Rev Joseph McKey
Title:
Rev
First Name:
Joseph
Middle Names:
Simon
Preferred Name:
Surname:
McKey
Order:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Warwick QLD
Country of Birth:
Australia
Date of Ordination:
Place of Ordination:
St Mary's Church, Warwick QLD
Country of Ordination:
Australia
Ordination Diocese:
Toowoomba
Seminary:
St Columba's College, Springwood, Australia
St Patrick's College, Manly, Australia
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
Warwick QLD
Country of Death:
Australia
Date of Burial:
Place of Burial:
Warwick QLD
Country of Burial:
Australia
Find A Grave URL:
Appointments Table
Diocese | Place | Role | Start Day | Start Month | Start Year | End Day | End Month | End Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toowoomba | Stanthorpe | 1934 | ADB | ||||||
| Toowoomba | Chinchilla | ADB | |||||||
| Adelaide | Warwick | 1982 | ADB | ||||||
| Toowoomba | Toowoomba | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar |
Biographical Notes
Australian Dictionary of Biography entry: https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mckey-joseph-simon--15041
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Prayer Calendar: Deceased Priests who have ministered the Catholic Faith throughout Toowoomba and districts, 1864–2025, Compiled by Annie Carrett, Diocesan Archivist, 2001, Updated by Gabrielle Saide, Diocesan Archivist, 2023:
Rev Joseph Simon McKey, died 1 June 1982
Joseph Simon McKey was born at Warwick on 16th July, 1904, to John and Bridget McKey (nee Kelly). The family lived at Rodgers Creek, near Warwick, and he attended the State School there as well as at Thane, followed by CBC Warwick. Having left school at an early age to earn a living, Joe needed another year of schooling in 1927 to prepare him to enter Springwood Seminary, which he was able to do at the beginning of 1928. After three years at Springwood and four at Manly (where he was a renowned boxer), Fr Joe was ordained in St Mary's, Warwick, on 18th November, 1934, by Bishop James Byrne - the first ordination ever to be held in Warwick. His first appointments were brief, Stanthorpe, Toowoomba, Chinchilla and Stanthorpe again. He had a complete collapse and was hospitalised in St Vincent's - diagnosed with early stages of TB. As a result he spent fifteen months in a Sanatorium at Leura. He returned to the Diocese in 1938 and resided at his mother's home in Warwick, he remained an invalid and semi-invalid for the rest of his life, In 1939 he began, what was to become, a life-time study, delving into astronomy, seismology, botany, history, music, art and crafts, flying, boat-building...some 25 different sciences and crafts. In 1945 he started, what can be described, as regular work, at a dentist's surgery for the first half of each day, and a watchmaker's shop for the second half. This continued until 1953. From 1952 onwards he was able to share in the pastoral work in the Warwick Parish. His health continued very poorly over the years. He was hospitalised in Warwick in early 1982, and died in June. He is buried in Warwick.
(Ref. "Joseph McKey, Priest - Scientist - Historian" by L J Ansell)
Reproduced by permission of Bishop Ken Howell.