| 1788 |
21 January Governor Arthur Phillip entered Sydney Harbour and landed at Camp Cove in the territory of what would one day be our parish; a few days later he moved the settlement further in, to Sydney Cove |
| 1790s |
South Head Lookout established by Captain John Hunter; Robert Watson, a seaman on the First Fleet ship HMS Sirius, appointed Signalman and later Harbour Master and granted land later known as ‘Watson’s Bay’ |
| 1800s - 1860s |
Watson’s Bay became a village of whalers, fisherman, marine pilots and signalmen |
| 1802 |
The first known Catholic family, Patrick and Catherine Humphries and sons, lived in what is believed to be the first cottage in Watson’s Bay on what was known as ‘Humphrey’s four acres’; Mass was celebrated from time to time in the cottage (and later in the house of Francis Atton in Hopetoun Ave) by Frs Norbert Woolfrey OCSO (PP of Kincumber, then of Waverley), Eugene Luckie OSB (who started the Missions to Illawarra and Ipswich), Patrick Newman and Frs Leeming and Fr Garvey |
| 1849 |
Crown grant of two acres at ‘Kutti’ to the Catholic Church for a church, school and presbytery (the grant was not finalised until 1914) |
| 1850 |
The new parish of Sacred Heart Darlinghurst covered most of Eastern Sydney |
| 1850s |
Military fortifications began at South Head (for fear of the French, later the Russians, and later the Japanese); Watson’s Bay was subdivided and the population increased significantly |
| 1857 |
Wreck of the Dunbar at the Gap with the loss of 121 lives and of the Catherine Adamson with 21 lives; parishioner Frederick Thomas Dunn, captain of the Watsons Bay Lifeboat Patrol, was one of the first to the scene to assist the rescue efforts |
| 1858 |
South Head Public School (later renamed Watson’s Bay School) built next to the Catholic Church property; transferred to Vaucluse in 1924 and, from 1928, the building became a Scout Hall |
| 1860s onwards |
A horse-drawn bus service operating from Circular Quay brought tourists to this increasingly popular recreation area, with its hotel, beaches, views from ‘The Gap’ and a private zoo (with a lion which the children could ride, a tiger which took the zoo-keeper’s arm, and a retired elephant). One of the services was operated by John Dykes, who later had an avenue in the area named after him. |
| 1867 - 1970 |
St Anthony’s Church Watson’s Bay built by Fr Newman; locals, including Portuguese fishermen, quarried the stone from the site under the direction of Joseph de Silva; Mass celebrated about every three months by Fr J J Garvey |
| 1870s onwards |
as the Eastern suburbs were developed, distinct parishes were created at Edgecliff (St Joseph’s 1874), Paddington (St Francis’ 1889), Woollahra (Holy Cross 1906) and Rose Bay (St Mary Magdalene’s 1914) |
| 1870s |
The first attempt at a Catholic school (by Mr Hynes) failed; members of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine came to Watson’s Bay each Sunday to conduct a Sunday School for the children |
| 1879 |
Franciscan Fathers took charge of the ‘Paddington-Woollahra Mission’, extending from Paddington ‘as far out as Watson’s Bay’ (Frs Holohan, Hanrahan, Joyce, Dunne, Cavanagh, Slattery, Birch, Kennedy, Gaynor, Sheehan, Mullan and Birch osf) |
| 1880 |
27 June Archbishop Roger Bede Vaughan made the first episcopal visitation of Watson’s Bay for the purpose of conferring Confirmation; glass windows were introduced for the event |
| 1880 - 1981 |
Church improvements included plastering the walls, painting the wood-work, erecting a wooden ceiling, introducing a cedar altar and altar rails, new carpet for the sanctuary and proper benches; the church land was fenced and ornamental trees planted, but in the next cold winter the fence disappeared for firewood and grazing cattle ate the trees |
| 1882 |
Convent of the Sacred Heart founded at Rose Bay; the people of Watson’s Bay were invited to attend daily Mass and Benediction at the convent |
| 1884 |
Primary school erected at corner of Vaucluse and South Head Roads by the Sacred Heart sisters and blessed by Cardinal Patrick Moran; attended by children from the district |
| 1885 |
