Boyup Brook
The parish and school are so closely linked over the years the history must be told together. Boyup Brook was a part of Bridgetown Parish for many years. It is not on record when the priest first came to BB although the first priest came to Bridgetown in 1900.
In the middle fifties, Fr. J Fitzgerald started to work towards a church and school in Boyup; Bernie Rownet was contracted to build three rooms – two for classrooms and one for the original church. A great community spirit allowed the venture to come into fruition. Our first priest was Fr. W. Costello who was in Bridgetown and chose to come to Boyup when it became a separate entity. The Presentation Sisters came in 1956. The school started in July 1956 with 70 children and 50 desks – t he desks had to be borrowed from Bridgetown. The nuns moved into the convent on11th February 1957. The Presentation Sisters were part of the parish until 1989.
There have been 15 priests residing here since 1958. Each have contributed in their own way to parish community life. From 1958 until 1970’s the priest said Mass in 4 centres – Wilga, Kulikup, Chowerup and Boyup Brook. In the early 70’s Fr. K. Johnson was the insignator of a new classroom being built with much community input of voluntary labour. In the late 70’s in Fr. N. Faulkner’s time, the church was extended out from the verandah allowing the old church to be a resource centre for the school and a community centre for the church. In the early 90’s Sr. Mary Scanlon, a Good Samaritan Sister was the administrator for four years and the parish is now in the hands of Fr. J. Darbyshire.
Patch Story
St. Mary’s
The Boyup Brook Parish Patch depicts as the centre piece the Logo – large blue M for Mary, Our Blessed Lady, together with the letter S, naming our Parish as St. Mary’s and over embossed with a crimson cross, enclosed in a blue diamond format. The general details surrounding the Logo are indicative of the rural area of Boyup Brook: sheep farming, cattle, viticulture, native flora of black boy and pines and deciduous trees. The Blackwood River winds its way through the Parish as depicted on the Patch.
Grateful acknowledgement to Pauline Glynn, Jean Sprigg, Peg Beatty and Jenene Lloyd who all contributed to the design and making of the Boyup Brook patch.