Historical information

This book of prayers was given by the Warrnambool Sisters of Mercy to Dorothy Ardlie on the occasion of her 12th birthday. The Sisters of Mercy came to Warrnambool in 1872 and established St. Mary’s Convent School, Wyton in North Warrnambool (re-named St. Ann’s in 1888). This school merged with the Christian Brothers College in 1990 to form the present-day Emmanuel College. The Sisters of Mercy ceased active involvement with the school in the 1990s. Dorothy Ardlie (1910-1993) and her sister Agnes Ardlie (1915-1993) were the daughters of Arthur and Ethel Ardlie of Warrnambool, the granddaughters of the prominent Warrnambool lawyer William Ardlie and his wife Mary and the great granddaughters of John and Mary Ardlie, pioneer settlers in Warrnambool.

Significance

This book and the loose cards are interesting mementoes of Dorothy Ardlie, a member of a prominent Warrnambool family in the 20th century and of the Sisters of Mercy, an order of nuns that has been important in Warrnambool’s educational history.

Physical description

This is a book of 138 pages with a brown leather cover and gilt edging along the sides of the pages. The front and back cover and spine are embossed with two decorative patterns. The front cover has an embossed heart with flames and a cross and the spine has gold lettering. Some of the pages are loose and some have been re-attached to the binding using adhesive tape. Some of the pages are stained. The book contains black printing and there is one black and white illustration. In the pages of the book were 29 small cards, scraps of paper etc. These are now kept with the book but in a separate folder. Most of these are of a devotional nature – prayers, images of saints etc.

Inscriptions & markings

Wishing dear Dorothy a very happy birthday with much love from the Sisters of Mercy 26th April 1922