Parishioner William Bede Dalley, son of Irish convicts, became Acting Premier of NSW; he was Solicitor-General, Attorney-General and adjudicator of disputes with the local Aborigines (who lived at what is now Neilsen Park) |
| 1893 |
A parish mission conducted at Watson’s Bay was so overcrowded that discussions began about building a larger church; leading parish families such as the de Frazers, Whites, Dunns, Avelars, Attons, Silvas, Dawsons and others began a fund for a new church |
| 1898 |
Front porch and back sacristy were added to St Anthony’s Church |
| 1900s |
Considerable growth in the local population (especially due to subdivision of the Wentworth estate at Vaucluse) meant the parish needed a bigger church... |
| 1901 - 1909 |
City tramline extended (from Rose Bay Pier) to South Head (operated until 1960) |
| 1906 – 1907 |
The Franciscans were relieved of the care of Watson’s Bay which was transferred to Fr Patrick O’Reilly, PP of Woollahra; he came regularly to celebrate Mass and supervise the building of a new church |
| 1908 |
Sr M Marcellus and Sr M Aloysius rsm, Monte Mercies, came each day by ferry from St Patrick’s Harrington Street to instruct the local children; for a time they lived with the Norrie family |
| 1909 |
28 February Cardinal Moran made his first visit to Watson’s Bay to bless a foundation stone for Our Lady Star of the Sea Church and another for a Convent of Mercy
First wedding in the still-incomplete church was of RJ Whealan and Margaret Kurtz |
| 1910 |
Cardinal Moran returned to open the new church which had cost of £1548 and been built from sandstone quarried on the church land, with a varnished kauri ceiling and with plain lead-lighting |
| 1910 - 1975 |
The Convent of Mercy operated (with up to 7 sisters) adjacent St Anthony’s Hall with a lower primary school (and boarders until the early 1960s) |
| 1911 |
Conference of the St Vincent de Paul Society founded |
| 1912 |
The Watson’s Bay Children of Mary Sodality founded |
| 1913 |
Care of Watson’s Bay transferred from Woollahra to Bondi under Fr Michael Fitzpatrick PP |
| 1917 |
Care of Watson’s Bay passed to Rose Bay under Fr Richard O’Reagan (who rode an Indian Motor Cycle to Mass sporting leather gauntlets to the elbows) |
| 1919 |
Mass celebrated in the open air on front veranda of the Convent during the swine flu epidemic; many wore masks |
| 1920s |
First enlargement of the parish school; Archbishop Kelly laid a new foundation stone in 1924 |
| 1927 |
Greycliffe Ferry Disaster: ‘The School Boat’ from the City to Watson’s Bay collided with RMS Tahiti and sank; 39 were drowned, many of them children; this was the beginning-of-the-end for private ferries to area
Our Lady Star of the Sea Watson’s Bay was made a separate parish |
| 1928 |
A new presbytery was built and blessed by Archbishop Michael Kelly on 20 May |
| 1927 - 1932 |
Fr John Halpin OBE, a veteran of Anzac Cove and former Dean of the Cathedral, was the first Parish Priest of the new parish; in his period St Mary’s Hall was famous for its dances, musicals and cinematographs |
| 1929 – 1930 |
New Stations of the Cross, pictures of the Sacred Heart and Our Lady Help of Christians and altar rails installed; the boys’ sacristy was added to the Eastern end of the church |
| 1932 |
Fr Callaghan administered the parish |
| 1932 - 1936 |
Fr John Muirhead was the second Parish Priest; he introduced a new altar and the church Chronicle |
| 1935 |
Parishioner Francis Brian McGinley was ordained to the priesthood at St Mary’s Cathedral and celebrated his ‘First Mass’ at Star of the Sea |
| 1936 - 1963 |
Fr (later Monsignor) Daniel Hannan BA was the third Parish Priest |
| 1937 |
Star of the Sea Holy Name Society established |
| 1938 |
Fr W Hudson Administrator of the Parish while Fr Hannan holidayed in Ireland |
| 1938 |
Parishioner William Malone ordained to the priesthood at St Mary’s and celebrated his ‘First Mass’ at Star of the Sea |
| 1940 |
The church was extended by 26 ft on the front and new confessionals, font, choir and façade introduced and blessed by Mons. Richard Collender vg |
| 1941, 1944 and 1947 |
Sir Norman Cardinal Gilroy visitated the Parish and confirmed the children |
| 1942 |
A Civilian War Emergency Aid Service Organisation was established by the ladies of the parish |
