Chronology of Fr Edward Sydes’ life.

Correspondence between the Irish Fr Provincial Thomas V. Nolan SJ, the War Office and T. Stratton, Staff Officer to Principal Chaplain (R.C.), concerning the demobilisation of various Irish Jesuits and the need for chaplains for transport ships to Australia.

Honour roll of past pupils of St Ignatius College, Riverview, Sydney who were killed during the war.

Letter and postcard to the Irish Fr Provincial Thomas V. Nolan SJ from Fr Joseph Hearn SJ, written during his time serving as chaplain attached to the Australian Expeditionary Force, Dardanelles and the 7th Infantry Battalion, II Infantry Brigade, A.I.F., Mediterranean.

Copy letter from Albert Gardiner (Acting Minister of Defence), Department of Defence, Commonwealth of Australia concerning an amendment to the war service regulations and theological students.

Letters and postcards to the Irish Fr Provincial Thomas V. Nolan SJ from Fr William Gwynn SJ written during his time serving as a chaplain attached to the 8th Australian Infantry Brigade, A.I.F.

A file of letters from Fr Patrick Duffy SJ to Sr Mary Agnes (later Mother Prioress), Carmelite Convent, Firhouse, Tallaght, Dublin concerning his life and work as a priest. The majority of these letters are written from Australia and describe his work in this mission. The letters also discuss news from the convent of Firhouse and Fr Duffy offers constant encouragement in spiritual matters and discusses the numbers of novices in the convent. Many of the letters were written while his sister (Sr Mary Gabriel) was ill and could not write herself. Includes a letter concerning his sister's health. Remarks that he is glad to have been told how serious her attack was. Remarks 'I am anxious about her, of course I am, we are brother and sister and the last remaining two of a family of eleven. No wonder, then, that we should look towards each other - now especially, when we are both coming so near to the end of the journey.' (21 June 1894, 4pp). Includes a letter congratulating Sr. Mary Agnes on becoming Mother Prioress of the Carmelite Convent in Firhouse. Remarks 'And so the burden of authority has been laid upon your shoulders! Well - God's will be done. And that it is God's will that you should be put into your present position.' (25 April 1895, 4pp). Includes a letter enclosing a cutting from The Argus concerning Edward Grennan who took part in the Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War. Advises Sr Mary Agnes to read the cutting to the novices. Remarks 'The lesson taught is grand! I would advise the Mistress of Novices to read both (cutting and letter) to her novices and give them a lecture on obedience. The analogy between the two warfares, the warfare of this world and the warfare of the soul is very close.' (22 November 1896, 2 items).

A file of letters from Fr Patrick Duffy SJ to his sister Sr Mary Gabriel, Carmelite Convent, Firhouse, Tallaght, Dublin concerning his life and work as a priest in Australia and elsewhere. The vast majority of the letters (over 50) are written from Australia describing in detail his work and life in this mission. Includes letters discussing his health, his sister's health, family matters, retreats and missions he gave in Australia and masses and prayers offered for the convent and community at Firhouse. Includes a letter from Fr Duffy, Ursuline Convent, St Joseph's, Sligo to Sr Mary Gabriel. Remarks 'Now that you and I are alone left of all we must, from this on, take on more than ever special interest in each other.' (6 August 1888, 4pp). Includes a letter informing his sister of his departure for Australia. Remarks 'Say God's will be done for it is the will of God. Don't fret about me, for before very long you and I will meet in a happy eternity.' (15 August 1888, 4pp). Includes a letter concerning his sister's health and the loss of sight in one of her eyes. Encourages her not to read if she finds it a strain. Refers to the noviceship in her convent. Remarks 'Put away those gloomy thoughts about the noviceship. There is nothing wrong in your convent. Just let us keep on praying and trusting and leave the future to God.' (22 August 1891, 4pp). Includes a letter concerning his move from North Shore to Hawthorn. Remarks that he has more work to do in Hawthorn and that it is 'more pressing'. Remarks 'As I write the weather is harsh and we have much sickness - the influenza - and many deaths.' (7 October 1891, 4pp). Includes a letter referring to the death of Fr General (Fr Anderledy SJ) at Fiesole. Remarks 'He and I were fellow students in the Roman College of the Society, some 44 years ago! He was about my age. A warning to look out!' Refers to his change of address and remarks that he will be working at Kew, Melbourne. (letter dated 4 December 1891, 4pp, section dated 20 January 1892). Includes a letter written from New Zealand where he was conducting retreats. Remarks 'I am in my element.' Continues 'I like New Zealand very much a fine country and climate - greatly superior to Australia. Every one is kind to me and I get on well. Wellington is a nice clean city with a fine harbour and a brisk trade.' Describes a journey to Reefton to give a retreat to the Mercy nuns. Remarks that he made the journey on top of a stage coach 'Pretty smart going! Through the bush and over the mountains! Five horses to the coach and galloping all the time for nearly 4 days! What say you to that? But young men like me don't mind these things.' (this section dated 8 January 1893) (29 December 1892, 4pp). Includes a letter referring to his duties at St. Francis Xavier's College in Kew. Remarks that he is in charge of the Sodality of the B V Mary 'Tis from the sodalities in our colleges that the noviceship is recruited.' (7 February 1892, 4pp). Includes a letter describing a visit he made to one of the Melbourne hospitals to see an old friend, Edward Grennan, '…Irish and Catholic a native of Mountrath, Queen's county. He had been in the army - a cavalry regiment - Lord Cardigan's Light Brigade - had ridden in the famous charge - 25 October 1854. He is now the remnant of a well looking man - was then a youth of 20. Well we fraternized of course - he and I old Crimean-and fellow-soldiers. We chatted of the war, and of the Charge of the Light Brigade, his brigade in particular. Step by step we got along until I stood with him and his companions 600 strong - in thought and imagination - at the end of the valley - at the other end of which was the Russian Battery of some 10 or 12 pairs of canon.' Describes how the order was given to seize the guns. Continues 'Without a moments hesitation, the 600 are in their saddles and away they go…Oh! My poor fellows, my poor brave fellows! Over 600 they commence their ride to return later on all that was left of them about 200 men! Half an hour did the whole business.' (21 November 1896, 4pp).

