16 August 2020 A little outing after a busy week

 A busy week with our missionary responsibilities. The Auckland office wanted to celebrate Don's birthday along with our Area Legal Counsel Gordon Tanner's who had a birthday Tuesday.  So I made cupcakes for the Australia office and they had a cake for Gordon in NZ. After a virtual party - about 5 minutes to eat cake - it was back to work as they had their weekly staff meeting and I went back to my other duties.

Yesterday we went back to the Hyde Park area to see the Barracks which we were only able to view from the outside two months ago.  Now open but with registration and strict social distance guidelines, we went with Theresa and Mike Thomas to see some of the early convict history.  Three floors to view the building and listen to the self-guided recordings explaining the history of the building.  After it closed to convict labor, it became a house for immigrant women.  Later, it served as an Orphan Institution and then the top floor was used as an Asylum for Infirm and Destitute women with no means of financial or medical care.  It closed in 1886 for this purpose and then became one of the number of buildings in the area used for the court system.

The quarters for convicts who were used for manual labor could sleep 70 men in hammocks, but another 70 would be crammed in to sleep on the floors with the rats and other vermin also taking up quarters.  It was said they were only given one pair of pants, shoes, shirt and were responsible for taking care.  They would just put them back on if they could ever wash since if they were left on a peg to dry, the clothing would likely be taken. Overcrowding was an issue for all uses of the building.  

 We went on down the street to see a World Press Photography display in the State Library.  Loved the photography in addition to the permanent displays.  The windows and main reading room are beautiful.

We've been by St. Mary's Cathedral before but just like the Barracks, it was now open to public again.  After registering for Covid purposes, we were able to enter and enjoy the beauty of the 

View of the sanctuary from the crossing, the four arms of the cross of the cathedral.  The other picture is the rose stain-glassed window and organ. 

Chapel of St. Peter, with Jesus entrusting priesthood keys to Peter.

A really lovely day to be out with friends and see wonderful architecture of the Cathedral and view historical and current cultural displays in the library.