Aubigny, North Quay facts for kids
Aubigny was a special house in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was located at 273 North Quay, Brisbane. This house, later known as Loretto, played many important roles in Brisbane's history.
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Brisbane's First Synagogue
The Aubigny house was built in 1870 by Samuel Davis. He was a businessman who followed the Jewish faith. An interesting fact is that he also built a separate small building on the property. This building became Brisbane's very first synagogue, a place for Jewish people to worship.
A Grand Home for a Politician
In 1883, a rich brewer and politician named Patrick Perkins bought the house. He was very wealthy and used his money to buy this grand home. Patrick Perkins named the house "Aubigny" after the area he represented in politics. He was first elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly from the electoral district of Aubigny. The old synagogue building was changed into a fun billiards room for games.
A Police Office
In 1899, the Perkins family rented out their large property. The Criminal Investigation Department, which is part of the police, moved in. They used the main house as their offices. The former synagogue, which had been a billiards room, was then used as a photography room by the police.
Brisbane's First Mater Hospital
After Patrick Perkins passed away, the house was sold in late 1905. The Sisters of Mercy, a group of nuns, bought it. They wanted to open a hospital called the Mater Misericordiae Hospital. The house became a hospital with 20 beds for patients. The old synagogue building was used as the hospital's chapel, a quiet place for prayer. Eventually, the hospital grew too big for the house. It moved to a new, larger location in South Brisbane, where it still helps people today.
Loretto: A Home for Young Women
In 1913, the Sisters of Mercy decided to rename the house "Loretto." They turned it into a hostel, which is like a safe home. It was for young Catholic women from the countryside who came to Brisbane to work. The building that had been a synagogue, then a billiards room, then a photography room, and then a chapel, became the maids' quarters.
Changes for a New Bridge
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Later, the Brisbane City Council planned to build the Grey Street Bridge. To make space for wider roads, they needed to take over the property. This process is called "resumption." However, the church was allowed to keep leasing the land until the council actually needed it for construction.
Around 1939, a part of the land was not needed for the road. This section was sold to the Church of Christ, Scientist. They built the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Brisbane there. This church building is now considered a special heritage site. The original Aubigny house itself was sold for £148.
