Balmain, NSW - St Augustine's Catholic

Year Built: 1906

Denomination: Roman Catholic

Saint: Augustine

Address: 6 Eaton Street, Balmain, New South Wales, 2041

Architect: Augustus Pugin

Traditional Owners: Wangal people

Last Updated: 25/02/2025 - Additional names and dates of service included.

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History and Architecture:

The first St Augustine's was built in 1848 and designed by Augustus Pugin England's most influential early Victorian architect.

In 1848 the Archbishop of Sydney put up a bond of 150 which would be voided unless part of a church or materials worth 400 were on site within 18 months. The "magnificent plot of land [was] beautifully situated on the summit of a hill, commanding a prospect of the surrounding country"

On 18 September 1848 the Vicar-General called tenders for the erection of the new church notifying builders that "the plans and specifications can be seen at Mr John Davis's, near St Patrick's church".12 Mention of formal tender documents implies an architect, but his identity is not known. The name of the builder was not mentioned either.

The first service was held on 13 April 1851 the day after the church was opened.

The Architect for the second church was Albert Bates and the foundation stone was laid on 7 October 1906. It was dedicated on 1 December 1907.

Clergy:

These names are now in the Database and can be searched individually.

Years Name Annotation D.o.B D.o.D
1854 - 1856 Father Robert Downing
1856 - 1864 Father John Joseph Therry 1864
1857 - 1858 Father Henry A. Garnett
1864 - 1864 Father William Crone 3 months
1864 - 1865 Father J. A. Quirk
1864 - 1869 Father George F Dillon 1893
1865 - 1866 Father Joseph Laffan 3 months
1866 - 1867 Father Monnier
1867 - 1867 Rev Dr Powell 3 months
1869 - 1870 Father John Rigney 1903
1869 - 1871 Father P. Burch 1828 1914
1870 - 1871 Father P. Newman
1871 - 1875 Father L. P Pacilio
1875 - 1877 Father John Forrest
1875 - 1878 Father T. W. Keating
1878 - 1879 Father H. B. Callachor 1898
1878 - 1881 Father G Dillon 1893
1879 - 1881 Father M. Walsh
1879 - 1880 Father Timothy Harnett 1905
1880 - 1881 Father Peter Young
1880 - 1880 Father M. Gibney 6 months 1925
1881 - 1885 Father J. J. Carroll
1882 - 1882 Father T. O'Reilly
1885 - 1887 Father T. Leonard
1885 - 1885 Father Austin John Forde
1887 - 1893 Father John Hagarty 1926
1887 - 1888 Father M. O'Callaghan
1887 - 1893 Father A. Boyle 1926
1887 - 1892 Father Cornelius McEncroe
1888 - 1891 Father P. McKenna
1888 - 1893 Father T. Hanley
1890 - 1894 Father Edmond Corcoran
1892 - 1894 Father D. J. MacCarthy
1894 - 1902 Father P. Healy 1903
1894 - 1898 Father J/ Fitzpatrick
1898 - 1901 Father John J. O'Driscoll 6 months
1902 - 1904 Father J. Dalton
1902 - 1904 Father John Rohan 1955
1903 - 1929 Father Michael Rohan 1929
1904 - 1905 Father S. Burke
1905 - 1908 Father John J. Egan
1908 - 1911 Father B. O'Farrell
1911 - 1912 Father Charles O'Sullivan
1911 - 1911 Father Matthew O'Donoghue
1912 - 1914 Father J. Sheridan
1914 - 1914 Father Paul F. Kehoe 3 months
1914 - 1917 Father E. O'Brien
1918 - 1927 Father G. Bartlett
1922 - 1922 father T. Harrington 3 months
1926 - 1926 Father William P. Clarke
1929 - 1931 Mgt T. Hayden 1945
1930 - 1931 Father M. Coffey
1932 - 1935 Father Hugh Conaghan 1943
1935 - 1938 Father Dominic Furlong
1935 - 1935 Father James P. Carroll 7 months
1935 - 1945 Father P. J. Morris
1938 - 1940 Father William K. Bush
1940 - 1942 Father Leo T. Boyle
1942 - 1945 Father Roger Wynne
1945 - 1945 Father Arthur A. Pegrem
1945 - 1972 Father Patrick T Boland 1998
1945 - 1948 Father G. Joiner
1947 - 1947 Father P. Aylward
1948 - Father L. M. Corridon
1973 - 1988 Father Noel Joseph Murphy 1988
1988 - 1994 Father B. Titmuss
1994 - Father J Keeble
2024 - Father Peter Smith approx start date.

Organ:

The Organ was built by Hill & Son in 1886. It had 3m., 21 sp. st., mechanical. Originally for the YMCA Hall in Pitt Street, Sydney, it was moved some 20 years later to St Carthage’s Catholic Cathedral, Lismore, in northern NSW.  It was transferred to St Augustine’s in 1912.
For a full description and photos click here.

Source:

1. On Balmain Hill. 150 years of the Catholic Church in Balmain. Peter Reynolds. SLN 282.944127
2. Organ Historical Trust of Australia with permission.
3. Deceased Clergy in Australia, 1788-2025.
4. St Augustines Balmain Centenary 1848 - 1948