Letters to the Irish Fr Provincial from Fr John MacErlean SJ on various matters including:
– Fr MacErlean’s censure on a Society Appeal for Funds;
– the progress of his historical research, news from Rome and news about the Society in Australia;
– the establishment of the Society in Ireland including a ‘list of whatever documents exist to my knowledge regarding the establishment of the Society in Ireland…What exactly the establishment of the Society in Ireland means I do not know. It may be a question for a canonist to solve. The canonical succession of the New Society to the Old is disputed, and Rome has never decided the point’;
– the proposed purchase of a volume consisting of ‘the indexes of the first eleven volumes of the Bollandist Acta Sanctorum down to the 3rd volume of April’ and the binding which is ‘much older than the contents…the binding of a Missal that was presented to Father (Nicholas) Leynach in 1613 - 14 by Francis Bray, at a time when Fr Leynach was trying to establish a chapel or oratory of the Society in Clonmel’;
– the Irish College in Rome;
– lists of books the Province could present to ‘the library to be established for the use of the Coll(egium) Scriptorum and a ‘list of those members of our Province who might now or hereafter be fit to cooperate with the Collegium Scriptorum in the production of works’ and a
– ‘Brief Sketch of the Work of the Irish Jesuits from the foundation to the Suppression of the Society 1540 – 1773’ (11pp).

Letters to the Irish Fr Provincial Thomas V. Nolan SJ from Fr Patrick Tighe SJ written while serving as chaplain with the 15th Battalion, A.I.F., B.E.F. and on his way to Australia. Named places have been cut out of a letter (24 January 1917).

A file of letters written by Fr John McInerney SJ, Chaplain to the Australian Forces fighting in the Boer War, South Africa describing his work with the troops and his experiences of the war. Includes a letter describing the peace conference. Remarks that a telegram from Lord Kitchener announcing the peace deal was read to the troops '...many of our Australians regret the war is over. Their recent drive and its spoils have only whetted their appetite for the fray - They have smelt and tasted blood and they long for at least "another good cut in" - to use their own term. Our recent "drive" turns out to be the last of this long, costly and bloody war.'

Miscellaneous letters and notes to the Irish Fr Provincial Thomas V. Nolan SJ. Includes rough notes of wages and expenditure of various Jesuit chaplains (n.d., 3pp),and replies from the Senior Chaplain, Australian Imperial Force on transport to Australia for acting chaplain. Includes a note from Fr William Feran SJ, that he has commissioned him (Fr Henry Gill SJ) to discover and exterminate the influenza microbe' (18 December 1918).

Obituary of Fr Edward Sydes SJ, who died 15 November 1918, taken from 'Letters and Notices', Vol.35, January 1919 and Fr Bernard Page SJ, born in India, raised in Australia.