1870: The Convent of Mercy, Albury, New South Wales.

The Convent of Mercy at Albury, New South Wales, has remnants of original Ferguson & Urie stained glass. The main entrance doors originally contained the figures of St Bernard and St Bridget with the Virgin and child in the window above the doorway.

The convent was formally opened on the 4th February 1870 by the Bishops of Bathurst and Maitland and the Freemans Journal of 19th February published very a detailed account of the proceedings.

In December 2013 Fr. Joel Wallace sent me some photos of the entrance windows and the stained glass above the doorway appears to be the most intact. The St Bridget window in the right door panel looks to have had multiple fractures over the last 144 years and there is evidence of many additional lead lines introduced to arrest the past damage. The St Patrick window in the left doorway unfortunately no longer exists.

Photos were kindly supplied by Fr. Joel Wallace, 13th December 2013.

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Freeman’s Journal, Sydney, NSW, Saturday 19th February 1870, page 10.

“OPENING OF THE CONVENT OF MERCY, ALBURY”
(From a Correspondent)

“On Friday, the 4th February, their Lordships the Bishops of Bathurst and Maitland arrived in Albury to formally open and bless the Convent of Mercy…”

“…On Sunday the 6th the ceremony of opening and blessing the Convent took place, an event marking a new era in the Catholic history of this important and fast rising town not soon to be forgotten…”

“…Entering the hall under the verandah arches, the visitor is struck with the magnificent appearance of the stained glass in the upper panel of doors and fanlights over. In the centre of fanlight is a splendid medallion representing the Blessed Virgin and Child; on one side of the medallion the monogram of St. Bernard, on the other I.H.S. In one panel of the doors a full length figure of ‘St. Bridget,” whose name the Convent bears, the other panel the figure of St. Patrick, both in elaborately wrought canopies. The glass is from the manufactory of Messrs. Farguson [sic], Urie, and Lyon, of Melbourne, on whom it reflects great credit…”


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