Mount Barker Catholic cemetery

Consecrated 18 Dec 1852 adjacent to church of St Francis de Sales. A section of the cemetery was cleared a few years ago for the circular roadway; the headstones were stacked haphazardly against a side fence.

 

“Early In December, 1852, Fr. Ryan was again at Mount Barker and after Mass examined candidates for Confirmation and arranged for the Bishop to be at Mount Barker on the fourth Sunday of Advent, December 19, 1852. On that day Bishop Murphy, after Mass in the morning, consecrated the Catholic Cemetery at Mount Barker.” [Southern Cross 13 May 1949]

 

St Francis de Sales church foundation stone 14 Feb 1850 by Bishop Murphy, consecrated 28 Dec 1851, located adjacent to cemetery, used as school when new church (Our Lady of Mercy) built in town, demolished 1941. The 1848 building combined church & living quarters.

 

“When Fathers Watkins and Luigi arrived in Mount Barker [in 1848] there were only a few Catholics in the locality, and they erected a long slab hut for the priests. This was divided into two portions, one of which served as an oratory and church and the other as sleeping apartments.” [Southern Cross 9 Aug 1912]

 

“Mgr. Byrne says that the Mount Barker people erected a ‘long slab-hut, which was divided into two compartments, of which one was set apart for an oratory and church on Sundays, and the other sub-divided into bedrooms, and another used for general purposes’. . . During the remainder of the year 1849, Fr. Ml. O'Brien was instructed by Dr. Murphy to secure the stone, sand, lime and other building materials, so that as early a start as possible could be made on the Mount Barker church. These instructions were immediately acted upon by Fr. O'Brien, with the result that Bishop Murphy, assisted by Fr. Michael O'Brien, laid the foundation stone of St. Francis de Sales Church, Mount Barker, on February 14, 1850. Hunter was the architect of the Mount Barker church. . . Fr. O'Brien was still occupying his ‘long slab-hut’. However, in the March of 1851, he was collecting for the first Mount Barker presbytery.” [Southern Cross 6 May 1949]

 

“For 60 years the old church of St. Francis de Sales has been doing good service, but it has been recognised for a long time that it was not large enough for the requirements besides which it is built on the hill to the east of the railway practically out of the town, and therefore is not conveniently situated for the congregation.” [Mount Barker Courier 17 Nov 1911]

 

“The old church will in future be used as a school and hall.” [Southern Cross 9 Aug 1912]

 

“The hand of the demolisher is at work on an old building at Mount Barker that is somewhat historical — the Roman Catholic church of St. Francis de Sales, situate over the railway line, on the hillside overlooking the town. . . The old building did service until August, 1912, when the Church of Our Lady of Mercy was opened in Gilles street. . . The old building, which had. also been used as a school, was at this time converted to use as a primary school for St. Scholastica's college, and did duty as such until about six years ago. It has gradually fallen into disrepair, and now, bereft of its roof and with walls partly dismantled.” [Mount Barker Courier 12 Jun 1941]

 

Done