Archives Corner

The First De La Salle School Chapel

Mr Anthony Kelly

In 1848 Dean Hanly was the first Catholic Priest to visit the Armidale area. It was in that year that the first Catholic Chapel for Armidale was built on land which eventually became our College grounds. The road which ran by the church (north/south) was called Chapel Street. Evidence of this is in the aerial view from the 50’s. The first structure was built of timber.

PHOTO: Chapel Street can be seen to have run in alignment with our school entrance heading north as seen in this aerial photograph.

SKETCH: The only known image of the first Roman Catholic Chapel in Armidale which is believed to have been located near the College office.  

The first De La Salle chapel was built into the two story building which was located to the west of where the 1926 building would later be built. It looked out over the oval and later became the College infirmary and has since been demolished. Solomon's Studio's took a stunning photograph of this Chapel in the old St Patrick's College building, shortly after the De La Salle brothers opened De La Salle College in 1906. 

PHOTO: The first De La Salle Chapel which was located on the ground floor of the original school building which looked out over the College oval. 

PHOTO: (below) Presented to the College by the DLC Old Boys, this watercolour painting based on the Solomon's Studio's Photograph of the Chapel hangs in the College Library Learning Centre (previously AG4/5)

ARTICLE: (below)  A description of the De La Salle College upon opening in 1906. The College used a refurbished St Patrick's College building  with the chapel located on the ground floor.  Armidale Express 30.1.1906 (p4)

The third College Chapel was built into the new extension of the College which is now the Angela building which houses the College office, classrooms and Library.  The Chapel was in the western wing, previously known as AG 4/5 and is now now the Library Learning Centre.  

PHOTO: The Chapel in the new 1926 building which is now called the Angela Building.

In 1955 the Burton builders were contracted to build the now wonderful chapel. 

PHOTO: Constructing the roof in the current College Chapel