Heidelberg, VIC - St John's Anglican

Year Built: 1849

Denomination: Anglican

Saint: John

Address: 1 Burgundy Street, Heidelberg, Victoria, 3084

Architect: John Gill

Architectural Style: Low and Mixed Gothic

Traditional Owners: Wurundjeri people

Last Updated: 19/03/2024

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History and Architecture:

One of Melbourne's earliest churches it was built between 1849 and 1851 in Gothic style to a design by John Gill. The architect was Mr G. R. Cox who had designed an early English Gothic church of brick with a square tower.

Heidelberg was originally called Warrigal and the first Anglican clergyman to be stationed there was the Rev. Dr Hussey Burgh MaCartney, the son of a baronet and a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, who came to the Port Phillip District in January 1848. By 1853 St John's Church of England was the third church established in the Diocese of Melbourne and its boundaries extended from Kanggaroo ground to Broadmeadows.

Dr MaCartney had a wide catchment and took services as far afield as Broadmeadows, Whittlesea, and the Lower Plenty. After ten months MaCartney was appointed Archdeacon of Geelong and the Rev. Francis Hales was appointed in his place.

Hales took steps to build a church on the land allotted, when the township had been planned. The Government granted 600, the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge gave 100 and the Melbourne Diocesan Society donated 60.

The formal opening of the church took place on 26 October 1851. The Church was dedicated by Bishop Perry the first Bishop of Melbourne on 30 September 1861 and named the Church of St. John the Evangelist.

The parapets were re built in 1858 under the watchful eye of architects Purchas and Sawyer. The front porch and side chapel date from 1963. The stained glass was by Ferguson & Urie.

The roof was completely re roofed around 1856 with slate after the original shingles had deteriated. The interior was plastered and the exterior brickwork was covered with cement. Another renovation took place in 1965 at ac cost of $56,000. The Vestry, choir room, chapel and entrance porch were added.

Clergy:

This list may not contain every serving cleric, past or present, for this church.
Further submissions welcomed.

Years	Name	Annotation	D.o.B	D.o.D
1848 -	Rev Dr Hussey Burgh Macartney
1848 - 1852	Rev Francis Hales
1854 -	Rev Canon George Goodman		1821	1908
1855 - 1869	Rev James Lynar		1791	1875
1870 - 1879	Rev Thomas B. Garlick		1813	1897
1879 - 1904	Rev Arthur Joseph Pickering		1835	1914
1905 - 1908	Rev William McKie		1863	1937
1912 - 1919	Rev David William Weir		1875	1943
1919 - 1926	Rev R. J. Brady
1926 - 1935	Rev William C. Storrs		1862	1953
1935 - 1943	Rev Arthur Edwin Fleming Young		1873	1944
1944 - 1949	Rev Sydney Thomas Ball		1896	1975
1944 - 1949	Rev Albert Haley	Asst C
1948 - 1949	Rev Lindsay Young Pace	Asst C
1949 - 1959	Rev Albert T. Craig		1889	1968
1949 - 1959	Rev Phillip Atkins	Asst C
1949 - 1959	Rev Phillip Cooke	Asst C
1959 - 1978	Rev G. Simondson
1975 - 1978	Rev Gordon Allan Brown		1919
1981 - 1983	Rev D. R. Barras	Asst C	1940
1978 - 1988	Rev John Graham Clarke		1937
1978 - 1988	Rev Dr David Barras	Asst C
1978 - 1981	Rev James Lawrence Reeve	AD
1978 - 1988	Rev John Swift	Asst C
1978 - 1988	Rev Greg Thompson	Asst C
1978 - 1988	Rev Robin Payne	Asst C
1981 - 1982	Rev Howard Frederick Dillon		1939
2018 -	Rev Denise Nicholls

Organ:

The present organ was built in 1896 by Alfred Fuller. It has 2 manuals 10 speaking stops, 3 couplers, with mechanical action. It was rebuilt in 1965 by Davis & Laurie Pty Ltd with 2 manuals, 16 speaking stops, 9 couplers, electro-pneumatic action.
For a full description click here.

Source:

1. Cable Clerical Index with permission.
2. Organ Historical Trust of Australia with permission.
3. A brief history of The Anglican Church of St John the Evangelist Heidelberg. LTP 283.9451 B76S