active anglican church located suburb sydney australia founded land donated church building oldest surviving building having built time subdivision increased population density sufficiently turn town church built linked early colonial towns sydney earliest remaining parts building sydney designs colonial architect later renowned ecclesiastical architecture expansive church grounds contain cemetery dating contains remains notable residents australia memorial occupies prominent position near entrance church john site listed local environment plan heritage schedule churches dock christ church inner west operating parish dock anglican diocese sydney church including later rector early history church established road colonial towns sydney known rose hill time rapid church building oldest churches sydney erected parish extended ecclesiastical district early contributors portion grounds area acre total provided gift local landowner park added urgency expressing intention having place worship erected immediately land appropriated purpose doctor politician sent colony having convicted pistol duel left opponent mortally wounded bland street named gave donation land fellow local medical contributed similarly donation funds received thought sufficient commence building exact location determined february appeals continued fund building sufficient size surrounding population church building church founded september service day read rector come district christ church begun plan church building address ceremony anniversary sermon preached foundation stone church dedicated honor worship god laid 9th day september right reverend father god william lord fourth year reign queen_victoria sir knight governor minister born women greater prophet john baptist greater luke vii building work church began construction came construction problems insufficient following year colonial architect assignments arriving sydney requested inspect church walls construction result report walls demolished erected continued funding problems transfer windsor caused delays church licensed operation october interior carved rector roof strengthened installation timber support columns august cost church purchased additional acres land remained death buried prominent grave church cemetery church eventually consecrated august years population sydney invaded shades expansion required designed current stone chancel transform church plan built period cost raised help grants government english societies foundation stone addition laid october included copy australian sydney morning herald time addition accommodated extra seats bringing total capacity construction choir wooden porch outside western door completed dedicated work overseen brothers followed trade late father designed west tower bell ordered england generous boys subsequent fundraising tower quickly constructed cost memory recently deceased rector dedicated november memorial bells proved depressing local populace rearranged added previously open arches apparently ineffective bells removed years music prior installation pipe organ musical accompaniment organ installed gallery western end church request rector transferred south remained sold later hill son organ including pipes costing total installed located north east corner use original making faithful original tones organ refurbished rebuilt change mechanical electrical action motivated removing increasingly noisy refurbishment included detachment console replacement pressure façade pipes sprayed dull gold colour covering original described time pipes rhyme reason dots bands colours rainbow confusion work carried organ mechanical action undertaken console moved organ action going backward floor organ necessitated removal floor foundation piers floor caused problems long term rebuild electrified sydney firm pipe organ builders refurbished organ returning action electric providing new roll detached console entirely new wind supply swell box discarded rebuild reinstated pedal stop extended pitch octave provided sub octave pitches swell manual washed cleaned regulated original hill standards church significant choral history significant events celebrated choir accompanied orchestra late 19th century john choir participated regional choir festivals site development small hall sunday school erected hall fallen disrepair needs children current parish hall planned replace memorial stone replacement building laid weather february architect building design domestic style highly decorated cost complete months seated sunday school space available additional classroom built nearby called small hall classroom john provided rector large family block land located corner avenue street purchased foundation stone laid original sold current main grounds church founded archbishop year built cost gravel pathways lined phoenix lawn church stone churchyard fence constructed 1920s street wall erected dedicated previous rector bland street wall dedicated commemorates key contributors cemetery existence soon foundation church elizabeth month old grandson consecrated archbishop sydney september stage reportedly contained remains people asked rector time set apart area containing acres burial place bodies christian people living australia memorial occupies prominent position grounds memorial service attended cadets held annually opened state governor lieutenant general built squadron leader commanded squadron period son died action world war children playground installed near boundary opened mayor regional influence number local street names derived presence church street ends directly opposite church entrance originally track residents reach church located fallen tree population sydney grew anglican churches area established congregation including final thirty years nineteenth century include dock declared separate parish involvement later referred eighteen date rector period originally