St Mary's Catholic School (fmr)

Statement of Significance

St Mary's Church School (fmr), a timber and iron former school building, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
the place was established by the Sisters of Mercy and was the first Catholic school in South Bunbury. Its establishment reflects both the growth of the surburb and the invovlement of the Sisters of Mercy in Western Australia's education system at this time;
the place is a simple example of the Federation Carpenter Gothic style of architecture;
the place has landmark qualities and contributes to the streetscape and the community's sense of place.

Physical Description

St Mary’s Church School, Columba Street is a single storey timber and iron former school building (now a church) designed in the Federation Carpenter Gothic style of architecture. The walls are timber framed and clad with timber weatherboards. There is a rendered masonry façade to the building that was added at a later date. The roof is a simple gable roof clad with corrugated iron. Windows are timber framed double hung sashes.

History

St Mary’s Church School, in Columba Street, was opened and blessed by Bishop Mathew Gibney in 1904. Two classrooms were added to the original church in 1927 and were used until 1993. From 1955, the original school has been used for church purposes.

Catherine McAuley (born Dublin, 1781) founded the Order of Mercy in 1824 to carry mercy to Dublin’s needy. Although it was not established as a religious institute, the order quickly became associated with the Catholic Church.

Six Sisters of Mercy were chosen to travel to the colony of Western Australia, arriving in Fremantle on 8 January 1846. They were the first religious order of women in Australia and from Western Australia they established branches in the Eastern colonies.

On arrival in Western Australia the Sisters initially lodged with a Protestant lady before moving into a four room cottage in St George’s Terrace, Perth, which became their temporary convent. The sisters soon opened a school for Catholics and Protestants alike, and they also began to take in orphans, including Aboriginal children.

In June 1883, the Sisters of Mercy established a branch house in Bunbury. For 14 years, the Sisters occupied a two roomed cottage and taught in a small detached room. [The location of the convent and school room is not known.] To accommodate the increasing number of students, St Joseph’s Hall was built [now demolished].

Biship Gibney did not approve of the system of branch convents, whereby branches were dependent on the mother house. In accordance with his wishes, the Bunbury convent severed its connections with the Victoria Square community in 1897. At this time, there were four sisters, an assistant and a mother superior in Bunbury.

From Bunbury, the Sisters of Mercy established themselves in Bridgetown and in 1915, they were asked by Archbishop Clune to take over the flourishing schools which had previously been run by the Sisters of St John of God in Greenbushes.

In 1937 under the direction of the Most Reverend Dr Prendiville, Archbishop of Perth, the Sisters of Mercy in Bunbury and other parts of the State agreed to amalgamate with the Victoria Square convent for the benefits of uniformity in training and facilities for university education. Most agreed to do so at a meeting hosted by Prendiville in Bunbury in 1937.

The Sisters of Mercy were mainly known for teaching and nursing but also ran and taught in primary and secondary schools, hospitals, orphanages and Magdalen homes. They are best known for expanding education in Western Australia from one student in 1846 to many schools in the State.

On 8 October 1954, the Sisters of Mercy engaged A. D. Dalton to build a new brick convent school at Lot 170 Columba Street at an estimated cost of £7,500.

The following year a separate new primary school was completed in Mary Street and the original school building was then used solely for church purposes.

Integrity/Authenticity

Medium degree of integrity (original intent partially clear, current use compatible - related but different use to original, high long term sustainability).
Medium degree of authenticity - alterations but with much original fabric remaining (These statements based on street survey only).
The original form of the building is identifiable, despite major extensions, and a new brick facade.

Condition

Condition assessed as good (assessed from streetscape survey only).

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.