Catherine Fitzpatrick (choir director)
Catherine Fitzpatrick | |
|---|---|
| Born | Catherine Milling 1785 |
| Died | 1861 (aged 75–76) |
| Nationality | Irish-Australian |
| Occupation | choir director |
| Known for | first conductor, St. Mary's Cathedral Choir, Sydney, Australia |
Catherine Fitzpatrick (1785–1861), née Milling, was the founder and first conductor of St. Mary's Cathedral Choir, in Sydney, Australia.[1]
Early life and marriage[edit]
Catherine Milling was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1785, the daughter of John and Catherine Milling.[2] She married Barnaby (Barney) Fitzpatrick, in Dublin in 1806. He was later convicted of embezzling and sentenced to life, and sent to a penal colony in Australia to serve his sentence. Catherine Fitzpatrick voluntarily joined him in emigrating to Australia.[2] The couple had two children at the time, John, born 1808,[2] and Columbus, born 1810.[3] The family of four sailed together on the ship Providence, arriving in New South Wales on 2 July 1811.[3] The couple had two more boys: Ambrose, born 1814, and Michael, born 1817.[2] Living for a time in Windsor and Paramatta, the family settled in Sydney in 1817.[3]
In 1820, Barnaby Fitzpatrick became the gaol constable in Sydney. He later became chief bailiff for the Supreme Court of New South Wales.[3] Catherine was a school teacher.[3]
St. Mary's Cathedral Choir[edit]
Catherine Fitzpatrick was a devout Catholic. She was supportive of Father Jeremiah Francis O'Flynn, an Irish Catholic priest who came in 1817 to New South Wales from Dublin, Ireland, to minister to Catholic convicts.[1] O'Flynn had arrived without the approval of the Colonial Office, and worked clandestinely as a priest, baptizing children and celebrating Mass secretly. In May 1818, O'Flynn was deported by Governor Macquarie.[4] In anticipation of the day when priests would be allowed to lead services, Catherine Fitzpatrick began training a group of men and women to sing as a choir for vespers and masses.[1][5]
In May 1820, two Roman Catholic priests, Father Philip Conolly and Father John Joseph Therry, arrived in New South Wales with permission to minister to the Catholic community.[6][7] In 1821, funds were raised to establish a Roman Catholic church in Sydney. Governor Macquarie laid the cornerstone of St. Mary's Cathedral on 29 October 1821.[7] Columbus Fitzpatrick was an assistant to Father Therry, and held the trowel for the Governor at the ceremony.[3]
Catherine Fitzpatrick's trained singers became choristers for the cathedral, and she became the first conductor of the St. Mary's Cathedral Choir.[1][3] Known as "the oldest musical ensemble in Australia still in operation,"[1] the choir celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2018.[8]
Death[edit]
Fitzpatrick died in Sydney on 31 July 1861.[2]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e "History". Saint Mary’s Cathedral Choir. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Catherine Milling 1785". irelandxo.com. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g Lea-Scarlett, E. J., "Fitzpatrick, Columbus (1810–1877)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 14 February 2021
- ^ Parsons, Vivienne, "O'Flynn, Jeremiah Francis (1788–1831)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 13 February 2021
- ^ "To 1840". Australian Catholic Historical Society. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ Monks, Linda, "Conolly, Philip (1786–1839)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 14 February 2021
- ^ a b Eddy, J., "Therry, John Joseph (1790–1864)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 14 February 2021
- ^ "Singing Oisín's papal performance with esteemed choir". Irish Echo Australia. Retrieved 14 February 2021.