AN EARLY HISTORY OF ST NICHOLAS’ CHURCH TAMWORTH FROM 1853-1953
INTRODUCTION
G.A. HOBAN
The decision to make an attempt to list chronologically some of the most significant events in the first one hundred years of our parish life, has been made necessary by the fact that there are very few original documents in existence which relate to that period. Many details of parish life in earlier years are in danger of being forgotten with the passing of time. Whilst there is much that has been brought to remembrance in the list which follows, there are – of necessity many omissions.
Events that go on for years do not lend themselves to single line entries, and they could only be trivialised by attempting to do so. There is no mention of either World War for example, nor of the severe economic depressions of the 1890’s and the 1930’s. Probably the whole chronology should be headed by noting the essential fact, that whatever material advances have been made in the provision of buildings and facilities of all kinds, the one most important aspect of our parish life has been the enduring and ongoing practice of our Faith, which has been marked by continual practical expressions of charity, and a sturdy continuance of confidence in Divine Providence.
Through war and peace, through boom and bust, through good seasons and bad, the practice of the Faith has flourished at St Nicholas’. As we reflect on the past, we should humbly pray that this may continue into the future.
A CHRONOLOGY OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AT ST NICHOLAS’
1838
Rev John Thomas Lynch (1816 – 1884) arrives in New South Wales. Appointed to East Maitland as joint pastor, with Rev Edmund Mahoney, of the only Catholic church north of Sydney. First priest to appear in New England; rode as far afield as Armidale.
1844
Dean Charles Hanly, first priest at Moreton Bay, riding from Moreton Bay to Sydney, baptizes Jude Layden (b.1844) in Tamworth. Probably celebrates the first Mass in Tamworth.
1848
Dean John Rigney (1814 – 1903) appointed to Singleton.Dean John Lynch appointed to Armidale. Both men visited Tamworth at irregular intervals. Dean Rigney celebrates first recorded Mass in Tamworth – June 1848 at Robert Peel Inn, Ebsworth St., West Tamworth.
1848
Town of Tamworth (East Tamworth) surveyed; 19 streets laid out & named by Surveyor-General Thomas Mitchell.
1849
Double width grant of land made to the Catholic Church by Colonial Government of New South Wales; land runs the full length of northern side of White St, from Marius St. to Peel St.
1853
Rev Timothy McCarthy (1829 – 1879) appointed resident Priest at Armidale to serve northern NSW. His district: from Murrurundi to the Queensland border; from Wee Waa to the coast. He was first pastor of Tamworth.
1855
Rev John Dunne appointed to Armidale as assistant to Father Timothy McCarthy.
1858
9th February: foundation stone for first substantial church building in Tamworth laid by Father Timothy McCarthy, assisted by Mr. PJ Coghlan and Mr. Daniel Regan. The church to be built of brick; was to replace temporary structure on same site, previously used for church purposes. New St Nicholas’ Church built parallel to White St, on an east-west axis, about 60 meters west of present church.
1859
30th January: new Saint Nicholas ‘Church blessed and opened by Dean John Lynch. Contractor: Mr. Grace; total cost 575 pounds;232 pounds subscribed on day of opening.
1860
3rd June: Public meeting held at Harp of Erin Hotel in Tamworth to discuss need for a resident priest. Meeting guaranteed to raise 200 pounds to help support a clergyman.
1861
16th November: Archbishop JB Polding OSB, accompanied by Rev Mellitus Corish and escorted by Father Tim McCarthy, made the first episcopal visitation of northern area of his archdiocese. He administered the sacrament of Confirmation to 20 candidates in St Nicholas’ Church (17th November) and received 47 children for their First Communion. He celebrated his 66th birthday (18th November) in Tamworth. A delegation of local Catholics asked the Archbishop for the appointment of a resident priest for Tamworth.
1862
March: Rev John Killeen Handy (1834 – 1874) arrives in Tamworth to be Pastor of the Liverpool Plains and first resident priest of St Nicholas’. He establishes a school in St Nicholas’ Church ‘along American lines’, School Mistress Isobel Kendall of Maitland.
