Born: 09 October 1845, Newfoundland, Canada
Entered: 01 August 1866, Milltown Park, Dublin
Ordained: 1881, St Beuno’s, St Asaph, Wales
Final Vows: 15 April 1883
Died: 28 September 1915, Loyola College, Greenwich, Sydney, Australia

Father Provincial of the Irish Province of the Society of Jesus, 7 May 1883-2 February 1888
Mission Superior Australia 14 June 1908

by 1867 at Vannes, France (FRA) studying
by 1873 at St Beuno’s, Wales (ANG) studying
by 1874 at Stonyhurst, England (ANG) studying
by 1878 at Innsbruck, Austria (ASR-HUN) studying
by 1879 at St Beuno’s, Wales (ANG) studying
by 1883 at at Hadzor House, (FRA) making Tertianship

Father Provincial 07 May 1883
Came to Australia 1888
Mission Superior 14 June 1908

◆ HIB Menologies SJ :
Owing to some delicacy he spent some time in France.
He was then sent as Prefect of Third Division at Tullabeg for Regency, and soon became First Prefect.
He then went to Stonyhurst for Philosophy, and then back to Tullabeg for more Regency.
1877 He was sent to Innsbruck for Theology with W (sic) Patrick Keating and Vincent Byrne.
He was Ordained at St Beuno’s.
During Tertianship in France (1883) he was summoned to Fiesole (the Jesuits had been exiled from Rome so the General was there) and appointed HIB Provincial
1883-1888 Provincial Irish Province, During his Provincialate Tullabeg was closed and Father Robert Fulton (MARNEB) was sent as Visitor 1886-1888.
1889 He sailed for Australia and was appointed Rector of Kew College, and later Superior of the Mission.
1908-1913 He did Parish work at Hawthorn.
1913 His health began to decline and he went to Loyola, Sydney, and he lingered there until his death 28/09/1915.
Note from Morgan O’Brien Entry :
1889 In the Autumn of 1889 he accompanied Timothy Kenny and Thomas Browne and some others to Australia

◆ David Strong SJ “The Australian Dictionary of Jesuit Biography 1848-2015”, 2nd Edition, Halstead Press, Ultimo NSW, Australia, 2017 - ISBN : 9781925043280 :
His early education was at Carlow College before entering the Society at Milltown Park, Dublin, under Aloysius Sturzo.

1869-1874 After First Vows he was sent to St Stanislaus College, Tullabeg, where he was Prefect of Discipline and taught Writing and Arithmetic.
1874-1876 He was sent to Stonyhurst College, England for Philosophy
1876-1879 He was sent to Innsbruck, Austria for Theology
1879-1881 He returned to Stonyhurst to complete his Theology. he was not considered a good Theology student.
1881-1882 He was sent to Clongowes Wood College SJ as Minister
1882-1883 He was sent to Hadzor House, Droitwich, England to make Tertianship. During his Tertianship he was summoned to Fiesole, Italy, where the General was residing, and appointed PROVINCIAL of the Irish Province.
1883-1888 PROVINCIAL of the Irish Province. He was reputed to be a sound administrator, and he was only 37 years of age when appointed.
1888-1889 He returned to Clongowes as Minister
1889-1897 He went to Australia, and appointed Rector of Xavier College, Kew 1890-1897. he was also a Consultor of the Mission, and served as Prefect of Studies at Xavier College during 1890-1893. While at Xavier, he had the foresight to build the Great Hall and the quadrangle, which even by today’s standards is a grand building. He also planted many trees. However, at the time, money was scarce during the Great Depression, and many in the Province considered him to be extravagant. So, from then on, Superiors were always watchful over him on financial matters. Grand visions were rarely appreciate by Jesuits of the Province at this time.
1897-1898 Generally he did not seem to be a gifted teacher, and so he didn't spend much time in the classroom, However, in 1897-1898 he was appointed to St Patrick’s College, Melbourne, where he taught and ran the “Sodality of Our Lady”.
1899-1901 He was sent to St Ignatius Parish, Richmond
1901-1902 He was sent to the parish at Norwood
1902-1906 He returned to the Richmond parish
1906--1908 He was sent to the Parish at Hawthorn.
1908-1913 Given his supposed administrative gifts, it must have been hard for him to do work that did ot particularly satisfy him. However, he was appointed Superior of the Mission. After a sudden breakdown in health he returned to Loyola College, Greenwich, and died there three years later.

