Another anniversary for historical building
Local
It’s a marginally smaller affair than their education counterparts, but there has been another significant celebration in Kensington this year.
The Chapel at St Joseph’s Convent, Kensington, turned 150 years old in May although the Sisters of St Joseph have been on the site since 1872.
Their first convent had previously been the home of Elizabeth and William Main, a local chemist, and was on Main Road, (name changed to Kensington Terrace and later changed to Portrush Road).
Following the death of William in 1872 Elizabeth leased the house to Fr Joseph Tappeiner SJ on behalf of Mary MacKillop and the Josephites took up residence in August 1872. It became the first St Joseph’s convent in this district.
Shortly after, Mary was advised to go to Rome to seek official sanction for the Sisters of St Joseph. While there she was told, that on her return to Adelaide she needed to build a permanent home for the Sisters to prevent a situation such as happened in 1871 when 51 sisters were left homeless for a few months following the excommunication of Mary MacKillop.
When Mary returned from Rome in 1875, construction started on a two storey convent and chapel attached to the original house. On 23 April the certificate of title for the property was transferred to Mary MacKillop and the Josephites for a £100 deposit. The total purchase price was £2,000 and donated by Mary MacKillop’s very dear friends Robert and Joanna Barr Smith.
The building was blessed and opened on Sunday 7 May 1876. It was the first official Mother House of the Sisters of St Joseph and became Mary MacKillop’s home for more than 11 years.
