Anecdotes from the Archives

Property matters 

There are no financial documents in the hands of the College to enlighten us about the early finances of the establishment. There are some receipts however, which invite us to read between the lines. 

A receipt dated September 1867 reveals the sale by the Sisters of a “small cottage attached to Devonshire House, Upper Murray Street in Hobarton” for 160 pounds. This is interesting on several fronts: it reveals that the Sisters owned an investment property, namely Devonshire House, and begs the question of how and when it was purchased. The fine Georgian house, Devonshire House, pictured here, still stands at 308 Murray Street. 

Another receipt, dated 1886, reveals that Mother Superior, Mother de sales Boyson, accepted 1,175 pounds in payment for Devonshire House and the paddock of land behind it. This may have been only one of several rental properties. 

A further receipt, dated 2 March 1875, reveals that Mother FX Murphy accepted rent paid by a Mrs Blair for the use of White’s House, Patrick Street apparently owned by the Presentation Sisters of Hobarton. No more is heard of the Patrick Street house, but as this was a period of building expansion at the College (the Sisters’ Chapel, St Columba’s School and the 1888 wing), no doubt the properties were sold to meet the mounting debts of this growth.

Did Bishop Murphy, in his wisdom, use finances sent on from Fermoy to purchase the investment properties? Or did the Sisters themselves make these purchases to keep their money safe? Where did the money come from, if not from Fermoy and transferred to Hobart with the Sisters? It is possible that we will never know the answers.