Kangaroo Ground, VIC - Presbyterian

Year Built: 1878

Denomination: Presbyterian

Address: Corner Graham & Eltham Yarra Glen Road, Kangaroo Ground, Victoria, 3097

Architect: Charles Maplestone

Traditional Owners: Wurundjeri people

Last Updated: 28/12/2022

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History and Architecture:

From 1843 to 1853 the Rev Gunn conducted church services at regular intervals in the Donaldson's barn in Kangaroo Ground. The school was closely associated with the Church as officially it was Kangaroo Ground Presbyterian Church School No. 27. By 1853 the name had changed to Scots Church School and by 1854 to Church of Scotland School.

The first formal step to establishing the present church building was in 1872. Mr John Donaldson, son of Mr James Donaldson, donated a quarter acre of land for a new church. The Church records note the original Pulpit Bible (Footnote 9) that the Deed of Conveyance cost £8.18.6.

The building was designed by the architect Mr Charles Maplestone. It was built in 1878 by Mr Self using hand-made bricks and a slate roof. A Celtic Cross surmounted the front gable.

The church of handmade bricks buttressed on both long sides, with a slate roof and a Celtic cross on top of the front gable has changed little since then. The carved wooden pulpit and 18 pews are original and in fine condition. The cathedral style ceiling is fully lined with tongue and groove pine boards and the floor is also of pine. The walls have arched oblong leadlight windows. One window has stained glass commemorating Mrs Jessie Agnes Cameron and her ancestors, the pioneering Bell family.

It was consecrated by Rev A D Kinninmont at a special service held on 9 June 1878.

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
1843 - 1845 Rev Peter Gunn
1852 - Mr William Smith
1853 - 1869 Rev David S. Boyd
1870 - Mr Andrew Ross
1871 - Rev James Cameron
1871 - 1874 Rev Alexander Mackie 1839 1892
1884 - Rev Duncan Fraser
1884 - 1887 Rev Alexander Mackie 1839 1892
1891 - 1898 Rev Jon Darroch
1899 - Mr F. G. Holland Brady
1899 - 1903 Mr William Kerr
1904 - 1905 Mr H. O'Sullivan
1906 - 1909 Mr Alexander McLeod
1909 - Mr James Thompson Kelly 1878 1959
1909 - 1911 Mr Edward Henry Shugg 1990
1911 - Mr L. B. Drury
1912 - 1915 Rev John Stewart Drummond
1916 - 1920 Rev William Chapman
1922 - 1926 Rev Samuel John Honiball
1927 - 1929 Mr R. W. Casboult
1929 - 1930 Mr William Stanley Laity 1899 1956
1931 - Mr Frederick Eales Brown
1932 - 1934 Mr Roy Merritt
1935 - 1936 Mr Joseph Booth
1937 - Mr Earle Verigan
1938 - Rev E. W. Crawford
1939 - 1943 Mr Edward Benjamin Robinson 1986
1944 - 1946 Mr William Harry Littler
1947 - 1949 Mr William Haddrick
1950 - 1953 Mr Douglas William Mathews
1953 - 1955 Mr Donald William Howard
1956 - 1958 Mr Alfed Charles Milne
1959 - Rev Roy Vernon Merritt
1960 - 1962 Mr Neville Place
1963 - 1965 Mr Alistair Bain Hopkins
1967 - 1968 Rev Dr William Frederick Paton 1970
1969 - 1974 Rev Dr Robert Bennett John
1975 - Rev Stuart Campbell Calder
1976 - 1979 Rev Dr Edwin Jason Norton
1980 - 1985 Rev Dr Reginald Ross Mathews
1986 - 1987 Rev Theodor Severin Fishwick
1989 - 1993 Rev Thomas Kenny Cannon
1995 - 1997 Rev John Phillip Wilson
1998 - Rev Ivan Henry Barker
2010 - Rev Rod Scott
2020 - Rev Steve Kilner

Organ:

No information currently available. Submissions welcomed.

Contributions:

1. Kangaroo Ground Museum

Source:

1. The Church Website
2. Nillumbik Now and Then, Margaret Marshall.
3. Kangaroo Ground Presbyterian Church Early History LPT 285.9451J13K.