In the Steps of Jack Leigh

Chapter 2: St Mary's Bay

page 2

The Sky Tower adds a new element to the background.

Leigh continues:

"We walk down past Dublin Street on the right, to Green Street. These names, together with St Marys Road give us the clue that in contrast to Anglican Parnell, this area is the cradle of the Catholic Church in Auckland.

There is a row of Catholic Church houses on the right between Green and St Frances (sic) De Sales Street. The first two in this row were built about 1905, and the next two (plus one in St Frances (sic) De Sales Street) in the 1920s."

These last two obviously share major design elements. The verandah framing is of interest.

The verandah framing below is almost as simple as it gets, with the roof line of the verandah a curved continuation of the roof proper, rather than a bullnosed addition to the front of the house.

In this one we can see the original sash windows side by side with more modern windows where part of the verandah has been converted to interior living space. The verandah, another continuation of the house roofline, is still framed, but the gable is plain.

We've now almost reached St Francis De Sales St, and there at number 57 is the old bishop's palace. This, Leigh says, was the original Bishop's house on an 18 hectare block of land bought by Pompallier in 1853. It was shifted from the site of the present Bishop's house to St Marys Road in 1894.

Number 57 St Mary's Rd. Note the cross motif featuring in the verandah framing.

Why, we wonder, does the name of St Francis de Sales figure so strongly, and, meeting St Mary's Rd, form the boundary of the diocesan headquarters?

We have something denied to Jack Leigh in his researches. In a word, Google.

St Francis de Sales was the Bishop of Geneva.He lived from 1567-1622. He was above all the saint of the Reformation, who took the battle back to the protestants, right in the heart of European protestantism. In his early life, we are told, "after a terrible and prolonged temptation to despair, caused by the discussions of the theologians of the day on the question of predestination, from which he was suddenly freed as he knelt before a miraculous image of Our Lady at St. Etienne-des-Grès, he made a vow of chastity and consecrated himself to the Blessed Virgin Mary."

I wonder if she might do the same in respect of global warming debates today.

One can imagine quite easily why he features strongly in an Irish Catholic enclave named for the Blessed Virgin in a predominantly protestant city. Among his friends in later life was St Vincent de Paul. Like St Vincent, St Francis had a natural affinity for and sympathy with the poor.

Across the road is number 56, once home, Leigh says, to Ted Kavanagh, script writer for British comedian Tommy Handley.

It's a large house indeed. This is the narrow side. The verandah extends right down the long side and around a third side of the house. It would be a standout in any street.

The lace is well done

An elaborate entrance archway meets the visitor at the gate.

We head back up St Mary's Rd to Green St for a short detour around the diocesan headquarters. A sizeable portion of the block is taken up by the Pompallier Tennis Club Courts.

These are built on the site of an earlier church. The Church was at one point obliged to sell much of the original block, though later it was able to repurchase. In the interval, however the church had been demolished.

The present tennis club enjoys some quality sponsorship.

Just along here, on the back gates leading into the palace, is a sign that I will find repeated at intervals all around the block.

This is an apparent exception to the general ecclesiastical rule that trespasses will be forgiven. And what is it with dogs, apart from the collar.....?