautiful building. Does the building which housed the college still exist?
Minniehaha.
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As far as I remember, St Dominics was in buildings just uphill from the Priory and St Joseph's cathedral. I went to Christian Brothers, which was on the same block of land, but further up the hill, and from form 3 (1963) I was at St Paul's High School, which is the boys school that became co-ed Kavanagh College. From Google Maps, it appears most of the St Dominics buildings have gone, as has the old Christian Brothers school, which was on Tennyson st near York Place.
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Hello John, I was wondering if we would hear from you. Thank you for your contribution.
Now for my next question. Is it possible to obtain a photograph of St. Dominic's College (that was)??
Minniehaha.
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Minniehaha - the boarders were in the Priory building, and unfortunately it is the picture of that which comes up when you search for the school on google. One of the old school buildings may still be there, the light coloured building in the snip I have attached.
There is also a Community Archive link to material held at the Hocken Library, to do with Dominican schools.
http://thecommunityarchive.org.nz/node/78333/description
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Thank you John. I think my next port of call may be the Hocken Library. (Also suggested by Signal).
Minniehaha.
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John knows more than I do.
I couldn't bring to mind the Catholic Schools name changes so had to come in by the back door ;D
A silhouette is here
New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIV, Issue 34, 25 December 1896, Page 1
I would expect Hocken to have some pics - & possibly architects drawings
Here is the architect from http://builtindunedin.com/
Signal
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Hocken Library
http://hakena.otago.ac.nz
The only reference I could find was this
Title: Scenes from the Life of St Dominic, staged at St Dominic's College (1927)
Reference No:
AG-264-A-024/008 .Scenes from the Life of St Dominic, staged at St Dominic's College in Photographs in SER-02014
Signal
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Thank you John & Signal. I have sent an e-mail to the Hocken about the school records, which according to the website, seems they do hold. As for obtaining a photograph, this may not be possible. However there might be something, perhaps in newspapers not yet digitised.
Minniehaha.
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There is a photo here minnehaha. I recall the more austere northern concrete part of the building.
FFrohttps://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Petre#/media/File%3AStDominicsDunedin.jpg
This building was designed by the same architect who designed the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Christchurch which was severely damaged in the 2011 earthquake.