The Journey
Granville
1942 - 1995
Granville is 24 kilometres west of the CBD of Sydney, and not too long ago was referred to as the geographic centre of the Sydney metropolitan area.

Very much the suburb of the blue-collar worker, Granville is your typical western suburb town.

The school is located between Grimwood and Benelong Streets.
 

Map

College Principals
1942 - 1995
Br Joseph Tierney        '42-47
Br Gerard Histon         '48-51
Br DeSales Gilbert       '52-59
Br Peter Johnson         '60-62
Br Cronan O'Meara      '63-68
Br Gerard McCluskie        '69
Br Callistus Keating         '69
Br Celestine Mulhall     '70-74
Br Raymond Eves        '75-77
Br Joseph Crowley       '78-95
Br Joseph Crowley
1995 - The Last Patrician Community living at Granville
Charles Barry  Stephen Sweetman
Gerry Bulfin  DeSales Gilbert
Staff of 1995
 		 Parramatta Marist Brothers was the first and only Catholic Boys' High School in the area up until the 1940's. By 1940 the Marist Brothers were finding it extremely difficult to cope with the number of students who were knocking on their school door. The situation was becoming chronic.

Monsignor McGovernTo the rescue came Father McGovern. In 1942 he was appointed from Sans Souci to Granville - the face of education in the Parramatta district was about to change dramatically. As he was about to move to Granville, he asked Brother Joseph Tierney at Waterloo if the Brothers would be able to establish a school at Granville. Despite the significant difficulties this entailed for the Brothers, it was agreed. 

Two Brothers, Joseph Tierney and Anthony Phelan, arrived at the Granville presbytery on the 11th of January, 1942. Here they resided until accommodation was found for them in William Street. The first year was a struggle but by the end of it "the foundations were well and truly laid for the future, and they were to prove rock solid over the next fifty years."*

Thus began more than fifty-four years of Patrician ministry in Granville. The following time-line gives a bare-bone summary of these years*:
 
 

A Class of 1961
The First Monastery
Opening of New Monastery
A 1979 view of school
1942 1st February Patrician Brothers Granville opens it doors for the initial 101 pupils. Brothers Joseph Tierney, Gerard Histon, and Vincent Budin occupy home in William St as first monastery.
1953 Four new classrooms built. Monsignor McGovern replaced by Fr Brennan as PP.
1961 New monastery opened.
1966 Plans made for the building of a whole new school complex.
1968 Secondary block completed.
1970 Stage Two completed.
1973 New Pirmary Block and Library opened.
1978 Brother Joseph Crowley becomes Principal and remains Principal until 1995.
1982 Staff block and Technics Rooms opened.
1992 Patrician Brothers Granville celebrates it Golden Jubilee.
By 1995 dramatic changes were facing the little communities of Granville: the school and the monastery. The Parramatta CEO in its efforts to rationalise the schools in its diocese was looking at converting the school into a senior co-educational one. This was to increase the number of students at the school so that it remained viable. At the same time, with dwindling numbers of Brothers in the monastery and school, it was decided that the Brothers should withdraw from the Granville monastery.

In 1996 the Brothers had officially withdrawn from the monastery. Brothers Charles Barry remained on the teaching staff (and is still on the staff as a campus minister). Brother Joseph Crowley handed over the Principalship to the new lay Principal. The school started the long process of its redevelopment.

Today the school is known as Delany College, named after the founder of the Patrician Brothers. Its physical appearance since 1995 has changed dramatically, but it certainly retains the spirit and friendly atmosphere that it was famous for. (Click here to go to a page on Delany College.)

Delany Website:http://www.delany.nsw.edu.au

* Taken from Brian Doran's 50 Years at Granville, 1942 - 1992.