He was experienced by some as a man of iron will and great courage, broad-minded with good judgement, a man whom you could rely on in difficulties, and with all his reserve, an extremely kind-hearted man.

◆ James B Stephenson SJ Menologies 1973

Father Thomas Brown 1845-1915
Fr Thomas Brown was born in Newfoundland on October 9th 1845. He received his early education in Carlow College, entering the Society in 1866.

He was ordained at St Beuno’s, North Wales, and during his tertianship he was summoned to Fiesole and appointed Provincial of the Irish Province 1883-1888. He then sailed for Australia where he later became Superior of the Mission.

During his Provincialate in Ireland Tullabeg was closed as a College, and Fr Fulton was sent from Rome as a Visitor.

Fr Brown died in Sydney on September 28th 1915.

◆ The Xaverian, Xavier College, Melbourne, Australia, 1915

Obituary

Father Thomas P (T P) Brown SJ

On September 28th of this year, Fr Brown, another of the old Rectors of Xavier, passed away. He was well known in the Eastern States, and much esteemed for his great qualities. He was a man of iron will and great courage, broad-minded, and of good judgment, a man upon whom one could rely in difficulties, and with all his reserve an extremely kind-hearted man.

Born in Newfoundland in 1845. he entered the Society of Jesus in 1866, and studied in Ireland, England and Germany, On the completion of his studies, after a short period of office at Clongowes, he was made Provincial of the Irish Province in 1883. He came to Australia in 1889, and soon after his arrival was appointed Rector of Xavier. Here he remnained till 1897, his chief work in Australia being done during this period. To him the school is indebted for the fine hall and the quadrangle, He was much interested in the plantations, and many of the trees now thriving so well were planted and tended with much labour by himself and Fr O'Connor. The troubled times following upon the bursting of the “boom” occurred during his rectorate, and made management of the school difficult, the number of boys falling very low. But he was far-seeing and not easily discouraged, and the spirit which he introduced lived; and those who have seen the school through many of its vicissitudes know what a debt it owes to Fr Brown.

His long reign at Xavier ended in 1897, after which he was occupied with parish work in Adelaide and Melbourne till 1908, when he was made Superior of the Jesuits in Australia. In 1913 his health completely broke down, and for the next two years he lived as an invalid - at the Novitiate and House of Retreats in Sydney. To the end of his life the very name of Xavier College seemed to be written in his heart. He followed the fortunes of the school with the most intense sympathy. He died on September 28th, and is buried beside Fr Keating, at the Gore Hill Cemetery, North Sydney. RIP

◆ The Clongownian, 1916

Obituary

Father Thomas P Brown SJ

Though Father Thomas Brown was not at school at either Clongowes or Tullabeg, he was long connected with both these colleges as a master and prefect. During his time of work in Clongowes and afterwards as Provincial, Father Brown was responsible for many improvements in the College. We take the following notice of his death from . an Australian paper :

On Tuesday morning last, Sept. 28th, 1915, Rev. Father T P Brown SJ, of “Loyola”, Greenwich, died, after an illness extending over nearly three years. Towards the end of 1912 he got a paralytic stroke. Though he rallied a little. now and again, from the first it was quite clear that in his case complete restoration to health was out of the question. At the time of his death he was within a few days of his 70th year, and had his life been prolonged for another twelve months he would have celebrated the golden jubilee of his career as a Jesuit.

The late Father Brown was born in Newfoundland, but went to Ireland when quite young, and was educated at Carlow College. On the completion of his secondary education he entered the Jesuit Novitiate at Milltown Park, Dublin, when not yet 21. Two years later he went to Paris for his juniorate, or further classical studies. This was followed by philosophy. He then returned to Ireland, and was head prefect of discipline for some years in St Stanislaus' College, Tullamore. He studied theology at Innsbruck, and St Beuno's College, Wales. After ordination he returned to college work in Ireland for a short while. In 1882 he went to England for his Tertianship, the further year spent by Jesuits in training after priesthood. Early in 1883 he was appointed Provincial of the Irish Province.