1862
November: Clergy changes notified from Sydney: Rev Tim McCarthy from Armidale to Carcoar; Dean John Lynch from Maitland to Armidale; Rev James Garvey to Tamworth.
1864
Tamworth proclaimed a Parish; Father Garvey first Parish Priest.
1865
See of Maitland established. First Bishop, Dr. James Murray, consecrated in Dublin.
1866
Bishop Murray takes possession of his Diocese; Tamworth no longer part of Sydney Archdiocese but included in new Diocese of Maitland.
1870
Rev Michael Gough appointed Parish Priest of St Nicholas’. Built 1st presbytery in White St. Small brick Building of 5 rooms.
1874
Bishop Murray obtains government agreement to sell Peel St frontage of the land granted to the Church in 1849. He then buys ‘three half sections’ of land in Marius St, adjoining the present church (as site of future Dominican Convent).
1875
September: Rev Patrick Dwyer Ryan appointed to Tamworth. Continues as Parish Priest for 24 years until his death in 1899.Largely responsible for consolidation of the church in Tamworth.
1876
12th January: Arrival of first Dominican Sisters in Tamworth. 4 Sisters: Mother M. Regis Dowley; Sr.M. Francis Hayden; Novice Gertrude O’Loughlin and lay Sister Aloysius Lynch, escorted by Bishop Murray & Father Foran of Maitland, travel by train to Murrurundi rail terminus, then by coach to Tamworth with an overnight stay with a family in Ardglen. Accommodated in presbytery in Tamworth; Father Ryan moving to PJ Coghlan’s residence,” The Pines”, in Hill St. 16th January: Sisters begin teaching in St Nicholas’ Church – First day 90 pupils in Primary, 10 in Secondary.
1877
10th March: foundation stone for new St Nicholas’ Church (the present one) laid by Bishop Murray. Father Ryan celebrates Mass in existing church, with five to six hundred in attendance.
1878
Railway reaches West Tamworth, school enrolments double.
1879
New St Nicholas’ Church blessed & opened by Bishop Murray, after 2 years in build. Contractor: William Dowell (who assisted Mr. Grace in building the old Church). Cost in excess of 3000 pounds. Old church now used for educational purposes only.
1880
21st June: contract signed for erection of a new three-storey convent for the Dominican Sisters on the site purchased in 1874.Contract price: 2353.1882 pounds.
1882
January: Completed Convent blessed & opened by Dean Thomas English, Vicar-General, Diocese of Maitland.
1885
Erection of new two-story brick presbytery on site of first presbytery in White St.
1887
Tamworth transferred from Diocese of Maitland to Diocese of Armidale (Bishop Elzear Torreggiani). 2 Maitland priests, acting as locum tenens while Father Ryan was in Ireland, returned to their diocese. Priests from Armidale took their place until Fr Ryan’s return.
1894
27th September: First Catholic Ball held in Tamworth at Alhambra Hall.
1899
September: Death of Fr PD Ryan, after 24 years as Parish Priest. Bishops Murray & Torreggiani attended his Funeral. Parishioners subscribed for an elaborate headstone. Fr James O’Neill, curate at St Nicholas’, appointed administrator pro tem. Appointment later confirmed as Tamworth became a Mensal Parish of the Bishop of Armidale. September: 1st meeting of special Parish Committee formed to find means of paying off the 2000 pounds debt on St Nicholas’ Church. Office Bearers: Charles Regan, H McVeigh, CJ Shannon.
1901
January: Celebrations to mark silver jubilee of Dominican Sisters in Tamworth. Bishop Murray attended from Maitland & later laid the foundation stone for the new chapel at St Dominic’s.
1901
Rev James O’Neill inducted as Dean of Tamworth.
1903
3rd May: Consecration of Monsignor Patrick Joseph O’Connor as Co-adjutor Bishop of Armidale with right of succession.
December: Final payment on the outstanding debt on St. Nicholas’ Church.
