Nazareth House, Wynnum

Nazareth House, Wynnum
Entered on the Queensland Heritage Register 2 April 2002, Nazareth House is significant for its association with the establishment of the Poor Sisters of Nazareth in Queensland and the religious and social practices they implemented. The establishment of Nazareth House reflects particularly the active interest of James Duhig and his confident building program which saw the establishment of many of the Catholic Church's prominent buildings during his time as Archbishop of Brisbane.
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Location of Nazareth House, Wynnum

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Theme

Buildings

Time

1920s

Place

Brisbane

Tags

Architecture Church Heritage
Source
QSA Series ID 20380, Heritage Register Place / Site Slides
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Nazareth House: St Marys North Elevation

News of the day

Daily Standard, Friday 14 August 1925, page 5

NAZARETH HOUSE, WYNNUM.

As advertised elsewhere in this Issue, the large brick building which has been erected by the Sisters of Nazareth at Wynnum will be opened by Sir Matthew Nathan on Sunday next, August 16.

The congregation of Nazareth has its headquarters in London, where its first house was established over 60 years ago. In the meantime, branches have been founded in several parts of the English-speaking world. The Sisters are consecrated to a life of charity for the sake of the poor. The new house at Wynnum, which is prettily situated on a hill overlooking the mouth of the river, the Islands of Moreton Bay, and Wynnum, will provide accommodation for about 300 inmates; and within the limits of that accommodation it will be open to the aged poor of Queensland, irrespective of creed.

In the erection of the building the Sisters have incurred an expenditure of over £50,000 and the furnishing of the place will run into another £10,000. The Sisters rely upon the generosity of the people of Queensland to assist them in this work.

The ceremony on Sunday will have a twofold attraction. In the first place it will give all who are interested In the welfare of the undertaking an opportunity to inspect the building and to render such financial assistance as may reasonably be permitted by their circumstances in life; and, in the second place, it will be the last public-ceremony of the kind which will be performed before his departure from Queensland, by the Governor.

Details in regard to the special train arrangements appear in the advertisement.

Background

Nazareth House, situated on Tingal Hill, Wynnum, was designed by Brisbane architectural firm, Hennessy, Hennessy, Keesing & Co and JP Donoghue and built by George Turner. Nazareth House was officially opened by Archbishop Duhig in 1925 as part of the charitable institution established on the site by the Poor Sisters of Nazareth.

The Congregation of the Poor Sisters of Nazareth was founded by Mother St Basil in London in 1854. The order was established to care for the aged poor at the request of Cardinal Wiseman, Archbishop of Westminster. The first foundation of the of the order to be established in Australia was at Ballarat in 1888. At the request of Archbishop Duhig, a Queensland chapter was founded in 1921. Archbishop Duhig had visited Nazareth House in London and subsequently petitioned the Mother-General to send a community of nuns to Queensland. Duhig then proceeded to search for a suitable site.

Courtesy of Queensland Heritage Register

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