28 December 1915.
 

Julia Cooney, one of the seven foundation nurses, was born in Davisville, near Wellington, NSW in 1887 and educated by the Sisters of St Joseph, Perthville. In 1915, Julia was living in Ryde where she assisted her brother and his wife with their young family. Julia joined Our Lady’s Nurses on 28 December 1915 after being introduced to Eileen O’Connor by her local parish priest, Rev Father Edward Gell.

8 April 1914.
Catherine (Katie) Lynch, one of the foundation nurses, arrives at Our Lady’s Home. Katie was born into a large pioneering family at The Welcome, near Parkes, NSW, in 1885

31 May 1913.
Mary Drohan, one of the foundation nurses, arrives at Our Lady’s Home just five days after Cissie McLaughlin.

21 January 1915.
Agnes (May) McGahey arrives at Our Lady’s Home, taking the total number of foundation nurses to seven.

10 September 1914.
Fundraisers organise a concert at Concordia Hall in Elizabeth Street, Sydney, in aid of Our Lady’s Nurses for the Poor.

2 August 1951
The Catholic Weekly publishes this obituary for the Very Rev. Father Edward Gell

7 July 1934
The Catholic Freeman’s Journal provides this gritty account of the ministry of Our Lady’s Nurses for the Poor

21 August 1918
Co-founder of Our Lady’s Nurses for the Poor, Captain Rev. Father Edward McGrath msc, is awarded the Military Cross

19 August 1977
The Grange Lions Club donates its sixth Chrysler Galant to Our Lady’s Home in Brisbane.

30 August 1962
His Eminence Cardinal Norman Gilroy, approves the following prayer for the beatification of Eileen O’Connor

28 September 1918
Captain Rev. Father Edward McGrath msc rescues a seriously-injured British Army officer

28 October 1914
Mrs Ada Holman, wife of the NSW Premier, opens a four-day ‘garden fete on a large and brilliant scale’ at Our Lady’s Home

21 August 1974
Carlton Football Club President, George Harris, writes to Our Lady’s Nurses for the Poor co-founder, Rev. Father Edward (Ted) McGrath msc, who is now 93 years old.

1904
In 1904, the family moves to Sydney, where Charles finds work as a bookkeeper with Anthony Hordern & Sons.

9 July 1918
Co-founder of Our Lady’s Nurses for the Poor, Captain Father Rev. Edward (Ted) McGrath msc, embarks for the Western Front from Victoria Station, London.

1 November 1911
On the eve of All Saints Day, 19-year-old Eileen O’Connor lies unconscious at ‘Restwell’ in Beach St, Coogee

8 August 1913
Ellen (Nell) Fitzgerald, one the foundation nurses, enters the community at Our Lady’s Home. Born in Harden, NSW.

July 1911
The O’Connor family falls on hard times following the death of Charles O’Connor.

01 April 1913
An early telephone directory lists the phone number of ‘Miss E. O’Connor, Our Lady’s Home, Dudley St, Coogee’, as Randwick 908

12 June 1915
Co-founder of Our Lady’s Nurses for the Poor, Rev. Father Edward (Ted) McGrath msc, is reinstated by his Order but is prevented from returning to Australia.