John Francis (Jack) Hennessy

Hennessy was born on 8 January 1887 at Burwood, Sydney. After completing his secondary education at the Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham, and St Patrick's College, Goulburn, he studied architecture at Sydney Technical College and at the University of Pennsylvania. He gained experience with firms in America and Sydney, before becoming a partner with his father, John Francis Hennessy, trading as Hennessy & Hennessy in 1912. John Hennessy retired in 1924, and the firm continued under Jack Hennessy Jnr, retaining the name, though they were also known as Hennessy, Hennessy & Co. == Career ==

In the 1920s, Queensland Archbishop Duhig commissioned a number of projects for the Catholic Church in Brisbane, including the never-built Holy Name Cathedral, Brisbane. In the 1930s Hennessy designed a series large office buildings for three different insurance firms in three countries, and has been described as Australia's first international architect. Hennessy died of heart disease at his eldest son's home in Sydney on 4 September 1955, at the age of 68. He was buried in the Roman Catholic Cemetery at Rookwood. The firm continued until 1968. ==Major extant works==

• 1925: Corpus Christi Church in Nundah, Brisbane • 1927–28: Villa Maria Convent, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane • 1930–31: Colonial Mutual Life, Brisbane • 1934: Colonial Mutual Life, Adelaide • 1935: Colonial Mutual Life, Wellington, New Zealand • 1936: Lawson Apartments, Perth • 1936: Australian Catholic Assurance, Melbourne • 1936: Australian Catholic Assurance, Sydney • 1937: Colonial Mutual Life, Newcastle • 1937–79: Great Court, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane • 1941: Pius XII Provincial Seminary, Banyo, Brisbane. ==References==