We have given the bare outlines of his career so far - but, that one so youthful as he then was should be elevated to a position of such dignity and responsibility, clearly indicates that he had all along shown eminent qualities. His period of office as Provincial was one of unchecked progress for the Order in Ireland, With a foresight which did not commend itself to all at the time, but which every year has confirmed as wise, he closed a flourishing college, St Stanislaus; threw concentrated energy into Clongowes Wood College, a movement which has ever since leít Clongowes amongst the foremost, if not actually the first, institution of the kind in the United Kingdom. When he ceased to be Provincial, Father Brown went to Australia. He was immediately appointed to the Rectorship of Xavier College, Melbourne - a position he held for many years. His hand is visible there yet. Its noble assembly ball, its tasteful quadrangle, and the many features that make “Xavier” the best appointed college in Australia, are owing almost exclusively to Father Brown. When relieved of the burdens of office there followed some years of other scholastic work and missionary labours. In 1908 he had to take up government once more; for the General of the Jesuits called him to the office of Superior of the Order in Australia - an office which he filled till the illness began which brought about his death.

“To have known him”, wrote one of his former pupils, “is to have known what is best in man” - and these words express the thought of his many admirers. He was a bigmnan in every sense - big in stature, big in heart and sympathy, big in ideas and of unflinching fortitude. He was eminently a man of character, a man whose life was regulated by principles of the noblest type. His judgment was faultless, and up to a few days before his death one went to him with confidence in that his opinion on any matter would be invaluable. He was widely read in many branches, and few had amassed more information on useful topics. His taste was cultured and refined. At the same time he abhorred show. The world outside his own Order heard little of him. But the impression made by him on those who came into close contact with him will last as long as life itself. Judged by the severest test of human worth the opinion of those who know us best - Father Brown was a great man. This is the verdict of those who lived with him on terms of intimacy, of his pupils, of his religious brethren, and of his wide circle of admirers amongst the clergy up and down through Australia.

His Grace the Archbishop of Sydney presided at a Solemn Requiem High Mass for the late Father Brown, SJ, at St Mary's Church, North Sydney, on Wednesday morning.

“Catholic Press” (Sydney, N.S.W.), September 30th, 1915.

Born: 27 June 1865, Terra Nova, Newfoundland, Canada
Entered: 10 April 1885, Dromore, County Down
Ordained: 1900, Milltown Park, Dublin
Final Vows: 15 August 1903
Died: 21 July 1933, Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Brisbane, Australia - Australiae Province (ASL)

part of the Manresa, Toowong, Brisbane, Australia community at the time of death

Transcribed HIB to ASL : 05 April 1931

Early education at Clongowes Wood College SJ

by 1895 at St Aloysius Jersey Channel Islands (FRA) studying
Came to Australia in 1887 post Novitiate for studies and Regency
by 1902 at St David’s, Mold, Wales (FRA) making Tertianship

