History St John's, Ashfield

1 history

1.1 contributors
1.2 church building
1.3 music
1.4 site development
1.5 regional influence
1.6 rectors
1.7 acting rectors
1.8 education

history

st john s first church established along parramatta road between colonial towns of sydney , parramatta (then known rose hill), during time of rapid church building when many of oldest churches in sydney erected. since 1810 parish of ashfield had extended balmain strathfield, , enfield parramatta river, , in 1840 formalized ecclesiastical district.

early contributors

the first portion of grounds, area of 1 acre, 2 roods, , 36 perches (a total of 0.698 ha), provided gift local landowner elizabeth underwood subdividing ashfield park . bishop of australia, william grant broughton added urgency expressing intention of having place of worship erected immediately, on allotment of land appropriated purpose . benefactor william bland, doctor , politician had been sent colony having been convicted of manslaughter after pistol duel left opponent mortally wounded, , after whom bland street named. gave donation of £200 , land. fellow local medical practitioner, james bowman, contributed munificent donation . mid-1839 funds received thought sufficient commence building. exact location determined in february 1840, , appeals continued fund building of sufficient size surrounding population.

church building

a stained glass panel in chancel, unveiled in 1934, illustrating jesus words resurrection , life (john 11:25)

the church founded on 9 september 1840. service on day read first rector, joseph kidd walpole, had come district christ church, kelso, , had begun plan church building. w. g. broughton made address @ ceremony. anniversary sermon preached robert allwood.

this foundation stone of church dedicated honor , worship of almighty god! , denominated church of st. john baptist laid 9th day of september, 1840. right reverend father in god william lord bishop of australia in fourth year of reign of queen victoria. sir george gipps, knight. governor. rev. joseph kidd walpole, minister. among born of women there not greater prophet john baptist; last in kingdom of god greater he. luke vii, 28.

the original church building, measuring 61 feet (19 m) 31 feet (9.4 m).

building work on church began in 1841, construction came standstill due construction problems , insufficient subscriptions. following year colonial architect edmund blacket, 1 of first assignments after arriving in sydney, requested inspect church s walls, still under construction. result of report, walls demolished , re-erected, although continued funding problems, , transfer of j. k. walpole windsor caused further delays. church licensed operation on 1 october 1843. of interior woodwork carved third rector, frederick wilkinson. roof strengthened in around 1845 installation of timber support columns. on 16 august 1845, @ cost of £100 church purchased additional 2.5 acres (1.0 ha) of land elizabeth underwood (who remained parishioner until death, , buried in prominent grave within church cemetery). church consecrated on 19 august 1845.

the exterior after 1875 additions



the crossing , chancel appeared in 1883

after 29 years, bishop of sydney frederic barker put population of sydney had invaded these sylvan shades , expansion required. blacket designed current stone transept , chancel, transform church cruciform plan. these built during period 1874–1875 @ cost of around £150 – raised without of grants government or english societies. foundation stone of addition laid barker on 24 october 1874, , included copy of australian churchman , sydney morning herald. @ time addition accommodated 250 seats, bringing total capacity 446.

construction of choir vestry , wooden porch outside western door completed in 1885, , dedicated bishop alfred barry. work overseen blacket brothers, had followed trade of late father.

arthur blacket designed west tower. eight-bell peal ordered england after generous bequest 1 of melanesian boys , david marguay, , subsequent fundraising. tower constructed @ cost of around £250 in memory of deceased rector james christian corlette, , dedicated corlette memorial tower on 1 november 1901. memorial bells proved depressing amongst local populace, , rearranged in 1904, louvres added open arches. apparently ineffective, bells removed within few years.

music

the 1883 hill , son pipe organ, located in north-eastern corner of transept

prior installation of pipe organ, seraphine , harmonium used musical accompaniment. first organ installed above gallery @ western end of church william davidson @ request of rector j. c. corlette, , transferred south transept in 1879, remained until 1882 when sold st bartholomew s, pyrmont, , later st luke s, northmead.

the 1883 hill , son organ, including 844 pipes, costing total of £550, installed in 1884, , located in north-east corner of transept. still in use, original pipework, making faithful original tones. organ refurbished , rebuilt in 1950, 1975, , 2008.

the 1950 change mechanical electrical action motivated removing increasingly noisy pedals , trackers. refurbishment included detachment of console (to other side of transept), , replacement of bellows pressure equaliser . façade pipes sprayed dull gold colour, covering on original diapering, described disparagingly @ time on pipes without rhyme or reason; fleurs-de-lys in profusion, dots, bands, triangles in colours of rainbow rioted in confusion . work carried out r. a. , d. a. wiltshire.

