The home movies of Monsignor Bartholomew Frawley
By R. Hillier - Librarian, State Library of Queensland | 30 June 2017
Monsignor Bartholomew Frawley (1904-2002) was born near Toowoomba and spent a few years as a teacher before entering the seminary. He was ordained as a priest in 1930. Following service as a RAAF chaplain during World War Two, he was posted to Scarborough as priest for St Bernadette's parish in 1946 and set about building a church and schools. Over the next few decades, the parish schools expanded to include De La Salle College, Frawley College, Soubirous College and St Bernadette's Primary School.
Monsignor Frawley, his dogs Tom and Sue and his Messerschmitt car, ca. 1962. Accession 30700 Monsignor Frawley motion pictures. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.
Monsignor Frawley had a keen interest in film and made hundreds of home movies across three decades. He meticulously documented the gradual expansion of the parish schools as well as events associated with the schools and the changing landscape around Scarborough. His vast body of work was unfortunately destroyed some years ago, however the State Library of Queensland has recently acquired two reels of 16mm film created by Msgr Frawley to document the history of St Bernadette's parish. These have now been digitised.
Moving the St Martins presbytery building, 1950s. Accession 30700 Monsignor Frawley motion pictures. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.
The films were cut together using Msgr Frawley's own footage as well as still photographs. Reel 1 documents the history of the St Bernadette's parish schools from 1946 to 1968, reel 2 from 1968 to 1982.
Students of St Bernadette's primary school, 1973. Accession 30700 Monsignor Frawley motion pictures. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.
Without inspection, these films seem like little more than a good document of local school history, however they are much more than this. The films are narrated throughout by Msgr Frawley in a voice akin to newsreel presenters of old. His unique but thorough narration and occasional dry humour are accompanied by a sentimental orchestral soundtrack giving the films a strong sense of nostalgia. This, along with the washed out colour and relatively quick editing and changing of scenes give the films quite a hypnotic quality and they prove surprisingly easy to watch.
Children on the future site of St Bernadette's Primary School, ca. 1966. Accession 30700 Monsignor Frawley motion pictures. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.
The films are invaluable from a local history perspective, showing the changing landscape around Scarborough, both as a result of the expanding schools and simply due to development and the passing of time. The uncanny ability of Msgr Frawley to name nearly every person that passes in front of the camera makes the movies excellent family history resources as well. There is also a lot of valuable social history contained within.
Gathering of students, Feb. 1970. Accession 30700 Monsignor Frawley motion pictures. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.
For a school history, the footage proves quite diverse. In addition to scenes of the construction of new buildings and school activities there is also footage of visiting dignitaries such as Jan Taylor - Miss Australia 1964, Archbishop Duhig, Joh Bjelke Petersen and the seemingly unimpressed Australian Rugby League team.
Miss Australia 1964, Jan Taylor, pays a visit. Accession 30700 Monsignor Frawley motion pictures. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.
The films occasionally stray away from Scarborough as well, taking in events at the Brisbane exhibition grounds, street parades on the peninsula and even a school excursion to Marineland at Surfers Paradise.
Corpus Christi procession at Brisbane exhibition grounds, 1962. Accession 30700 Monsignor Frawley motion pictures. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.
Monsignor Frawley clearly had an acquaintance with a helicopter via which he filmed regular aerial footage of the schools and the broader peninsula, giving a great bird's eye view of the changing landscape. He also seemed to have a cherry picker at hand to get regular elevated shots over school assemblies and events.
Students of the four St Bernadette's schools assembled, early 1970s. Accession 30700 Monsignor Frawley motion pictures. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.
The movies can now be viewed on the State Library of Queensland's One Search catalogue.
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