Lawrence Hession | ANZ Clergy


About Help Contact login Rev Lawrence Hession SJ Title: Rev First Name: Lawrence Middle Names: Nicholas Preferred Name: Surname: Hession Order: SJ Date of Birth: 21-Jul-1901 Place of Birth: Chesterfield, Derbyshire Country of Birth: England Date of Ordination: Place of Ordination: Country of Ordination: Ordination Diocese: Seminary: Date of Death: 07-Feb-1978 Place of Death: Sydney NSW Country of Death: Australia Date of Burial: 1978 Place of Burial: Macquarie Park, Ryde NSW Country of Burial: Australia Find A Grave URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/145518945 FindaGrave - Person Photo FindaGrave - Grave Photo Biographical Notes Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017: Hession, Laurence Teacher; born Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England, 21 July 1901; died Sydney, 7 February 1978, aged 76. Laurence Hession received his secondary education at St Mary's, Chesterfield, and at Campion House, Osterley, England, for two years. He worked in the field of engineering before entering the Society at Tullabeg, Ireland, 31 August 1923. His juniorate was at Rathfarnham, philosophy and theology at Milltown Park, and regency at St Aloysius' College, Milson's Point, 1929-32. After tertianship at St Beuno's, Wales, he returned to St Aloysius' College, Milson's Point, 1937-44, and again, 1951-55, teaching junior English, religion and mathematics. At one time he was minister, 1941-44. He taught at St Louis School, Claremont, WA, 1945-50, and was minister at Canisius College, Pymble, 1956-57. His longest stay in one place was as assistant director of the Riverview observatory, 1958-77. Hession had a wry sense of humour, and a somewhat impatient nature. He was a misogynist until his latter years when he met caring women, and said the Latin Mass until the end in his own chapel. He was fascinated with some aspects of science, and, at St Aloysius' College in the 1950s made a simple, but effective grand clock for the entrance hall to the junior school. In his earlier time at the College, one student, John Walker, recalled his appreciation of Hession for being kind, cheerful and a good sport, as well as introducing him to several literary authors he grew to love. At Riverview he enjoyed kippers for breakfast and had two hates, the boys playing basketball on third yard, and Br Mersel dropping a 'fly wheel' as he mended watches! As assistant director of the observatory, it was his job to take the daily readings from the machines. He would comment that Riverview was a delightful place apart from the students, and he did not seem to relish the advent of Fr Laurie Drake as observatory director. He was a heavy smoker all his life and he enjoyed the evening libations. He finally died of lung cancer. (Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Title:

Rev

First Name:

Lawrence

Middle Names:

Nicholas

Preferred Name:

Surname:

Hession

Order:

Date of Birth:

21-Jul-1901

Place of Birth:

Chesterfield, Derbyshire

Country of Birth:

England

Date of Ordination:

Place of Ordination:

Country of Ordination:

Ordination Diocese:

Seminary:

Date of Death:

07-Feb-1978

Place of Death:

Sydney NSW

Country of Death:

Australia

Date of Burial:

1978

Place of Burial:

Macquarie Park, Ryde NSW

Country of Burial:

Australia

Find A Grave URL:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/145518945

FindaGrave - Person Photo

FindaGrave - Grave Photo

Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017:
Hession, Laurence

Teacher; born Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England, 21 July 1901; died Sydney, 7 February 1978, aged 76.

Laurence Hession received his secondary education at St Mary's, Chesterfield, and at Campion House, Osterley, England, for two years. He worked in the field of engineering before entering the Society at Tullabeg, Ireland, 31 August 1923. His juniorate was at Rathfarnham, philosophy and theology at Milltown Park, and regency at St Aloysius' College, Milson's Point, 1929-32.

After tertianship at St Beuno's, Wales, he returned to St Aloysius' College, Milson's Point, 1937-44, and again, 1951-55, teaching junior English, religion and mathematics. At one time he was minister, 1941-44. He taught at St Louis School, Claremont, WA, 1945-50, and was minister at Canisius College, Pymble, 1956-57. His longest stay in one place was as assistant director of the Riverview observatory, 1958-77.

Hession had a wry sense of humour, and a somewhat impatient nature. He was a misogynist until his latter years when he met caring women, and said the Latin Mass until the end in his own chapel. He was fascinated with some aspects of science, and, at St Aloysius' College in the 1950s made a simple, but effective grand clock for the entrance hall to the junior school. In his earlier time at the College, one student, John Walker, recalled his appreciation of Hession for being kind, cheerful and a good sport, as well as introducing him to several literary authors he grew to love.

At Riverview he enjoyed kippers for breakfast and had two hates, the boys playing basketball on third yard, and Br Mersel dropping a 'fly wheel' as he mended watches! As assistant director of the observatory, it was his job to take the daily readings from the machines. He would comment that Riverview was a delightful place apart from the students, and he did not seem to relish the advent of Fr Laurie Drake as observatory director.

He was a heavy smoker all his life and he enjoyed the evening libations. He finally died of lung cancer.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Rev Lawrence Hession SJ

Biographical Notes