by 1975 organ had become unplayable, , reconversion mechanical action undertaken. console moved organ side of transept, action going backward under floor organ. necessitated removal of floor joists , foundation piers, unsupported floor caused further problems long term, , during 2008 rebuild re-electrified.

between 2006–2008 sydney firm john w parker – pipe organ builders refurbished organ, returning soundboard action electric, providing new roll-top detached console, , entirely new wind supply , bellows. swell box had been discarded in 1975 rebuild reinstated, , pedal bourdon 16 stop extended 8 pitch. octave couplers provided in sub , octave pitches on swell also. manual pipework washed, cleaned , regulated original hill standards , tonality.

the church had significant choral history, significant events celebrated full choir, accompanied orchestra. in late 19th century st john s choir participated in regional choir festivals.

site development

a small hall sunday school erected in 1865 generosity of l. h. smythe. 1895 hall had fallen disrepair, , needs of children had outgrown it. current parish hall planned replace it. memorial stone replacement building laid primate of australia, william saumarez smith in inclement weather on 2 february 1895. architect e. a. scott, , building design of domestic style... highly decorated front . cost £625 10s, complete within 3 months, , seated 400. however, 1903, sunday school had once again outgrown space available, , additional infants classroom built nearby. called small hall, , used classroom st john s preschool.

elizabeth underwood s tombstone

a rectory first provided rector j. c. corlette , large family in 1879. block of land, located on corner of rectory avenue , alt street, purchased £444, , foundation stone laid bishop barker in 1880. original rectory sold in 1922 £1800. current rectory, on main grounds of church, founded archbishop john charles wright in same year, during rectorship of william george hilliard, , built @ cost of £2500.

gravel pathways lined phoenix canariensis palms, lawn in front of church, , stone churchyard fence constructed in 1920s. alt street wall erected in 1922, , dedicated previous rector alfred yarnold. bland street wall dedicated in 1927 archdeacon davies, , commemorates 1 of key contributors, r. a. forsaith.

australian air force cadets on parade @ annual memorial service in 2007

the cemetery, had been in existence since after foundation of church (the first interment frederick underwood, elizabeth s 11-month-old grandson, on 1 may 1845), consecrated archbishop of sydney, howard west kilvinton mowll, on 8 september 1934. stage reportedly contained remains of 1,396 people. asked rector of time set apart area, containing 4 acres , 4 perches (1.63 ha), burial-place bodies of christian people living in , ashfield .

australia s memorial australian air force cadets occupies prominent position on grounds, , memorial service attended cadets has been held annually since opened state governor lieutenant general john northcott in 1946. built squadron leader arthur whitehurst had commanded squadron @ ashfield during period 1941–1946, , son douglas arthur whitehurst had died in action in world war ii.

a children s playground installed near alt st boundary in 2011, , opened ashfield municipal council mayor ted cassidy , strathfield mp charles casuscelli.

regional influence

a number of local street names derived presence of st john s. church street, ends directly opposite church entrance, track used burwood residents reach church, using conveniently located fallen tree across iron cove creek.

as population of sydney s inner west grew, many of anglican churches in area established congregation of st john s (including 4 during final thirty years of nineteenth century). these include balmain, burwood, 5 dock, st thomas enfield (declared separate parish in 1868), , st oswald s haberfield (1908). because of involvement, st john s later referred mother church of western suburbs .

rectors

st. john s has had eighteen rectors date.

acting rectors

from time time, acting rector or locum tenens has taken on temporary leadership, or filled gap between rectors.

septimus hungerford acting rector in 1879. had been rector of st peter s cathedral, armidale. later became incumbent @ st thomas enfield.

william hough took temporary leadership in 1889 whilst j. c. corlette undertook precentorship of goulburn cathedral.

arthur christian corlette stood in temporarily older brother j. c. corlette in 1898.

robert william phayre montgomery filled in @ st john s after death of j. c. corlette, during period 1900–1901. irishman came australia missionary chaplain in 1891. after leaving st john s took position vicar of cressy

arthur killworth m.a. ll.b., acted rector during period 1928–1931.

archdeacon william apedaile charlton led st john s 4 months in 1939 after departure of h. s. cocks. had served in sydney churches 55 years.

james r. le huray, th.l. acting rector during period 2004–2005.

education

the school building established in 1850s

in mid-1850s st john s established church of england denominational day school in small, plain white stone building near corner of charlotte , bland st, however, when ashfield public school expanded in 1875, church school proved unable compete, , 1880 closed. building sold newly begun ashfield boy s college in 1882, demolished in 1885.

catholic education in area flourished, , seeing this, j. c. corlette wrote england miss ellen clarke, suggesting start school young ladies in ashfield. went ahead, school known normanhurst school began in cottage in bland street. although officially non-denominational, normanhurst maintained strong links st john s. school grew, , moved premises orpington street, closed down in 1941.