Lethbridge congregation in front of original Church c. 1910
Lethbridge was originally known as “Muddy Water Holes” and became a favoured camping stopover place for travellers. Bishop Goold rested with his horse here, when travelling from Geelong to Ballarat on the afternoon of Sunday 16th September, 1853.
The discovery of gold in 1851 brought hordes of eager prospectors heading for the diggings.
To capture this trade businesses became established.
During the building of the Geelong to Ballarat railway from 1858 to 1862 between 1500 and 2000 workers with their famlies were encamped at Lethbridge.
After the completion of the railway in 1862 many of the busnesses closed and those that remained relocated closer to the railway station.
The quarrying of the vast bluestone deposits discovered by the railway contractors continued until 1954 and was a major source of employment in the district.
Regarded as the best in the colony Lethbridge bluestone was used in the building of St Mary of the Angels and St Peter and Pauls Catholic churches in Geelong and for the steps leading up to State Parliament House in Melbourne. Lethbridge once boasted seven hotels (nearly all in the hands of Catholic licensees).
A recent addition are the chicken sheds, built to house live chickens on the outskirts of the township are a in recent years. Agricultural and pastoral pursuits still form an important part of the local economy.
The laying of a piped water supply has encouraged many new residents to settle in the district and commute to their places of employment.
Land was secured at Lethbridge in 1860 for Catholic church purposes. Situated in the centre of the original township sub-division, the site fronted High Street (the main Geelong to Ballarat road) on the Nth West cnr of Tolson Street, the road leading Westward towards Teesdale.
Two of the persons appointed in 1860 to be trustees of the land set apart at Lethbridge as a site for a Roman Catholic school were local hotel licensees, James Wallace and John Murphy.
On the 3rd November, 1859 John Murphy submited a list containing the names of 42 children expected to attend the Catholic School in Lethbridge
Dean Hayes from St Mary‘s in Geelong blessed and opened the school on the 1st of January,1861.
Its dimensions 49 feet by 21 feet by 12 feet high, the building included a master‘s dwelling also an entrance porch to the school house. Foundations and base of the best bluestone, superstructures timber and roof slated. W.M.Williams of Geelong was the architect.
With the opening of the Lethbridge State School in 1874 the Catholic school closed and was struck off the roll as from 31st March,1874.
A report in the Advocate in 1877 stated that the Catholic school at Lethbridge was one of the first from which State Aid was taken, but it has been supported for years by the voluntary contributions of the Catholic residents.
The Advocate August 2nd, 1879 LETHBRIDGE CATHOLIC EDUCATION DEFENCE ASSOCIATION A meeting of this branch was held on Sunday, 20th, July, after the late Mass. The Rev.Gerald Byrne was voted to the chair. He explained the object of the meeting, and dwelt at some length on the necessity of each one doing his duty in the matter. The Education Act was passed into law simply to deprive Catholics of that share of the vote to which, as taxpayers, they are entitled. Successive Ministries have held office since the passing of the Act, and however widely they differed on other subjects, they were all agreed on one- that is, to still deprive the Catholics of their rights. He need not say that some suffered severely through having to support their own schools while paying their share of the taxes of the country. This is the case more especially with the poor. Some of those present had had bitter experience of the truth of his words. Proposed by Michael Waters, seconded by James McKay, “That the time has arrived when Catholics should use every lawful means in their power to secure a share of the education vote.”
Proposed by Denis Dillon, seconded by Patrick Scanlon, “That the Catholics of this district pledge themselves not to support any candidate for Parliament who is not favourable to Catholic views on the education question.” These resolutions were carried without opposition. The school reopened again in 1874 and finally closed in March, 1886.
Miss Kate Callanan was appointed to the school in December,1862 and Miss Collins was the teacher in 1877. Gerald Brosnan who captained and coached Fitzroy to two Premierships in 1904 and 1905, commenced his education at the Lethbridge Catholic school. He later became the chief football writer for “The Sun” newspaper.
The Catholic church at Lethbridge may have been built in 1860 as it is mentioned classes were held in the school building in that year.