◆ David Strong SJ “The Australian Dictionary of Jesuit Biography 1848-2015”, 2nd Edition, Halstead Press, Ultimo NSW, Australia, 2017 - ISBN : 9781925043280
Robert Little was the son of the then premier of Newfoundland, but was domiciled at Monkstown, Dublin, and was educated at Clongowes College, 1880-84.
He entered the Society 10 April 1885 and, early in 1887, was sent to Australia to complete his noviciate and juniorate. He began teaching French and English at Riverview, 1888-94, and was also involved with rowing, debating and the library. He went to Jersey for philosophy and then Milltown Park for theology; and was ordained in 1901. Tertianship was undertaken at Mold, Wales, 1901-02. He taught at Belvedere College, Dublin, 1902-03, and was solemnly professed, 15 August 1904. He set sail again for Australia in 1903. For several years he was attached to the staff at Riverview, and was prefect of studies, 1905-13. He spent a few years in the parish of Richmond and St Patrick's College, and in 1916 was transferred to the Brisbane parish of Toowong where he remained until his death. During these years he distinguished himself as a controversialist. While at Riverview, his students believed him to be an admirable English teacher. He loved Chaucer and was given that name. Not only was he painstaking in his work, but he also gave the impression of giving his students individual tutorship. He gave graphic illustrations of what he wanted to convey in his teaching. There was a charm of mind and manner about Little that no one who knew him well would easily forget. He was a reserved person, even shy, which was not easy to penetrate. He had a mind well stocked with a wide range of information, an excellent literary taste and a delicate sense of values that made his criticism valuable and sought after. His keen intellect made him deadly in controversy and this led to his being feared by anti-Catholic propagandists. He had an old world culture that was singularly attractive, but he was also unpractical and somewhat distrait. To this he added a gentleness of manner and a kindness of heart. Through his charm of manner there shone a strong, spiritual man. His last illness lasted two years and he bore his pain with resignation and patient endurance.

◆ Irish Province News
Irish Province News 8th Year No 4 1933

Obituary :
Father Robert Little
Father Robert Little died in Australia, Friday, 21st July 1933.
He was born in Newfoundland, 27th June, 1865, educated at Tullabeg and Clongowes, and began his novitiate at Dromore, Co. Down, 10th April, 1885. According to the Catalogue Father Little was at Kew Melbourne, in 1887, where he studied for a year, six years at Riverview, as master or prefect, followed, He began philosophy at Jersey in 1894, theology at Milltown Park, 1897, tertianship at Mold 1901. After a year as Minister in Belvedere he returned to Riverview. He spent one year in that College as Master and was then appointed its Prefect of Studies, which position he held until 1913. One more year at Riverview as Master etc., was followed by a year at Richmond, another at St, Patrick's College, and then in 1916 he became Minister at Brisbane. He held that post until 1931. As Cur. Val. he passed the last two years of his life at Brisbane.
The following is taken from the “Irish Independent” 25th July, 1933 :
By the death of Rev. Robert Little, SJ., at Toowong Brisbane, the Jesuit Order has lost a brilliant member, an erudite theologian, and eloquent preacher. He was son of the late Philip F. Little, a premier of Newfoundland, and brother of Mr. P. I. Little, T.D,, Private Secretary to the President of the Executive Council , Mr. E. J, Little, D.J., and Mr. C. W. Little of the Land Commission.
Born in 1865, he was educated at St. Stanislaus College Tullabeg, and Clongowes Wood College. After his novitiate at Dromore, Co, Down in 1885, he was sent to Australia and
engaged in College work at Riverview College, Sydney. After nine years he went through philosophical and theological studies in Jersey and Milltown Park, where he was ordained in 1900. Following a year in Belvedere College, he again went to Australia where he was a close friend of Archbishop Mannix.

◆ Our Alma Mater, St Ignatius Riverview, Sydney, Australia, 1933

Obituary

Father Robert J Little

Father Robert Little SJ, died at the Mater Hospital, Brisbane, on July 21st, after a long and painful illness. Confined to his bed for the last two years of his life and in constant pain, he bore his lengthy and severe trial with a patience and resignation which edified all who were with him. To those who knew him, his patient endurance and calmness of soul fitted in with that deep holiness and perfect mastery of himself which distin guished him through life.

Father Little was born in Newfoundland in 1865. He was thus in his sixty ninth year when he died. He was the son of the late Judge Little who, for many years, was district Judge in Ireland.

He was educated at St. Stanislaus College, Tullabeg. Ireland, where he laid the foundation of that ripe scholarship which he acquired so fully in after life.

He entered the Society of Jesus in 1885 and, early in his career, was sent to Australia. He began his years of teaching at Riverview in company with the late Fr Pigot SJ, and under the Rectorship of the late Fr Keating SJ In due course he returned to Ireland for his higher studies and was ordained in 1901. Two years later he set sail again for Australia. For several years during his second period in this country he was attached to the staff at Riverview. For some twelve years he held the position of Prefect of Studies. In 1916 he was transferred to Brisbane to the newly founded Parish of Toowong, where he remained till his death, During these years he distinguished himself as a controversialist-a work in which he showed himself very skilled.

