While researching the people who are buried in the Cue Cemetery, John Pritchard, one of our valued volunteers, has uncovered the story of Victoria Margaretta Gill who was first buried in the Cue Cemetery in 1905. She was then transferred to and reburied at the Dongara Cemetery and thence to the Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth. I have never heard of anyone being buried three times. This is her story-
Victoria Margaretta Gill – Sister Mary Gabriel
Victoria Margaretta Gill was born in Dublin, Ireland, on 22 June 1837, the eldest daughter of Andrew Gill, a wealthy brewer, and his wife, Ellen Maria. Victoria was educated privately, then at Loreto Abbey, Rathfarnham. From the age of nine, she boarded at St Catherine’s Dominican Convent, Sion Hill, in Booterstown, before accompanying her parents on a continental tour.
In 1853 she left home dressed for a ball, but then determinedly fled across the snow to Sion Hill, reputedly to avoid an arranged marriage. There she stayed, despite her parents’ entreaties, later receiving the Dominican habit and the name of Sister Mary Gabriel of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Seventeen years later, after experience as a teacher, mistress of schools, and mistress of novices, Mother Gabriel left for Dunedin, New Zealand, as prioress with Bishop Patrick Moran, Father William Coleman, and nine sisters. They arrived at Port Chalmers on the Gothenburg on 18 February 1871 to find that little preparation for their coming had been made by the small Catholic community of mainly poor Irish immigrants. With Bishop Moran as their friend and counselor, Mother Gabriel and her sisters worked to improve the standard of church worship and to provide a high quality of education for pupils of all religions.
In 1886 she returned to Dublin in search of more teachers, she obtained 14 sisters and on her return to Dunedin in 1888 was appointed mistress of novices to continue their training. Mother Gabriel was re-elected prioress in 1889, and on 5 October 1890 opened St Dominic’s College, a bluestone wing to the priory providing classrooms and boarding facilities.
The death of Bishop Moran in 1895 severed another link with the old order. During a visit to Sydney in 1898, Mother Gabriel was approached by Bishop William Kelly of Geraldton with a request for sisters. She enthusiastically promoted this new endeavor and was chosen to head the pioneer band. The news of her leaving Dunedin caused some dissatisfaction because she was needed there; grudging permission for a year’s absence was won from Bishop Michael Verdon. Overwhelmed on her departure in April 1899, her iron self-control threatened, she was unable to say goodbye to the remaining sisters and slipped out a side door to her carriage. As it drove away she could not bear to look back at the priory.
During the final six years of her life, Mother Gabriel single-mindedly pursued her goal of bringing Catholic education to the West Australian gold mining districts, despite a rigorous climate, meager resources, and physical privation. Sickly and emaciated, but hardworking and indomitable to the end, she died of pneumonia at Day Dawn on 22 April 1905. She was buried amid general mourning at Cue in December 1915, later her body was disinterred and reburied in the Dominican cemetery, at Dongara.
Dominican Sisters Memorial at Dongara Cemetery
In 1971 severe flooding from the Irwin River, Dongara made it necessary for them to relocate to Perth. In 1996, a decision was made to transfer the remains of the Sisters who were buried in this spot to the Sister`s plot in the Karrakatta Cemetery.
Ref: Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
Moya Sharp
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