Albury, NSW - St Matthew's Anglican
Year Built: 1859
Denomination: Anglican
Saint: Matthew
Address: 4518 Kiewa Street, Albury, New South Wales,
Architect: Edmund Blackett
Last Updated: 21/04/2023
Click on the image to view larger (4 photos)
History and Architecture:
The Albury Anglican Parish was established in February 1850 and by 1851 the first rector Henry Elliott had arrived.
By 1856 a plan by Sydney architect Edmund Blacket was accepted and work began in 1857. The first portion: nave, south porch and tower base, was opened on March 13 1859.
The building combines Edmund Blacket's original west wall and tower base of 1857 - 59, William Boles chanel completed in 1876 and the rebuilt church designed by Ian O'Connor after the church was gutted by fire is September 1991.
The external walls were of local Monument Hill granite, the roof was covered with shingles and the building was 92ft (28m) long by 28ft (8.5m) wide. In 1866 only eleven years after the opening the building was considered too small and during the next seven years sveral plans were discussed for the enlargement of the existing building or for its complete replacement.
The corner stone for the new St Matthew's was laid by T.H. Mate, Esq. on March 29 1874.
The outer walls of the new church were built of granite. All windows, porch and door arches were built of cut stone. The stone for the tracery of the magnificent east window came from the quarries at Table Top, and the granite from Black Range. The white freestone in the transept windows came from Omaru, New Zealand.
The main sanctuary window The Calling of St Matthew was a Lyon and Cottier from Sydney. The transept windows were by Ferguson and Urie. All were destroyed in the fire of September 1991. A bell tower with a ring of eight bells tuned to the key of A, plus one tolling bell, originally from St John's Glastonbury, UK.
Clergy:
These names are now in the Database and can be searched individually.
| Years | Name | Annotation | D.o.B | D.o.D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 - 1858 | Rev Henry Elliott | 1814 | 1858 | |
| 1851 - | Rev John Davies Wilkinson | |||
| 1858 - 1862 | Rev Robert Potter | |||
| 1863 - 1867 | Rev Marcus Brownrigg | |||
| 1867 - 1871 | Rev David E Jones | |||
| 1871 - | Rev W Locke | |||
| 1871 - 1890 | Rev Canon Alfred Acocks | |||
| 1890 - 1897 | Rev Charles Kingsmill | |||
| 1897 - 1904 | Rev George Spencer | |||
| 1904 - 1925 | Rev Fred Bevan | |||
| 1925 - 1930 | Rev Norman W Gardiner | |||
| 1930 - 1934 | Rev Reginald Douglas Peatt | 1891 | 1946 | |
| 1934 - | Rev Clive M Statham | |||
| 1949 - | Rev Fred M Hill | |||
| 1959 - 1960 | Rev Philip John Thirl Well | Asst C | 1934 | |
| 1960 - 1966 | Rev Ross Border | 1914 | 1969 | |
| 1961 - 1962 | Rev Warren Ernest Hall | Asst C | 1922 | |
| 1966 - 1971 | Rev Russell Henry Oldmeadow | |||
| 1971 - 1973 | Rev John Munro | |||
| 1971 - 1972 | Rev David Micheal Hill | Asst C | 1945 | |
| 1973 - 1978 | Rev Stephen Holmes | |||
| 1978 - 1979 | Rev R. J. Lindbeck | 1943 | ||
| 1979 - 1983 | Rev Ken Patfield | 1926 | ||
| 1983 - 1985 | Rev Robert George Beal | 1929 | ||
| 1985 - 1989 | Rev Donald W McMonigle | |||
| 1987 - 1989 | Rev Andrew Philip Covington | Asst | 1945 | |
| 1989 - | Rev John C Davis | |||
| 1992 - 1995 | Rev Brian Hector Gill | Asst P | 1945 | |
| 1995 - 1996 | Rev David Kenneth Still | Asst P | 1965 | |
| 1997 - 1998 | Rev Simon Peter Coward | Asst | 1964 | |
| 1999 - 2008 | Rev Keith P Brice | |||
| 2016 - | Rev Peter MacLeod Miller |
Organ:
The first organ was built in 1876 by George Fincham. The integrity of this instrument was successively eroded at three rebuilds in 1899, 1958 and 1980 and it was entirely destroyed in the fire. The present Organ was built in 1994 by Orgues Létourneau. It has 2 manuals, 33 speaking stops, mechanical action.
A full description and photos can be seen here.
Source:
1. Albury Historical Newsletter
2. Church records
3. The Australian Anglican Directory 2000
4. Cable Clerical Index
5. Organ Historical Trust of Australia with permission.