There was a charm of mind and manner about Father Little that no one who knew him intimately will easily forget. Perhaps these will be comparatively few, for he had a reserve, one might say a shyness, which it was not easy to penetrate. He had a mind well stocked with a wide range of information, an excellent literary taste and a delicate sense of values which made his criticism valuable and sought after. : It was an old world culture which was singularly attractive. To this he added a gentleness of manner and a kindness of heart which won him a multitude of friends. And through this charm of man ner shone the earnestness of a soul imbued with holiness and utterly unselfish. His work for God and for souls absorbed him. No one was too insignificant, nothing too small if there was question of something to be done for God.

Father Little's was a life passed close to God from Whom he derived that love of men of which nothing too great could be demanded. He united the simplicity of soul of a St Francis to the culture of a University don; and the austerity of the religious garb did not hide his gentleness, his urbanity and his unfailing sincerity. These fitted him well for his life's work as teacher of youth and seeker of souls for Christ. RIP

◆ The Clongownian, 1934

Obituary

Father Robert Little SJ

Father Robert Little was born at St. John's, Newfoundland, in 1865. He was the son of Judge Little, who became Premier of Newfoundland. The family also lived in Prince Edward Island. Mrs Little had property in Ireland and thither the family went, Robert being educated at Clongowes with his numerous brothers, More than one of his brothers adopted the profession of law, and one of them is at present a judge in the Free State. His brother Ignatius was a major in the Indian Army, spent a considerable time in India, and is now in Ireland. His brother Philip Francis is well-known as a poet, some of his compositions being of remark ably high quality.

Robert entered the Society of Jesus in 1885 and went to Australia in 1887. He was a master in St Ignatius' College, Riverview, for some seven years and then went to Europe to complete his studies for the priesthood. In 1897 he was ordained at Milltown Park, Dublin, and a couple of years later returned to Australia where he resumed work first at Riverview, and then in other Houses, being finally appointed to Brisbane where, after several years of parish work, he died.

Father Little was a fascinating personality, of remarkable originality, and of the keenest sense of humour. He radiated fun wherever he went, and I venture to say that in the whole course of his life he never said an unkind word to anybody, though his pranks assumed, at times, almost the characteristic of eccentricity. So great was his geniality and his kindness that no one ever felt any resentment at whatever he did. He was the perfect gentleman to the tips of his fingers. It was in his blood and in every member of his family.

He dearly loved a discussion. In order to finish a discussion it made no matter whether you or he missed a train, tram, steamer, or aeroplane. On the point of punctuality he was well-nigh hopeless. His great delight, as a younger man, was - to use a humorous metaphor that he sometimes adopted - to catch the train or the boat “on the hop”. He always arrived at the last moment, just as the conveyance was moving out. Sometimes he bounded into it while it was in motion, at other times he chased it, and even one time leaving Galway for Dublin - got an express to stop outside the station for him.

He was continually in the centre of amusing pictures. His Ford car was well-known around Brisbane, especially when he was learning to manipulate it, and it is said that those who went out with him in those hectic days, on the return felt so near Eternity that they began to make their wills! On one occasion he found himself out a distance of a few rniles from Toowong, The Ford car would not go forward, so he backed it all the way from Mogill to Toowong, to the amazement of the population. On another occasion when Father Roney, a great stickler for punctuality, was his Superior, Father Little arrived an hour and a half late for dinner, Father Roney looked very grave and said solemnly, “You are an hour and a half late. What has happened?” “Oh”, said Father Little, “those motor cars, you know, are apt to play tricks on one and cause delays on the road”. This was very satisfactory so far as it went, but the whole story is as follows: Father Little, having reached a certain river and not finding the ferry which would take the car across, accidentally drove the car into the river - which was deep - and left it there. The following morning he organized a relief party of men and boys with ropes, horses, and things, and they pulled the car out of the river.

