Letter from John W. Kenny to Reverend Robert Alder in London regarding the Parramatta and Windsor circuits, 5 October 1836

MLMSS 7997

fonds

5 October 1836

913427

0.01 metres of textual material (1 folder)

John W. Kenny was born in Fife, Scotland, and educated by Benedictines. He was a Catholic missionary who came to Australia with Bishop John Bede Polding in 1835, originally stopping in Hobart before continuing to Sydney in March 1836. Catholic emancipation had only been effected in 1829, so the arrival of Polding and his entourage was particularly significant for the early development of the Catholic Church in Australia.

Kenny was prominent in his services to Catholic convicts, whom Polding had gained permission to have taught between their arrival in Sydney and their dispersal throughout the Colony. He was ordained as a priest in 1843, and became assistant-priest at Queanbeyan. With the exception of two years in England (1861-63), Kenny spent the remainder of his life in Australia, mostly in parish work at Penrith, McDonald River, Geelong, East Maitland and St Leonard's, North Sydney. He was responsible for building the first stone Catholic Church at North Sydney, St Mary's, which was opened in June 1868. Kenny is remembered mainly for his A History of the Commencement and Progress of Catholicity in Australia, Up to the Year 1840, which was the first extended treatment of the subject to be published.

Robert Alder was a Wesleyan minisiter who was sent from England in 1810 at the request of Captain Landers to Yarmouth and preached his first Methodist sermon. The town of Alderville (Ontario, Canada) which he visited in the 1830s was named after him. He later become Secretary of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society.

Reference:
Library correspondence file
Australian Dictionary of Biography Online
History of Methodism in eastern British America : including Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Bermuda

This letter, dated 5 October 1836, was written to Reverend Robert Alder, Wesleyan Mission House (77 Hatton Garden) in London, stamped `India Letter Deal' with Kenny's monogrammed red wax seal. It was sent via the William Harris which sailed from Port Jackson on 17 August 1836. In it he gives an account of his recent work, with particular reference to his work in the Parramatta and Windsor areas. He gives a detailed account of his recent transactions in Hobart. Kenny also comments on a meeting between missionaries William White and William Yate, at which he was present. Kenny notes that all charges against White have been dropped and that it was regarded as a `foul conspiracy'. Given the date this provides an insight into a bitter quarel of this time, after the missionary William White purchased large tracts of land with a view to ultimately returning them to local Maori tribes.

It also contains a reference to the ‘enlargement and improvement’ to the Catholic chapel, and the opening of the same; this is a most likely a reference to the first St. Mary’s.

Monogrammed red wax seal `JWK'

Letter addressed to `Rev. R. Alder, 77 Hatten Garden London'