Reilly Family History

Mercedes College

Mercedes College, which is situated in Victoria Square in the Perth CBD, traces its origins back to 1846, the early years of the Swan River Colony.

Sister Ursula Frayne was a friend and associate of Catherine McAuley and imbibed her spirit and values very deeply. In 1846, Ursula was chosen to lead the small group of pioneer Sisters of Mercy who accompanied Bishop Brady to the Swan River Colony in Western Australia. These Mercy women were part of a band of 28 missionaries, including Spanish Benedictine priests (who would set up the New Norcia missionary), brothers and lay catechists.

In January 9, 1846 having landed in Fremantle after a voyage of 113 days from Ireland on the barque 'Elizabeth' the seven Sisters then sailed up the Swan River to Perth. The Sisters made packing cases into desks and bricks and planks into seats, and less than a month after landing opened the first school on February 2, 1846. This school became the first secondary school for girls in Australia and is the present site of Mercedes College, now the oldest independent Catholic girls' school in Australia.

Mercedes plays an important part in the Reilly history in Perth. The wife of JT Reilly, Mary Lucille Burrows, was one of the first pupils of what is now known as Mercedes College. Many years later, the daughters of Geoffrey Reilly, Sharon and Clare, also attended the school, still located on the original foundation site.

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