St Peter’s Hall, Hobart

Collins Street, between Argyle and Campbell Streets, Hobart
c1856 -1904

Constructed as a temperance hall and school house, and occasional services. It appears on Jarman’s 1858 map of Hobart as a Catholic church/chapel

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The land appears Sprent’s survey map from the 1840s as reserved for “Reserved for the benefit of the Roman Catholic Community to be used as Temperance Hall and a Sunday School & occasionally for a place of Worship. Whenever the building ceases to be used for the above purpose the land to revert to the Crown”.

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(former) Trinity Church/Penitentiary Chapel, Hobart

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Cnr Brisbane & Campbell Sts, Hobart. Google Maps.
Opened 1833 on a site adjoining the prisoner barracks, later city gaol. It was used as a chapel for the prisoners and to cater for the free population that had grown too large for St David’s. Anglican services but never consecrated, due to its association with the prisoners. For more information, visits one of the links below.

(Unofficial) Web site
Companion to Tasmanian History

National Trust page for visiting details.
Lithograph, 1834
Proposed entrance.

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St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Hobart

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163 Macquarie St,Hobart. Google Maps.
Opened 1841, as the first permanent Catholic church in Hobart, and acted as the cathedral before St Mary’s was completed.

Background to development of Catholic churches in Hobart.

Drawing, 1843
Lithograph, 1844
Two postcards
Interior, stereograph, c.1865

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Catholic churches, Hobart

A TIMELINE

In 1822 a wooden chapel was constructed on the corner of Brisbane & Harrington St, near the present site of St Mary’s Cathedral.

As far back as 1817 Father Flynn called at the settlement, on his voyage from England to Sydney, and administered the sacrament, and four years later Father Connolly arrived and commenced his work. He celebrated mass at Mr. Curr’s store in Argyle-street, and there the congregation consisted of nine persons. Services were subsequently held in the old building in Elizabeth-street, known to us in later years as “Rats’ Castle.” Father Connolly having obtained a grant of 14 acres of land at the angle of Harrington and Brisbane streets, called it Mount Carmel, and in February, 1822, a small wooden church was commenced. It was finished in the following year, and dedicated to God, under the invocation of St. Virgilius.
The Mercury, 31 December 1904

Preceding this activity was the work of Father Connolly, accredited by the Colonial
Office in 1820 to Van Diemen’s Land, where the Inadequate weatherboard chapel of St.
Virgil which he was ‘ permitted to erect in 1822 functioned until 1836.

22 December 1941

About 1825 land was provided for the Catholic cemetery

It may not be generally known, that, adjoining the Roman Catholic Chapel in Hobart Town, a large site of ground has been given by Government as its burial-place.—Several persons have already been interred there; among whom was Private Thomson, of the 40th, who was followed to the grave on Saturday last by a detachment of that company.
Colonial Times, 19 August 1825
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