1904
28th January: Death of Bishop Elzear Torreggiani OSFC (Bishop of Armidale from 1879) and succession of Bishop PJ O’Connor. Completion of chapel at St Dominic’s. Blessed and Opened by Bishop O’Connor. Cost: 1500 pounds.
1905
19th March: New brick church – St Patrick’s – at Attunga blessed and opened by Bishop O’Connor.
1909
October: Completion of St Nicholas’ Parish Hall incorporating 2 extra classrooms.
1910
Additions to the former church, now used as a primary school, in the form of an extra room at each end of the building.
1913
27th October: Laying of Foundation Stone for major extensions to St Nicholas’ Church, to increase capacity by approximately 50%. Projected cost: 3000 pounds; 1516 pounds collected at laying of Foundation Stone.
1914
Completion of extensions to St Nicholas’ Church. Dean O’Neill moved to Inverell as PP. Fr William Mullins appointed to St Nicholas’ as Administrator.
1915
12 December: laying of Foundation Stone for St Michael’s Church, Dungowan.
1919
Building of St Joseph’s Church-School at West Tamworth and the arrival of Sisters of St Joseph to teach there
1922
Death of Fr W Mullins. Fr John R Collender appointed as Administrator at St Nicholas’.
1923
Building of new classroom block at Dominican Convent for secondary school.
1924
Purchase of ‘Carthona’ (two-storey residence with extensive grounds in Carthage St) as site for future Christian Brothers’ College. Cost 1200 pounds.
1925
26 January: Arrival of Christian Brothers in Tamworth. Brothers Whiting, O’Connor, Lathey & Newman begin teaching in parochial primary school in White St until new College is built. First day enrolment: 120 boys. Brothers housed at ‘Carthona’.
1928
Fr John Collender moved to Manilla as PP. Rev Dr Patrick J Dunne appointed Administrator at St Nicholas’. Area west of the Peel River separated from St Nicholas’ Parish, to become new parish of West Tamworth. Fr Dave Carroll appointed first Parish Priest.
1929
Commencement of new Christian Brothers’ College in Carthage St, following a very successful Parish bazaar at which sum of 3000 pounds was netted
Purchase of single-storey residence, ‘Coolinda’, corner of Carthage & White Streets, as a residence for the Brothers – ‘Carthona’ having been demolished.
1930
Completion and Official Opening of Christian Brothers’ College, dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Total cost: 6830 pounds. Completion of a new school and convent at Dungowan, for the sisters of St Joseph.
1932
15th July: Death of Bishop Patrick Joseph O’Connor, succeeded as Bishop of Armidale by Bishop John Aloysius Coleman as fourth Bishop of Armidale.
A new timber church built in Kootingal, dedicated to St Marie Therese, replaces earlier church destroyed by fire.
1938
Work commences on building of a new church and school at North Tamworth on land donated by Maguire family. Bricks for the church donated by Albert Shepherd; contractor: Frank Lane. Work commencement preceded by a long period of fund-raising in the parish at large.
Erection of St Peter’s Church, Nundle.
1939
21st May: Completed church at North Tamworth, dedicated to Our Lady of Victories, was blessed & opened by Bishop JA Coleman.
1947
Purchase of former Military Hospital at Woolomol – now Oxley Vale – as site for a future Nazareth House.
22nd December: Death of Bishop John Aloysius Coleman, Bishop of Armidale from 1932.
1948
Consecration of Dr EJ Doody in Brisbane, to be 5th Bishop of Armidale.
1948
Demolition of 2nd presbytery (1885?) and erection of a new cream brick building of two stories on the same site.
Arrival of the Poor Sisters of Nazareth to staff new facility in former Military Hospital at Oxley Vale, renamed Nazareth House.
1952
Rev Dr. PJ Dunne (Monsignor Dunne by then) moves to West Tamworth as Parish Priest after 24 years as Administrator of St Nicholas’.
1953
Rev John M O’Connor appointed Administrator of St Nicholas’, one hundred years since arrival of Rev Timothy McCarthy.