Surry Hills, NSW - St Peter's Catholic
Year Built: 1918
Denomination: Roman Catholic
Saint: Peter
Address: 235 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills, New South Wales, 2010
Architect: Austin McKay
Architectural Style: Gothic
Traditional Owners: Gadigal people
Last Updated: 05/08/2024
Click on the image to view larger (2 photos)
History and Architecture:
The Catholic Church and parish of St Peter’s Surry Hills was established in 1880. It arose out of the need to serve a very densely settled and highly Catholic Surry Hills, which had a strong Irish population. On the 19th of September 1880, Archbishop Vaughan laid the foundation stone.
The present church, built in Gothic style, was designed by the architect Austin McKay, and opened on Sunday 26 May 1918.
Clergy:
These names are now in the Database and can be searched individually.
| Years | Name | Annotation | D.o.B | D.o.D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1882 - 1886 | Father M E O'Brian | |||
| 1888 - | Father J. J. Walsh | Asst | ||
| 1889 - 1889 | Father John O'Carroll | Asst | 1896 | |
| 1889 - 1891 | Father Michael Rohan | Asst | 1920 | |
| 1891 - 1892 | Father J Power | Asst | ||
| 1892 - 1893 | Father M Glasheen | |||
| 1892 - 1894 | Father Joseph Bunbury | Asst | 1903 | |
| 1893 - 1902 | Father James Furlong | 1926 | ||
| 1894 - 1896 | Father John O'Reilly | Asst | ||
| 1896 - 1899 | Father T E King | Asst | ||
| 1899 - 1900 | Father Peter Donnelly | Asst | 1945 | |
| 1900 - 1909 | Father Thomas Vaughan | Asst | 1941 | |
| 1902 - 1904 | Father R Condon | |||
| 1904 - 1931 | Father Richard P. Collender | 1958 | ||
| 1912 - 1917 | Father Richard Lonergan | Asst | 1955 | |
| 1917 - 1926 | Father P Fogarty | Asst | ||
| 1925 - 1926 | Father T J. O'Farrell | Asst | 1937 | |
| 1926 - 1929 | Father Charles Foley | Asst | 1949 | |
| 1929 - 1934 | Father P F Cunningham | Asst | 1979 | |
| 1931 - 1943 | Father Peter Power | |||
| 1933 - 1933 | Father John M Kelley | Asst | ||
| 1934 - 1935 | Father W Canavan | Asst | ||
| 1935 - 1937 | Father Michael J Ryan | Asst | ||
| 1936 - 1939 | Father J. J. Massey | Asst | ||
| 1937 - | Father R A. Lyng | Asst | ||
| 1937 - 1940 | Father W. J. Fahy | Asst | ||
| 1939 - 1940 | Father A. J. Hickey | Asst | ||
| 1942 - 1943 | Monsignor T O Wallace | |||
| 1944 - 1962 | Father John F Bryne | |||
| 1962 - 1969 | Father Justin McGlynn | |||
| 1970 - 1972 | Father Roland Darmenia | |||
| 1972 - | Father Anthony J Sahade | |||
| 1999 - 2019 | Father William Millstead | |||
| 2019 ?? - | Father John Mcdonald |
Organ:
The first Ogan was built by Flight & Robson of London in 1810. It had 1 manual, 4 speaking stops, mechanical action. Broken up c.1958. The present Organ was built by George Fincham & Sons of Melbourne in 1967, for St Mary's Anglican Church, South Camberwell, Vic. Incorporating some pre-existing pipework 2 manuals, 25 speaking stops, 8 couplers, electro-pneumatic action. Rebuilt and enlarged in 2018 by Hargraves Pipes Organs of Mt Evelyn, Vic. It has 2 manuals, 24 speaking stops, 9 couplers, electro-pneumatic action.
For a complete decription and photos click here.
Source:
1. Centenary of St Peter's Parish Surry Hills 1880 - 1980. A Brief History
2. Church Website
3. Organ Historical Trust of Australia with permission.