A total of 39 children were baptized at Lethbridge in the year 1860 and on the 17th June of that year 13 children were baptized. Dean Hayes from St.Mary‘s in Geelong visited often, conducting bapisms and celebrating Mass. Another priest to come here regularly was Fr.Patrick.Madden, who attended on the 17th June,1860.
From 1853 to 1875 inclusive the baptismal registers held at St Mary‘s Geelong contain the names of 251 children the parents of whom were recorded as living at Lethbridge.
On Monday 23rd October,1876 Bishop Goold visited Lethbridge to administer confirmation to 175 children. Jesuit Priest Fr William Kelly who accompanied the Bishop celebrated the Mass assisted by the Parish Priest Rev.James.L.Hegarty.
In August, 1914 the church was moved to Lal Lal and the building of the present church commenced.
The new church was blessed and opened by the Coadjutor Archbishop of Melbourne (the Most Rev Dr Mannix) on Sunday 27 October,1914. In the blessing ceremony Archbishop Mannix was assisted by Fr.Cussen C.SS.R and Fr.P.A.Vaughan the Parish Priest. Those present at the opening contributed seventy pounds towards the cost of the new church. The architects were Lusk and Moriarty. After Mass an address of welcome was presented to the Archbishop by Mr.B.Farrelly.
In the week following the opening a mission was given in the church by Redemptorist Priest Fr.Patrick.Cussen C.SS.R.
The first baptisms in the new church at Lethbridge took place during the mission.
Violet Frances Noble and Andrew William Noble, the children of Edwin John Noble and Elizabeth Frances (nee Jeffrey) were baptised on the 30th October, 1914 by Fr.Patrick.Cussen C.SS.R.
Fr.Conlon celebrated the first wedding in the present church on 18 January,1927 when Miss Alice Bromley was married to Mr.Patrick. James. Scanlon.
Previous to the ceremony the bride was presented with a handsome white ivory prayer book to mark the fact she was the first bride to be married in St Mary‘s church.
In years past the congregation was made up of local residents the only exception being Christmas and Easter when visitors swelled the numbers. The men tended to sit on the left and the ladies on the right hand side of the aisle, while sitting in somebody else‘s favourite pew was frowned upon.
Special occasions such as a visit to the parish by the Archbishop would have been about the only time you strayed outside of your local church.
The introduction of the Saturday evening Mass has changed all that and we now have what could be termed a floating congregation. Church numbers have shown a decline over the past decade.
Funerals are now about the only time the seating is inadequate with standees inside and outside the church.
At the funeral of a former parishioner the undertaker was requested to open the coffin in the church while the family argued over the next of kin.
One elderly parishioner who walked three miles to church and three miles home again often arrived when Mass was nearly over. This same person thought nothing of walking two miles across the paddocks of a Sunday evening to a neighbors house to listen to the Catholic Hour on the radio before lighting the lantern and setting off for home around midnight. One large family would often arrive when the priest was half way through his sermon, and walk in file up the aisle to the only vacant pew near the front. On the rare occasions they arrived before Mass had commenced the father would remark, “are we early or is he late”, to the amusement of those waiting outside.
Tom Lynch first started coming to Lethbridge in 1939 in an A model Ford obtained new from the Ford Works in 1929 for two hundred and ten pounds, Tom is now a regular at the Friday morning Mass here, dividing his attendance on Sunday between Meredith, Anakie and Bannockburn.
In his memoirs Bill Connellan recalled the yarning outside the Catholic church which used to take place for half an hour or so before Mass every Sunday morning. Among those present would be John Connellan (Bill‘s father) Bill Bromley, Denny McMahon,Mick and Johnny Dillon and a couple of the Scanlons. While we kids sat around in the sun of a hot morning brushing the flies off ourselves and listening to the yarning of the old men.
Tess Medlin is our present altar server. One altar server had the misfortune to drop the missal during the Mass, and the priest had to remark the pages. The altar server‘s uncle felt so embarrassed, he never came to Mass at Lethbridge again.
