Julian Edmund Tenison-Woods

Julian Edmund Tenison-Woods (1832-1889)

He was born in England, went to Thomas Hunt’s Catholic school. After that, he had a brief period at Newington Grammar School. He worked for The Times and became intrigued about the work of the catholic schools. When he was 18, he tried joining the Passionist novitiate, but his poor health forced him out.

Afterwards, he taught in the south of France at Mont-Bel college for naval cadets at Toulon, where he became interested in natural science and geology. He met Bishop Willson of Hobart Town, Tasmania, whom he accompanied there in 1854. After a disagreement, however, they parted ways and he went to Adelaide, becoming sub-editor of the “Adelaide Times”. In Adelaide, he resumed his studies for the priesthood and was ordained priest in 1857.

He had a large tract of country in the south-eastern district was entrusted to him, and he founded the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart, placing Miss Mary MacKillop in charge of the first school. He then accepted the demanding job of director-general of Catholic schools and secretary and chaplain to Bishop Sheil. He was a missionary in Tasmania and founded the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Brisbane. He was an observer of the world around him and made many contributions to Australian geology, going all over Australia observing the varied rocks and natural flora and fauna and also assisted in its zoology and palaentology.(1)

He traveled to many locations in Australia and published many papers, contributed popular scientific articles, and aided government departments by his many reports of geological surveys of natural resources and published a book titled History of the Discovery and Exploration of Australia in two volumes. (1) In 1887, due to his many travels, his health was failing, and he returned from the Northern Territory to Sydney, and he died of paralysis in 1889.

He was a strong leader, a good priest, an advanced educator, and a dedicated scientist. (1)

Sources cited:

(1)Tenison-Woods, Julian Edmund http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/tenison-woods-julian-edmund-4700

(2)Julian’s Story
https://www.sosj.org.au/our-founder-julian-tenison-woods/julians-story/

(3)Julian Edmund Tenison Woods
https://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia/view.php?id=12442