In June 1762, a son was born to Robert and Margaret Rice who lived in West court near Callan in Co. Kilkenny, Ireland. The fourth of seventh sons, he was christened Edmund. He was born in a period of deprivation and degradation. Catholics were excluded from public life and from much normal social activity. Any form of Catholic education was forbidden.

Inspired by his mother’s values and encouragement, Edmund Rice showed concern and compassion for the impoverished and less fortunate fellow beings. As a school boy, Edmund shared food and clothing with the poor boys of the neighborhood. The Augustinian friars had a close relationship with the Rices. Father Patrick Grace also called the Little Grey Friar, was a regular visitor and he was an influence in Edmund’s growth towards the ecclesiastic.

Waterford was a prosperous center of activity when young Edmund arrived there in 1779.

Edmund Rice married Mary Elliot in 1785 when he was 23 years old. Four years, in 1789, later Mary met with an accident and died, after giving birth to a premature girl child who was christened Mary. The condition of his daughter Mary added to Edmund’s sorrow. The accident which led to the tragic death of his wife forced Edmund Rice to re-think his role in life Edmund made a commitment to devote himself to the service of God. His only dilemma was how to best blend spirituality and practicality.

Edmund once said “…the only hope of improving the lot of the poor was through education…” To this end he sold his business and converted a large stable in the New Street area of Waterford into a school.

Edmund’s first school started as a night school with six pupils. Voluntary workers came to help but never stayed for long. Everyone felt that the students were unteachable and unmanageable. In the midst of these hardships, Edmund Rice did not lose faith in God but dreamed of establishing a full-fledged congregation.

Thomas Grosvenor and Patrick Finn joined Edmund Rice not only as teachers but also in his religious congregation. Soon, Edmund Rice started building a monastery on an elevated site a little distance away from the heart of Waterford. When the Bishop blessed the premises in 1803, he was struck by the analogy of the location to Mt. Sion and Jerusalem and reportedly said “….. a very appropriate name would be Mt. Sion”. Edmund suffered an apoplectic fit and died on 29 August 1844 with the Mt. Sion community assembled around him.

The Brothers in Calcutta Under the aegis of the Committee of Catholic Charity Schools, a free school was established in the church compound of Our Lady of the Rosary, Moorgihatta. By March, 1836, there were 200 boys in attendance.

In 1839, Mr. Cooper rented the premises at 68, Bow Bazar St. to the Committee of Catholic Charity Schools and two schools were set up there. The boys occupied the ground floor and the girls used the first floor. In 1841,the Archbishop of Calcutta requested the Superior General of the Irish Congregation for young brothers who would come to Calcutta and carry on the work of the Congregation of Christian Brothers, namely help in educating the poor masses. Francis Fitzpatrick and Alphonsus Tolan were trained in the Christian Brothers Novitiate in Ireland, before being sent to Calcutta in 1848. They were known as “The Calcutta Brothers” and were filled with the spirit of Edmund Rice.

On their arrival in Calcutta, Fitzpatrick took charge of the Orphanage, Moorgihatta and Tolan took charge of the school in Bow Bazar. The orphanage, under the charge of the Calcutta Brothers came to be known as The Catholic Male Orphanage.

The Calcutta Brothers opened St. George’s Free School in 1848 but it was known differently then. The premises at 68, Bow Bazar housed the St. Xavier’s Chapel and St. Xavier’s Free School. The Brothers taught the boys while the girls’ free school was conducted by the Loreto Sisters.

Under the guidance of Dr. Walter Steins a three storied building, the present St. George’s, was ready for occupation by the end of 1872. It was named St. Joseph’s Boarding and Day School. Br. Vincent Casey, Br. Fabian Kenneally, Br. Edward Aherne and Br. Ambrose Flynn reached Calcutta on 5 January 1890. Br. Casey took charge of the community in Calcutta. He provided better amenities for the brothers, and inculcated a sense of discipline among the members of the community and the students, both at Bow Bazar and at the orphanage.

The Provincial with Br. Stanislaus O’Brien, Director of Bow Bazar and Br. Joseph Moyes determined that a large college and residence for the community must be erected at 69 and 70 Bow Bazar St. The cornerstone was laid on 4 August 1894. This was the first building erected by the brothers after their arrival in India. It housed the community, the boarders and provided full class room accommodation. There was also a special wing for the Provincial, and from 1895 to 1980, St. Joseph’s was the headquarters for the government of the Indian Province.

As soon as the ground floor was complete, the whole of the pay school was transferred there while the first and the second floors was still being constructed. Archbishop Goethals blessed the building on its completion in 1895. The free school boys were housed in the premises across the lane. As a result of the earthquake in 1897, the lower storey of Cooper’s house which had served as St. Xavier’s Chapel was badly damaged. Before the new church could be built, the ground floor of St. Joseph’s did duty as a chapel. Work on building the present church began on 19 January 1898 and Archbishop Goethals blessed and laid the foundation stone on 12 April.

School level

High School

Board

CBSE

School type

Private/ Public Schools

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