| 1942 |
Solemn High Mass to mark Fr Hannan’s silver jubilee of priesthood |
| 1944 |
Fr Hannan recorded that of 1068 parishioners, 80 were absent on military service; Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament was held on days of special prayer during the war |
| 1944 |
Parishioner Bernard Hawke ssc was ordained to the priesthood in Nebraska USA for the Chinese Missions; his sister, Dorothy, entered the Sisters of Mercy, as did Marie Theresa Dunn of the parish |
| 1940s, 50s & early 60s |
in this period the two Sunday Masses could draw over 700 people in total (weekday Mass around 30); there were many devotions and parish missions; parish groups included the Holy Childhood Sodality (around 50 children), Holy Name Society (70-80 men), Children of Mary (around 20-30 young women), Sacred Heart Sodality (80-120 older women) and the St Vincent de Paul Society (around 9-15 members) |
| 1948 |
Parishioner Patrick Sullivan ordained priest at St Mary’s and celebrated ‘First Mass’ at Our Lady Star of the Sea |
| 1949 |
St Thérèse Dover Heights became a separate parish |
| 1949 |
Parishioner, Dr GG McDonald (eventually Chancellor of the University of Sydney), led a local protest against the imprisonment of Cardinal Mindszenty of Poland; his son Charles was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1959 |
| 1950 |
Archbishop Eris O’Brien, long time friend of the parish, conducted the episcopal visitation and Confirmations |
| 1950 |
Stone wall extended along Robertson Place |
| 1951 |
Frs Francis Reilly and Gregory Madden administered the Parish while Fr Hannan was in Ireland |
| 1951 |
Our Lady of Fatima statue given by Woodward family |
| 1958 |
Extensions of the parish school blessed by Cardinal Gilroy |
| 1960 |
Carrara marble statue of Our Lady Star of the Sea erected on the façade |
| 1960s |
Memorial Chapel of St George the Martyr erected at HMAS Watson; Mass celebrated there from time to time |
| 1963 |
Fr Francis Reilly administered the parish |
| 1963 - 1996 |
Fr Patrick Ford was the fourth Parish Priest |
| 1966 |
The church was enlarged, the approach to the church altered, the spire was added and stained glass windows from Grenoble installed; a new sanctuary was added, including the great Southern Cross window and Tom Bass pulpit under the direction of Fr Ford; Cardinal Gilroy blessed the improvements on 31 July |
| 1970s |
Presbytery enlarged and number of Masses increased with introduction of evening Masses; Fr (later Monsignor) Tony Doherty was briefly curate; but the number of attending parishioners was declining and most parish groups ceased; there were fewer young people in the parish |
| 1971 |
New Carrara marble altar erected in memory of the O’Connell, Hutchison and Inglis families |
| 1972 |
Parishioner Geoff Plant ordained as a Franciscan Priest at Our Lady Star of the Sea on 13th May |
| 1973 |
Parishioner John Willis ordained a priest at Star of the Sea on 23rd August |
| 1982 |
Closure of parish school: student numbers had fallen from around 100 at its height to below 30 by the 1970s |
| 1983 |
A second lectern was erected in honour of Monsignor Thomas Veech |
| 1985 - 1988 |
Erection of Vaughan Village and renovation of the Hall; opened by Sir James Cardinal Freeman |
| 1980s onwards |
Number of attending parishioners levelled out at around 100 |
| 1990 |
Ahlborn pipeless organ from Stuttgart installed in place of 1887 Walcker et Cie pipe organ |
| 1991 |
New Paschal candle stand erected in memory of Monsignor John Leonard |
| 1997-2003 |
Fr Kevin Burton was the fifth Parish Priest |
| 2003 |
Parish administered from Rose Bay by Monsignor John Walsh; Fr Bernard Moylan assisted from Dover Heights |
| 2003 |
Bishop Anthony Fisher OP was the sixth Parish Priest |
| 2004 - 1909 |
Restoration works undertaken on the Church, hall and presbytery in preparation for the centenary of the new church |
| 2009 |
On 16 August George Cardinal Pell consecrated the church and altar |
| 2010 |
Bishop Anthony Fisher OP appointed Bishop of Parramatta |
| 2011 |
Bishop Peter A. Comensoli appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney and seventh Parish Priest |
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