On another occasion the Superior of the Australian Mission (Father J Sullivan) was on visitation and Father Little undertook to drive him around in his Ford, They got up the hills all right, but they had a tempestuous time coming down. Father Little had a theory that it was a mistake to use the brakes, as it wore them out, so he let the Ford run by the force of gravity down the hills. Suddenly the horrified Superior saw they were heading full career for a stone wall, and when the car leaped on to the footpath he was expecting an instantaneous departure to Eternity, when fortunately, the mudguard was hooked by a lamp-post and the car waltzed around into the road. This experience must have appreciably shortened the life of the poor Superior

On another occasion when the Superior was leaving for the South, Father Little undertook to see him safely to his train, He was to pick the Rev Father up at 8.30, but did not appear till 8.40. The poor Superior was already anxious about his train, but what was his amazement when Father Little asked him to give a hand at shoving the Ford out into the road as the engine would not move till warmed up. Father Suilivan threw his weight on to the machine and got it out, under the direction of Father Little, into the middle of the road. But the Ford refused to move, so Father Little said genially, “Let's get out and shove it down the hill, The engine is not yet warmed up”. Having started it down the hill, Father Little and the Superior frantically leaped in, and down the hill went the Ford and reached the bottom without any sign of activity in the engine. Father Little said coolly, “It is not yet warm enough. We'll have to push it up another hill!” Thereupon the Father Superior and Father Little astonished the population by shoving their car up a long hill. They got in and again let it slide down, the Superior almost despairing of getting to his train, when suddenly the Ford's engine started running and all seemed well until at a certain point it stopped dead in the middle of the tram line with a tram tearing down behind them. Here they had to get out again and shove the Ford off the line. Finally, at another halt near the station the Superior seized his luggage and made a frantic dash for the train which he boarded, all breathless, when it was already in motion. Then Father Little, radiant with pleasure at the morning's excitement, appeared, waved him a cordial farewell, and said in the most matter-of-fact way, “Be sure to tell Arthur (his cousin) to take up the study of metaphysics instead of literature”. The Superior sat back and tried to calm the excessive palpitation of an overstrained heart.

Incidents like the above are distributed through the whole life of Father Little and, in his case, produced amusement where in the case of anyone else they would have produced explosions of indignation. He was popular everywhere, with children, with old people, with learned professors, and Protestant divines. Everyone liked him, and I feel sure that his many controversies in the Brisbane papers never made him an enemy. He is greatly missed by the parishioners of Toowong. He was the soul of charity, and as already mentioned, never said an unkind word of anyone.

The gaiety of the world is lessened by his departure, but the remembrance of his delicate charity and courtesy will remain like a sweet perfume in the hearts of all his friends.

E Boylan SJ

Born: 21 July 1799, Newfoundland, Canada (Co Waterford)
Entered: 24 February 1828, St Stanislaus College, Tullabeg, County Offaly
Ordained: 29 September 1834, Marlborough Street, Dublin
Professed: 02 February 1846
Died: 17 April 1855, Belvedere College SJ, Dublin

Uncle of Thomas Francis Meagher.

◆ HIB Menologies SJ :
Came to Stonyhurst for early education and studied Humanities. He was keen to be a barrister, and studied law for some years afterwards before Entry.

He joined HIB Vice-Province 24 February 1828
After First Vows he was sent as Prefect either to Clongowes or Tullabeg
He was ordained by Dr Murray, Archbishop of Dublin - who had also ordained him Deacon - in Marlborough St 29 September 1834.
1847 he had been nine years Minister in Belvedere, and 14 March 1847 he was appointed Rector. He died in office 1855. As well as his work in Belvedere, he was also a Spiritual Director to a community of Carmelite Nuns. At one stage he was ill for a while, and the esteem in which he was held is witnessed by the number of visitors that called daily to enquire after him. He was remarkable for his union with God and great prudence in business. He was a truly spiritual man, and he viewed everything with the eyes of faith. he was perfectly straightforward and a model of charity towards others. He was a model religious, and never did his virtues appear to better advantage than during the last months of his life: as he lay dying, suffering most intensely, he was most patient and never murmured. Father Frank Murphy assisted him in his last moments, and he died on 17 April 1855.