Mary Perdrisat, surrounded by her young family, filled a rear seat near the door, in readiness for a quick exit, when the children started to kick up a shine. Mary Caffrey would jiggle her rosary beads to keep them amused. Who can still remember the last minute line-up for confession near the end of a mission?
The sermons delivered by the Redemptorist priests during the mission certainly had their effect on the congregation. The ones who took heed of the priest‘s advice and went to confession early in the mission, would often be seen joining the queue and going a second time in order to clear their consciences.
The Connellan and Dillon families served breakfast to the priest when the late Mass was celebrated at Lethbridge.
Some of the sacristans over the years have included Alys and Adelaide Bromley,Polly Dillon and Mary Dillon who was assisted by her sister in laws Margaret and Dorrie Dillon.
Every year Mary would organize the ladies to help prepare the church for Christmas. All the pews had to be taken outside and the floor scrubbed on hands and knees using sand soap and cold water.
The Lethbridge church was referred to as Mary Dillon‘s church by the Redemptorist Fathers from Ballarat. After Mary retired a roster was drawn up for the cleaning of the church and the mowing of the grounds.
Annie Maynard, Violet Broom and Mary Perdrisat are some of the ones who have played the organ over the years. The organ is rarely heard today. Music is supplied by Francis Colla and her family who sing and play their guitars while the congregation joins in.
First Communion Group Lethbridge. 1960's. Father Peter Neyens P.P
Every three years a week long Mission was given by the Redemptorist Fathers from Ballarat.
The priests stayed with the Dillon family in Lethbridge while giving the Mission.
Redemptorist Priest Fr.James.Ryan C.SS.R. gave the last mission at Lethbridge in 1982.
The sermons delivered by the Redemptorist priests, during the missions certainly made their effect on the congregation. In order to clear their consciences, the ones who went to confession early on in the mission, would be seen joining the queue and going a second time.
Fr.Luke.Faye C.SS.R. was the last Redemptorist Priest to say Mass at Lethbridge in 1997.
Mass was celebrated at Lethbridge every three weeks. After the Darriwil and Lal Lal churches lost their Sunday Masses, Mass has been celebrated here fortnightly.
Every Friday morning Fr.John.Haines celebrates Mass here at 9.00 a.m.
A practice no longer permitted that occurred here regularly was travelling to church in the back of a utility. As the church is some distance out of the Lethbridge township Jack Dillon and Syl Sanders would often arrive with their utilities overflowing with happy Mass goers.
One of our Parish Priests made frequent home visititations often calling late in the afternoon when the family was seated around the dinner table. On departing Father always announced the home he was going to call at next whereupon the phone would be used to alert the household concerned.
Once a week after school the children were taught religious instruction in the church.
The catechists have included Kit Connellan, Polly Dillon, Mary Dillon and Elsie Perdrisat.
Veronica Naylon and Jan Mohr took the Catholic R.E classes at the Lethbridge school.
A general religious education curriculum approved by the Education Department is now taught at the school by Mrs.Francis Colla assisted by Mrs.Nan.Ward.
The Lethbridge St Mary‘s Ladies Group was formed in 1982.
Doreen Eason was the founding President and Jan Mohr the Secretary/Treasurer.
The group held a number of successful fund raising luncheons in the Lethbridge hall.
One of the first projects undertaken was the making of a new alter cloth using material donated by the members. During the boiling process prior to starching the cloth got ruined and a replacement had to be made. In 1984 a new carpet was laid in the church at a cost of $1400.
A new toilet was built in 1993 by a team of volunteers lead by John Mohr.
Now known as the St Mary‘s Community Group,” Adopt a family at Christmas” is a initiative of the group that receives widespread support throughout the parish.
In 1998 a building constructed by the students of the Gordon Technical College in Geelong was purchased and placed adajacent to the church to serve as a R.E. and social/ meeting room.
Parishioner Bill Peterson from Anakie is building a deck and access to the building.
One of the highlights on the social calendar was the Catholic Ball held annually in the Lethbridge Hall with the proceeds augmenting parish funds.
Jack Dillon was the secretary of the hard working Ball Committee.
|