Melbourne, VIC - Wesley Uniting
Year Built: 1858
Denomination: Uniting
Address: 148 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000
Previous Denomination: Wesleyan Methodist
Architect: Joseph Reed
Architectural Style: Later Gothic
Traditional Owners: Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung & Bunurong Boon Wurrung people
Last Updated: 20/03/2024
Click on the image to view larger
History and Architecture:
By 1838, there was a Wesleyan society of about 30 people in Melbourne, meeting in a small brick church on the corner of Swanston St & Flinders Lane. They were led by lay preachers, including, George Lilley, Thomas Watson and William Witton. A second brick church was built to replace the first in 1841 on the corner of Collins St & Queen St.
Today's Church was originally built as the central church of the Wesleyan movement in Victoria and was built between 1857 and 1858 to the design of Joseph Reed. It is named after John Wesley (1703-1791), the founder of Methodism.
The design is Gothic and the foundation stone was laid on 2 December 1857 and the Church was opened on 26 August 1858.
The church is 50.3 metres long from north to south and 23.5 metres across at the transepts. It has an octagonal spire rising 53.3 meters above ground level.
The organ was the first pipe organ in Melbourne. It was built in England, and arrived in Melbourne in 1842, being moved to the present church in 1858. It was largely rebuilt in 1957.
The present church building, in Decorated Gothic style, was designed by Joseph Reed. The foundation stone was laid on 2 December 1857 and the building opened on 26 August 1858.
Today Wesley Church is the home of two Uniting Church congregations, the English-speaking Wesley Church, and the Chinese-speaking Gospel Hall.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1855 - | Superintendant Daniel Draper | WM | 1810 | 1866 |
| 1857 - 1858 | Rev William L. Binks | WM | ||
| 1859 - 1860 | Rev Dr James S. Waugh | WM | ||
| 1861 - 1863 | Rev Daniel J. Draper | WM | ||
| 1864 - 1866 | Rev John Eggleston | WM | ||
| 1867 - 1868 | Rev John Cope | WM | ||
| 1869 - 1871 | Rev James Bickford | WM | ||
| 1872 - 1874 | Rev William A. Quick | WM | ||
| 1875 - 1877 | Rev John G. Millard | WM | ||
| 1878 - 1880 | Rev William L. Binks | WM | ||
| 1881 - 1883 | Rev William P. Wells | WM | ||
| 1884 - 1886 | Rev Henry Bath | WM | ||
| 1887 - 1889 | Rev James W. Crisp | WM | ||
| 1890 - 1892 | Rev Dr Edward L. Watkin | WM | ||
| 1893 - | Superintendant Alexander Edgar | WM | 1850 | 1914 |
| 1902 - 1911 | Rev George H. Cole | M | ||
| 1911 - | Rev Norman Higgs | M | ||
| 1919 - 1931 | Rev James H. Cain | M | ||
| 1932 - 1933 | Rev H. L. Hawkins | M | ||
| 1933 - 1938 | Rev Hubert Palmer Phillips | M | 1887 | 1987 |
| 1939 - 1943 | Rev Cyril J. Walklate | M | 1886 | 1981 |
| 1951 - 1957 | Rev Lloyd G. Phillips | M | ||
| 1957 - 1968 | Rev Stuart G. Rea | M | ||
| 1968 - 1970 | Rev Alfred E. Foote | M | ||
| 1969 - 1971 | Rev Donald S. Saltmarsh | M | ||
| 1970 - 1974 | Rev Denis Oakley | M | ||
| 1978 - 1987 | Rev Dr Barry Brown | U | ||
| 1984 - 1987 | Rev Francis W. Popham | U | ||
| 1988 - 1995 | Rev Dr Robin Boyd | U | ||
| 1995 - 1997 | Rev Robert Gribben | U | ||
| 1998 - 2001 | Rev Peter Gador-Whyte | U | ||
| 2002 - 2006 | Rev Jason Kioa | U | ||
| 2007 - | Rev Dr Douglas Miller | U | ||
| 2021 - | Rev Rachel Kronberger | U |
Organ:
No information currently available. Submissions welcomed.
Source:
1. In Celebration of Faith stories and photos through 150 years at Wesley Church Melbourne