The Society of Mary and the Archdiocese of Wellington Collection of nearly 700 rare books was deposited on permanent loan into the Alexander Turnbull Library in December 2001. It includes the collections of Jeremiah Purcell O'Reily (1805-1880) and James Ambrose Story (1844-1901).
The collection contains imprints from the 15th to the 18th century (including eight incunabula), in addition to pamphlets and a small number of post-1800 imprints. A high proportion of these imprints are foreign-language publications.
Items in the collection were originally gathered from libraries at St Patrick's College Wellington, the Marist Archives Wellington, and convents in Hastings and Wanganui. The collection was held at the seminary library at Greenmeadows, Napier, before moving to the Colin Library in Auckland in 1998.
Archival material connected to this collection is held at the Marist Archives in Wellington.
Further information about the collection can be found in 'Jeremiah Purcell O'Reily and James Ambrose Story: Two Nineteenth-Century Collectors and their New Zealand Connection' by Ruth Lightbourne, Turnbull Library Record 40 (2007), pp 33-60.
More about the Turnbull Library's Special Printed Collections
Access items in this collection
Items from the Collection can be used onsite in the research reading room on the first floor of the Library on weekdays. Items need to be ordered in advance for use on Saturday mornings.
A small number of items in the collection, including the incunabula, are listed on the National Library Catalogue.
The majority of items in this collection are uncatalogued. For access to uncatalogued material, contact the Curator of the Special Printed Collections.
Borrow items in this collection
Original items from this collection cannot be borrowed.
Get copies from items in this collection
You can order digital photographs and microfilm copies of items in this collection.
Photocopies are possible under certain circumstances, depending upon the physical condition of the item. Photocopies are made by Library staff.
More about copyright and usage
Get help
We can answer your enquiries in person, by letter, phone or email.
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