St Kilian's on College Hill

St Kilian's College occupied College Hill between 1871-1898. Originally referred to as "St Kilian's Hill", it also functioned as a minor seminary for Boys. This section aims to recognise and preserve the significance of St Kilian's as a pre-curser to what eventually became St Laurence's College in 1915.  

The Beginning

Brisbane's first Bishop, James Quinn was determined that a pre-seminary be established on the south side of the River. In 1871, under the leadership of Fr Corrigan, St Kilian's opened on the hill as a boarding school, and Brisbane's second boys' College after St Jame's. The College flourished. Distinguished teachers included James Breen, the diocese's first lay Catholic teacher, later orated and made Headmaster. Dr J Cani, who became the first Bishop of Rockhampton and the Rev Dr J Canali who designed the gatehouse at All Hallows and the first building at Terrace. The Christian Brothers were asked to take over the running of the College in 1874 but declined, citing unsuitability for Brisbane and the south side having a relatively small population, not to mention its propensity to flood.

Student Success

The College developed as one of Brisbane's notable schools with what became a number of eminent graduates (listed below). The St Kilian's Football club was also formed at time when the "football wars" between Victorian Rules and Rugby Union were at their height in Brisbane. In 1879, there was Brisbane FC, Excelsior FC, St Kilian's FC, Wallaroo FC and Brisbane Grammar FC. All but St Kilian's eventually went on to form the QFL, the precursor to what is now known as the AFLQ. St Kilian's can also lay claim to one of the first ever Rugby Wallabies.

Short lived History

As Terrace and Nudgee developed, including the boarding school, St Kilian's gradually grew smaller and smaller and became a primary school only. Unfortunately a fire went through St Kilian's in 1898 and a modest primary school building sprang from the ruins. In December 1904, the cyclonic storm swept through Brisbane. As reported in "The Week" Newspaper, "Perhaps the most serious damage done by the storm was the partial demolition of St Kilian's Roman Catholic College, which for many years past has been a conspicuous feature, standing alone, as it did, on the summit of what is known as the College Hill, South Brisbane" (The Week, Friday 23 Dec, 1904).

Archbishop Dunne approached the Christian Brothers in 1901 to take over St Kilian's, but it was not until 1914 that coadjutor-bishop, James Duhig took over the matter and the rest is history.

Known Principals

Fr P Corrigan 1871-1873

Richard Kelly 1885-1890 

Old Boys of St Kilian's Details
Sir William Flood Webb KBE (Attended 1894-97)
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland (1940-46) and the High Court of Australia (1946-1958). He was also President of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East after the end of WW2 (1946-49). Also attended St Mary's Convent Warwick after the death of his parents. He was appointed a Knight of the Order of the British Empire in 1954.
Anthony James Joseph St Ledger (early 1870's)
Educated at both St Mary's Ipswich and St Kilian's. At the age of 12, gained first place in the first Queensland grammar school scholarship examinations. Initially he entered the Education Department and was the first honorary secretary of the newly formed Queensland Teachers Union in 1889. Became a Queensland Senator from 1907-13 (Anti-Socialist Party).
Timothy Joseph O'Shea (early 1870s)
He was a senior partner at law firm O'Shea, O'Shea, Corser and Wadley. O'Shea was appointed to the Queensland Legislative Council in 1914, serving for 8 years. He also held directorships of a number of companies incluing Queensland Brewery Ltd and Moreton Sugar Mills.
Louis Michael Piggott (mid 1890's)
Primary at St Kilian's and also educated at CBC Toowoomba and Nudgee (1904). Served as a Lieutenant in the Royal Army Medical Corps (1915-1916) then France under the Australian Army Medical Corp in 1917. He was wounded in Villers-Bretoneoux in August 1918 and survived. Returned to Australia and became a Medical Doctor.
Vincent and Francis Piggott (late 1880/s early 1890's)
Drapery Business and part of the Piggott's emporium of Toowoomba. Francis enlisted in the First AIF and served with the 1st AGH Reinforcements in France surviving the war.
David Stanislaus Carter
Inaugural Chairman, Christian Brother's Rugby Club (1905-19); President Christian Brothers Old Boys Association (1920-1924); Chairman Queensland Rugby Union - Junior Committee (1907-09); Treasurer Queensland Rugby Union (1910-1919 and 1928-32); Life Member Queensland Rugby Union 1915; Life Member Queensland Amateur Athletics Association 1915. Life Member Queensland Amateur Swimming Association 1916. President Queensland Olympic Council 1912-48.
Charles John Moran (l1880s)
Politician and Farmer. The Australian Dictionary of Biography states he was educated at local state schools and St Kilian's College South Brisbane. WA Legislative Member for what was then the newly created constituency of Yilgarn. He was also a director of several mining companies and opposed Federation in 1900.
Dr James O'Neill Mayne (1870s)
Part of the Mayne dynasty. One of the first and most significant benefactors to The University of Queensland. The generous philanthropy of Dr Mayne was the catalyst for the establishment of UQ. A number of the Faculty of Medicine Programs are named after the Mayne family - details of which can be found in Dr Rosamond Siemon's book, "The Mayne Inheritance"
Phil Carmichael (1890's)
A contemporary of William Webb. He completed primary, then moved to Terrace to complete his secondary schooling. Phil won a gold medal in Rugby at the 1908 Olympics and was selected in Australia's inaugural Rugby tour to Great Britain and France in 1908. The first Wallabies.