england went mission madras health gave way transferred new_south_wales ordained priest disappointing progress building transferred richmond years rector period grew clerical family ireland married cousin children seven joined parents journey australia appointed set aside room family home deemed bishop temporarily licensed place worship church complete time minister parish concord earned government transferred rector period personally carved organized church built built presided alternately time lived picturesque wooden house called near road large workshop wood carving established private school enjoyed high reputation best collegiate school colony apart return trip england serving ship chaplain journeys continued leadership june accepted special commission cure rector period originally come colonies company father brother frederick charge uncle got married julia elizabeth daughter served short period chaplain years assistant minister canberra uncle left rector leaving moved later finally returning burial cemetery death newly ordained rector period come australia brothers sister charge rector rented original house family residence simultaneously held parishes dock time children died day finishing continued serve dock died aged buried cemetery rector period grandson ninth cave cave recently married arrived later career held thomas canon rector period previous appointment married daughter politician sir elected committee newly formed indication anglican support home cared abandoned babies subject storm protest accusing practices children born time john surprisingly period began provide residence rector encouraged population worship later returned islands missionaries provided frequent regular services predecessor emphasized saint days communion music period concurrently held andrew cathedral served canon chaplain rural dean family buried cemetery rector period final years career immediately previously spent nineteen years rector christ church bay overlapping time john chaplain archbishop sydney rural dean later father australian historian clark mother teacher sunday school rector period recently ordained joined having completed year wife died time john completed time local private school described popular church life australia forceful preacher rector period came soon arrived suffered breakdown health sick time died year rector period brought wide experience church work having ordained world war chaplain missionary school principal chaplain india recently rector rector period keen teacher having previously principal andrew cathedral school chaplain vice principal interested welfare young people enthusiasm led start john pupils time rector period served assistant clergyman time ordained eighteen years later returned rector rector transferred rector period long organ player inclined high church style died suddenly whilst rector dip rector period rector period rector early previously senior associate minister broadway anglican chaplain leading staff team arrival church marked change traditional communion services congregations variety styles acting time time acting rector taken temporary leadership filled gap acting rector previously rector later incumbent thomas took temporary leadership whilst undertook stood temporarily older brother filled death period came australia missionary chaplain leaving took position vicar acted rector period led months departure served sydney churches years acting rector period education established small plain white stone building near corner charlotte reported good repair pupils public school expanded church school proved unable compete closed building sold newly begun demolished catholic education area flourished seeing wrote england miss suggesting start school young ladies went ahead school known began cottage bland street officially non maintained strong links school grew moved premises eventually closed land buildings church having evolved long period church building displays elements range styles including victorian federation free gothic chancel constructed sydney sandstone nave tower rendered brick roofs slate interior described satisfying exterior ceiling curved roof plaster walls stained glass window range periods pulpit distinctive cedar carvings early rector cemetery cemetery geographically aligned church takes large portion land area oldest graves eastern path typically face west newer graves western path generally face east number notable residents buried fleet convict transported stealing clothing value pound eventually died aged members families significant early european settlement district years death led home 1890s depression despite shortage staff poet resident married daughter elizabeth banker philanthropist owned developed family grave wife jane daughter ashes wealthy landowner politician buried having spent life residence named solicitor member founding partners real estate agents richardson instructor author graveyard contains members families point named graves members families pioneer clergyman prominent figures john graves contain children took heavy tolls victorian period known healthy area families lost children burial rates declined rapidly turn 20th century rector notes time indicate funeral services conducted church preceded burial cemetery officially closed burial plots sold years memorial garden ashes opened time providing popular resting place community late 1970s day release prisoners assisted maintenance cemetery grounds australia year grant awarded restoration work cemetery time broken cemented ones cut letters ministry 18th rector early church amalgamation parish dock forming christ church inner west continuing rector new parish currently sunday services dock july run mothers children group discusses christian issues teaches english native language church began outdoor film festival showing ghost horror movies historic cemetery
St John's, Ashfield