Bishop John Joseph Grimes

Bishop Grimes Bookplate

On 19 November 1980 the then Catholic Bishop of Christchurch and one time member of the University of Canterbury Council, Bishop Ashby (11 Jul 1964 Appointed - 4 Jul 1985 Resigned), officially presented to UC what was to become known as the Bishop Grimes collection. A full catalogue of this collection was produced in two parts The first gives the author's names in alphabetical order, and the second part the titles of books in alphabetical order.

The collection, numbering 4,597 volumes, was assembled by the most Rev. J. J. Grimes, S.M., the first Roman Catholic Bishop of Christchurch. Until the time of the donation the Library was housed in the Presbytery beside the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. By far the greater part of the library was assembled by Bishop Grimes (13 May 1887 Appointed - 15 Mar 1915 Died), but over the years additions have been made by Bishop Brodie (27 Nov 1915 Appointed - 11 Oct 1943 Died), Lyons (16 Mar 1944 Appointed - 8 Mar 1950 Appointed, Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney) and Joyce (18 Apr 1950 Appointed - 28 Jan 1964 Died). The Library covers the expected subjects of Theology, Philosophy, Liturgy, Biblical studies, Church History, Catechetic and other devotional material, represented also are materials on Art, Travel, Biographies and Natural History. University of Canterbury Chronicle, Volume 15, No. 22. 28 November, 1980.

Collection origins and development

The origins of, and subsequent development of the Grimes collection, remains somewhat ambiguous. One plausible theory on its foundation can be extracted from Grimes’ own will.

In his will Grimes states; “I am deeply grateful to the Society of Mary & all its members for their many acts of kindness to me. I am grateful to the Superior General of the said Society for having so long allowed me the use of the Library which belongs to him, though it is in my episcopal residence”

The Superior General at the time of Grimes’ death in 1915 was Br. Stratonique but it was Br. Theophane who held the position at the time Grimes was appointed. Br. Theophane, was present at Grimes’ consecration in London in 1887, and the new bishop made a point of visiting him afterwards in France to obtain brothers for his diocese, among other things. https://www.maristsm.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/clisby_fardistantshores_s.pdf (Page 77)

There is no indication if among the ‘other things’ Grimes secured a library from Br. Theophane, but the will from 1915 indicates there may have been a collection of an unknown size from the Superior General held within his residence.

How to cite this page: Damian Cairns. 'Bishop John Joseph Grimes'. University of Canterbury Library Provenance, https://digitalvoyages.canterbury.ac.nz/omeka-s/s/provenance-project/page/bishop-grimes(Access date)