The history of the College, particularly in its early years of development, is outlined below. However, there is much more to that history than these short paragraphs convey. Some of that longer story has been written from different perspectives and by many people throughout the existence of the College, and since its closure. These have been collected and listed at the end of this page as files which can be opened, and downloaded if required.

Within this History section are the following sub-pages:

• The book More Than A School (MTAS) written by Michael Head and Gerry Healy (now in limited supply in print form)

• Recollections – in 'words and pictures'

• Closure and Demolition – the end (and beginning) of the story

• The School Song (written in 1960), lyrics, musical score and a rendition of the song by the Xavier College choir

• Early scenes of and around the College taken from some of the first few issues of the College yearbook

• A page containing links to the complete set of yearbooks – The Patrician.

Second, the increased number of Catholics to the east of Melbourne led to the foundation of small Catholic private schools and a government funded parish was established in the area.

This meant that a school would be needed in the area, to support the small school Goold had started at St Francis Church in Lonsdale Street Melbourne.

The third event was the foundation of Melbourne University in the early 1850s and the corresponding requirement for matriculating students. The government saw the need and made land grants to each of the four major religious denominations in the city. This created both a dilemma and an opportunity for Goold. He needed a good school or his better off parishioners would send their sons to the schools of the other denominations and they would be lost to the church. With the government grant and aid, the foundation stone was laid on December 1854. The actual date of the laying of the foundation stone was delayed as the bishop, some of the priests and some guests were away in Ballarat being involved in an incident known to history as the Eureka Stockade.

Bishop Goold hired some of the most competent educators of day, including Whyte, Bleasdale (who is well known for his connections with Australian wines) and Dr John Barry. They dreamed of a great school and indeed they fulfilled their dreams with substantial dining rooms for the boarders, a stable for horses and a house in Brighton which served as an infirmary. The curriculum was the equal of any in the colony, the results were outstanding and the parents delighted. It was a classical style education and the languages offered included, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Spanish, Portuguese and German. Unfortunately the bankers were not quite so impressed and the school was bankrupt twice in ten years.

The bankruptcy of 1862 resulted in legal action against Dr Barry which dragged on for months. Peter O’Farrell, the bishop’s solicitor did not help matters by the advice he tendered and eventually had to flee the colony himself. Twenty years later, and slightly insane, he returned to Melbourne where he shot and wounded Archbishop Goold.

Bishop Goold ultimately solved his financial problems by inviting the Jesuit Order from Ireland to take over the school, and importantly, from the Bishop’s point of view, the debt. The first two fathers, Lentaigne and Kelly reopened the school in September 1865 with thirty-five students. It boomed and grew so much that it proved impossible to house the boarders in the small building, so a new property was purchased in Kew and a boarding school was opened in 1878. Fairly quickly it was decided to make this new school a completely separate institution which grew into the modern Xavier College of today.

Of separate interest was Fr Lentaigne's appreciation of the fine arts and the classics generally. In connection to that, he brought from Ireland an artwork by an unknown painter. That work is still in existence in St Ignatius Church Richmond. From its early days, the Richmond parish had a connection to the Jesuits, and Fr Lentaigne handed over to the Richmond parish the piece known now as 'the Lentaigne Triptych'. More on his association to St Patrick's College and to the Richmond parish can be found in the More Than A School book (found elsewhere on this website, in Chapter 4) and in the booklet produced by that parish (available on their website and here). 

In 1900, the small size of the school meant that it was unable to field regular sporting teams against the other public schools so formal membership of the sporting association was given up.

What remained was an average-sized inner suburban school which attracted convinced Catholic families from every part of the city. 

The presence of a large body of Jesuit religious and this Catholic clientele gave the school a particular flavour which produced good results and by and large concerned and aware Catholic citizens.

In the years following World War II, despite the huge expansion of education in Victoria, St Patrick’s remained a small school which in time became part of its charm and its attraction. Enrollments remained strong and results outstanding, but changes in the requirements of the Church administration and rising prices of real estate led to its closure in 1968.

Its size, location, clientele, teaching staff and teaching philosophy made it a very special place, a type of school that can never be repeated.

This has been a relatively short outline of the history of the College. A much more detailed record can be found in the book More Than a School written by Michael Head SJ and Gerard Healy SJ. The book is still available ... contact SPOCA using the details below.

On this website, further recollections, photos and anecdotes can be seen on the Words and Pictures page.