Auckland's first school of any sort was a Catholic school for boys. Its first classes were held on 27 September 1841. It was set up by Catholic laymen of Auckland following the first visit of Bishop Pompallier. The teacher was Edmund Powell (who was a leading layman also involved in building St Patrick's Church (soon to be Cathedral)), and classes were first held in his residence in Shortland Crescent (later renamed Shortland Street) on 27 September 1841. This school appears to have existed only for a short time.