Bishop Frederick Barker identified the need for a Parish in Glebe soon after his arrival in the Colony of NSW IN 1855. The parish was proclaimed to commence on 1 October 1856 under the incumbency of William Macquarie Cowper (the first Australian born clergyman). The first services were held in the Minister‘s home until a schoolhouse that also served as a temporary church was built.
These premises were designed by Edmund Thomas Blackett and officially opened on Sunday 1 March 1857. The building that the Bishop
described as a very pretty building of brick and stone, after the early English style‘ was built at a cost of 1300 pounds. It was situated with frontage to St John‘s Rd opposite the current church. The school continued to operate until 1883 when the remaining pupils transferred to Forest Lodge Public School. These premises were destroyed by fire in 1971. Some of the remaining stone was incorporated into the smaller parish hall. On 15 April 1868 the Governor, the Earl of Belmore, laid the foundation stone for the permanent church of St John.
We at St John’s acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and in particular the Gadigal people, as the first and traditional custodians of the land on which this Church and its buildings now stand; and we acknowledge our gratitude that we share this land today, our sorrow for the costs of that sharing, and our hope that we can move towards a place of justice and partnership together.
Bishop Frederick Barker identified the need for a Parish in Glebe soon after his arrival in the Colony of NSW IN 1855. The parish was proclaimed to commence on 1 October 1856 under the incumbency of William Macquarie Cowper (the first Australian born clergyman). The first services were held in the Minister‘s home until a schoolhouse that also served as a temporary church was built.
These premises were designed by Edmund Thomas Blackett and officially opened on Sunday 1 March 1857. The building that the Bishop
described as a very pretty building of brick and stone, after the early English style‘ was built at a cost of 1300 pounds. It was situated with frontage to St John‘s Rd opposite the current church. The school continued to operate until 1883 when the remaining pupils transferred to Forest Lodge Public School. These premises were destroyed by fire in 1971. Some of the remaining stone was incorporated into the smaller parish hall. On 15 April 1868 the Governor, the Earl of Belmore, laid the foundation stone for the permanent church of St John.
We at St John’s acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and in particular the Gadigal people, as the first and traditional custodians of the land on which this Church and its buildings now stand; and we acknowledge our gratitude that we share this land today, our sorrow for the costs of that sharing, and our hope that we can move towards a place of justice and partnership together.