St. Mary's College Chapel, Port of Spain, Trinidad, B.W.I.

Abstract

This antique postcard labelled "The Rosary Church, Trinidad, B.W.I." actually bears an image of the first St. Mary's College chapel circa 1920. The new St. Mary's College chapel was an iron structure with Gothic arches and beautifully ornate fretwork built in France at the cost of 1200 pounds. It arrived in Trinidad March 1875. The old reception room was removed to accommodate it near the corner of Frederick and Oxford streets, Port of Spain, Trinidad. The foundation stone was laid 7th April, 1875 and on the 21st May 1875 after a Solemn Requiem service at the old chapel, on the western side of Pembroke Street, the Blessed Sacrament was transported in procession to the new chapel on the eastern side of Pembroke Street to the joyous sounds of instruments and voices. On July 18th the new Chapel was solemnly blessed and opened by His Grace the Archbishop. Fr. Superior said “the labours of many years had been crowned that morning by the blessing of their new chapel” an event that made him proud and happy and thus was filled a want which had long been felt. The new chapel received a marble alter from past students in 1882. The prefabricated metal was, many years later, sold to the City Council as a community centre in Woodbrook. (Fr. Anthony de Verteuil and "Centenary record of the Holy Ghost Fathers in Trinidad and of St. Mary's College, 1863-1963")