Catholic Orphanages, St Joseph’s Boys’ Home, St Dominic’s College, St Joseph’s Cathedral: Lebanese Citadel
Below: Catholic orphanage, schools & boarding college complex in Adelaide Road South Dunedin which also included the Sisters of Mercy convent, as described in Anne Frandi-Coory’s book:
‘Whatever Happened to Ishtar?’
A Passionate Quest To Find Answers For Generations Of Defeated Mothers
4th Edition (pub. 2020) now available in paperback and kindle
HERE at AMAZON
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Rear view of St Philomena’s Dormitory (for older girls) shortly before it was demolished. Anne lived here for a short time before being sent to St Dominic’s Boarding College at 9 years. (Photo:copyright to afcoory)
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The long remembered narrow sashes and fire escapes. (Photo:copyright to afcoory)
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Carmody sisters: Sister Christopher, right (Anne Frandi-Coory’s ‘foster mother’ & nursery supervisor) with her three biological sisters. (Photo: Sister Joanna)
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St Patrick’s Primary School and Chapel in the Mercy Orphanage complex where Anne & Kevin began their first year at school. (Photo: Sister Joanna)
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Anne (3rd row from front, 2nd left), in St Patrick’s School group photo; most were day pupils. (Photo: Joseph Coory copyright to afcoory)
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St Agnes’ Nursery where Kevin, Anne, Anthony, were placed as infants. (Photo: copyright to afcoory)
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St Vincent’s building which housed the orphanage kitchen & dining room. On the left, the same tree in which Anne saw the never forgotten black mother cat & kittens, while she lived at the orphanage. (Photo: copyright to afcoory)
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BELOW: The Catholic St Joseph’s Boys’ Home, 133-135 Doon Street, Otago Peninsula. The Boys’ Home, when my brothers lived there, was surrounded by farmland owned by the Catholic Church (This building now serves as a students’ and nuns’ hostel)
Front entrance to St Joseph’s Orphanage for boys at Waverley, Otago Peninsula; home to Kevin & Anthony at various times. (Photo: copyright to afcoory)
Rear view of St Joseph’s Orphanage overlooking Otago Harbour. (Photo: Copyright to afcoory)
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BELOW: St Dominic’s Boarding College, surrounded by St Joseph’s Cathedral, St Joseph’s Primary School and Christian Brothers’ establishment.
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Imposing view of St Dominic’s Boarding College at the top of Rattray Street, Dunedin. (This building was one of the first to be built totally in concrete, in the Southern Hemisphere. (Photo: copyright to afcoory)
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Another view of the Dominican complex & St Joseph’s Cathedral (photo: copyright to afcoory)
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Rear view of St Dominic’s boarding complex behind the Cathedral (photo: copyright to afcoory)
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St Dominic’s entrance to the boarding college kitchen and dining room; day pupils could also have their lunch there if their parents paid.(Photo: copyright to afcoory)
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Dunedin Lebanese Citadel viewed from Rattray Street: St Joseph’s Cathedral & St Dominic’s Boarding College (Photo:copyright to afcoory)
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View of St Joseph’s Cathedral Dunedin looking down onto Rattray Street from Smith Street, 2019 (Copyright photo by Susan Tarr, Author)
anne frandi-coory 
Anne: I’d like to use your photo of the Priory for the Kavanagh College Jubilee Magazine. Please contact me. Pauline Ireland-Kenny
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Will do, Pauline
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Hello I was interested in St Joseph home I was there 1979-1984 . I was there with my brother I remember being the only girl till I think a year before my brother and I left. Alot of memories in that house good an not so good but been looking for information on this home for years.
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Dear Julz,
I agree, many memories; but alas in my case, very few good ones. The Mercy Sisters ran St Joseph’s Boys’ Home as it was called when my older brother was there from 1949 through to early 1950s approximately. It was also a farm which supplied meat and vegetables to all of the many Catholic institutions in Dunedin at that time. My younger brother, Anthony, was only a few weeks old when he arrived at St Agnes’ Nursery in South Dunedin next to St Patrick’s Basilica and the Sisters of Mercy Convent … while I was already there, and later, when Anthony was about to turn five, he too was sent to St Joseph’s Boys’ Home at Waverley on the Otago Peninsula. At that time, I had already been moved into St Vincent’s Home for girls at the South Dunedin Mercy complex. Years later, in the midst of doing research for my memoir ‘Whatever Happened To Ishtar?’ I met Sister Joanna at the Mercy Convent, and she was so helpful in supplying me with records of my brothers’ and my time at the orphanage. During the early 1960s things were beginning to change within the Catholic Church, and the numbers of children being placed in Catholic institutions began to dwindle. St Joseph’s Boys’ Home became St Joseph’s Home for boys and girls. The name, ‘Orphanage For The Poor’ which the Mercy complex had been called when my brothers and I were there, was dropped.
I also visited what was St Josephs’ Home at Waverley, which in 1992 was transformed into a Catholic Hostel, where Mercy Sisters also lived. I had the good fortune to speak with them. The farm had since been sold off by the Church and had been developed into an expensive residential area.
Regards, Anne
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Hi Anne, My name is Philip Smith. Born 1948. I am in that school photo along with my late twin brother Stephen. I also went to the Doon Street Orphange a couple of times as our Mother never really kept good health. I can also name a lot of the other boys in the photo. Cheers and Regards Phil Smith.
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Hello Phillip, thanks for your comments. I was placed in the Mercy Orphanage For The Poor for similar reasons re our sick mothers. Did you know my older and younger brothers at Doon St: Kevin Coory and Anthony (Tony) Coory? I was also born in 1948 and my given name was Anne Coory.
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Hi, Anne, I was born in 1948 also, I don’t recall your younger brothers, sorry. Phil Smith.
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By the way, Philip, which little boy are you in the photo?
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Hi Again Anne, I’m 7 th from the left on the second row from the top. Between Richard Jepson and Colin Joe. Also on Facebook. Kind Regards Phil.
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Hello again Phil, can I follow you on FB? Too many Phil Smiths I am afraid. I think I know which one is you, but could you send me a friend request; I am using my pen name Anne Frandi-Coory
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Hi Anne, Phil Smith Christchurch. older guy. grey hair and glasses. I will try FB to find you.
Cheers and Regards Phil S.
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