Archives

Archivist: Helen Lucas

Townsville Catholic Archive
276 Stuart Drive
Wulguru, Qld 4811
(PO Box 6149, Townsville Qld 4810)
Phone: (07) 4729 1392
Email: hlucas@tsv.catholic.org.au

The Diocesan Archives are reasonably well established. Unfortunately, because of financial constraints an archivist is employed for only three days per week in the Diocese. The Archive holds records regarding the administration of the Diocese since its inception in 1930 and parish records going back to the earlier days when in the Rockhampton Diocese. It holds general material about Parishes and some Diocesan organisations and agencies. Some Baptismal and Confirmation Registers from the 1800s and more recently are held. More recent Baptismal and Confirmation, Marriage and Funeral registers are retained by individual parishes.

Religious Orders generally tend to maintain their own archives. The Catholic Education Office holds some archival records relating to Catholic Schools in the Diocese.

A complete set of the former Diocesan Newspaper The Catholic News published from 1935 until 1973 is housed in the Archives as well as a large photograph collection. While a considerable amount of cataloguing has been completed there is still a large volume to be catalogued appropriately. The Archive also holds a significant library of old books and a considerable number of artifacts and museum items from the past.

Any enquiries regarding information from the Archives should be submitted in writing and any reasonable requests will be considered within the constraints of time and privacy requirements. Access for research purposes will be negotiated in the first instance with the Director of Parish Life and Ministry.

A small fee may be charged to locate and issue copies or records from the Archives.

To access the Archives for research please contact:

Len Horner

Chancellor

P O Box 6149

Townsville Q 4810

Phone: (07) 4726 3210

Fax: (07) 4726 3211

Email: lhorner@tsv.catholic.org.au

The Diocesan Timeline 1770 -2011

The Diocesan Timeline is an ongoing research project on the history of the Catholic Church in north Queensland and, from 1930, of the Diocese of Townsville.

The research and documentation of this history was carried out by John White, an Archive volunteer since 1985.

Some primary sources have been used in this project but much of the information comes from secondary sources and it is possible that further information is available. If anyone has such information please contact the Diocesan Archive through hlucas@tsv.catholic.org.au and include your sources such as family documentation, newspapers, etc.