Independent Church, later St Michael's Uniting Church, 122-136 Collins Street & 78-90 Russell Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Total copies: 1
Title:
Independent Church, later St Michael's Uniting Church, 122-136 Collins Street & 78-90 Russell Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 102154
Level of description:
Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)
Type of materials:
Graphic materialsTextual material
Part of:
Series: Central City (BIF-CITY)
Access restrictions:
UnrestrictedOpen access.
Use restrictions:
UnrestrictedPlease contact City of Melbourne Libraries about obtaining permission to reproduce images.
General notes:
Period: Early VictorianConstruction date: 1866-1867Notable features: Early example of polychromatic bricks, 1st major Victorian building to escape Regency periods stucco stylism. Relates to medieval group of Scot's Church Assembly Hall and Professional Chambers..ASSOCIATED RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER:.VICTORIA HERITAGE REGISTER H0004What is significant?A small chapel stood on this site from 1841 following the arrival of the Rev William Wakefield in 1838. Tasmanian merchant and pastoralist Henry Hopkins had asked the Colonial Missionary Society in England for a pastor for the infant settlement of Port Phillip in the 1830s. The present building was designed by the prominent architects Reed and Barnes between 1863 and 1866. The foundation stone was laid by Henry Hopkins on 22 November 1866 and the building was constructed by John Young. The chapel was built in 1966 to mark the centenary of the building. The interior was altered in 1978 when some of the original seats were removed.How is it significant?The former Independent Church is of architectural, historical and scientific importance to the State of Victoria.Why is it significant?It is architecturally important as an exuberant and outstanding example of Lombardic Romanesque style and one of prominent Victorian architect Joseph Reed's finest buildings. The building is very finely detailed both externally and internally. It is of importance as a particularly early example of the use of polychromatic brickwork in Victoria, and unusual use of the style. Other polychromatic churches in Victoria are Gothic in style. The Independents or Congregationalists were one of the most experimental of the denominations and the use of such an unusual style reflects this independent spirit. The building is also of architectural importance as having a highly formative influence on subsequent polychrome church work, and on polychrome architecture generally in Victoria.It is the finest example in Victoria of a galleried auditorium type church and is complete with tiered seating arranged in a semicircle around the pulpit. The interior is outstanding, with its semicircular arches on slender iron columns over the half circle gallery, with a domed ceiling above. The spiral gallery stairs are also a notable feature. The auditorium is of importance as having one of the most scientifically acoustic design of any nineteenth century churches in Victoria.It is an important example of an Independent or Congregational church and is of historical importance for its associations with the Congregational denomination, and as the site of the earliest church of this denomination in Victoria. Established in England during the Puritan movement of dissent from the Church of England, the Congregational denomination was introduced to the colony by early settlers such as John Pascoe Fawkner and John Gardiner. It remained an Independent or Congregational church from the time it was built in 1866-67 until the formation of the Uniting Church in 1977 following an agreement between the Presbyterian, Methodist and Congregational churches in 1971..GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM cites CITY OF MELBOURNE BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATIONS 1701; F.ST;MURPHY ARCHITECTS, JOHN AND PHYLLIS 1976. HISTORIC BUILDINGS STUDY OF PART OF THE C.B.D. MELBOURNE : { AREA 1} WITH MURPHY, JOCK, FOR HISTORIC BUILDINGS PRESERVATION COUNCIL, p2;.LEWIS, M- AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURE INDEXRecord 74445 -Congregational (or Independent) Church Trust Melbourne VIC Churches; Religious Buildings Young, John - 163 Bourke St west 1866 10 12 1701- MCC registration no 1701 [Burchett Index]. Fee not chargeable church Collins near cnr Collins & Russel.National Trust of Australia (Vic)The earliest church in Victoria to be built in a Lombardic Romanesque style, designed by Reed and Barnes, and erected in 1866-67. The polychrome brick exterior, with tall campanile to the south-west, is especially notable. The galleried interior is of amphitheatrical form focussing upon pulpit and organ and designed for acoustic effect.The building exerted a highly formative influence on subsequent polychrome church work and, together with Reed's Lombardic style houses, on polychrome architecture generally in Victoria.Classified: 19/03/1970.HERITAGE BRANCH, MINISTRY FOR PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT 1987 CITY OF MELBOURNE CENTRAL CITY NOTABLE BUILDINGS CITATIONSThe site of Melbourne's first permanent church, the current structure was built in 1867 to a design by Reed and Barnes. One of their best works, it is the finest and one of the earliest examples of polychrome brick design in Victoria. Its campanile tower dominates the eastern Collins Street area..NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)The Australian News for Home Readers (Vic. : 1864 - 1867)Monday 28 January 1867 - Page 4See https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/63169805 perspective by Grossealso https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/5776670.The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954)Friday 23 November 1866 - Page 6https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/160219357COLLINS-STREET INDEPENDENT CHURCH.The ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the new Independent Church in Collins-street took place yesterday afternoon, in the presence of about 400 spectators. Mr Henry Hopkins, of Hobart Town, was selected to perform the operation, being thus chosen as one of the oldest members of the Congregational body in the colonies, and also because he had laid the foundation stone of the old edifice in the year 1839. Most of the clergymen of the Independent denomination settled in Melbourne and the suburbs were present, and a capacious awning was erected for the accommodation of the ladies, who formed perhaps the largest portion of the assemblage. Mr Joseph Reed represented the architects of the building, Messrs Reed and Barnes, and Mr John Young, the contractor for the work, superintended the general arrangements of the ceremony. Before the proceedings commenced, an excellent drawing of the new edifice was handed round for inspection ; and it may not be amiss here to give a short description of the appearance which it will present, with some details of its exterior and interior construction.The site, at the intersection of Collins and Russell streets, is undoubtedly a favorable one for the display of the architectural beauties of the edifice, which is boldly designed, and when completed, with its lofty tower, it will be a prominent object from all parts of the city. The style of architecture adopted is the Lombardic Romanesque, and the walls are to be built of ornamental brick-work, standing on a high plinth or surbase of bluestone. The basement of the tower will be of cube stuff, and that of the main building of first-class rubble work. The general exterior sur- face of the walls is to be constructed with dark- colored bricks from Hawthorn, while the quoins, arches and ornamental devices introduced in various parts of the work will be of white and bright red bricks, from Brunswick ; and the celebrated Omaru stone, from New Zealand, will be employed in the parapets, pinnacles, copings, cills, columns, and other dressings. The whole of the exterior is to be tuck pointed, and the roof slates will be arranged in ornamental patterns. The general block plan of the building is nearly a square, measuring 91 ft. 6 in. x 91 ft. 6 in., and 43 ft. high from the ground to the top of the parapets, 65 ft. 6 in. to the apex of the gable, and 150 ft. high to the top of the tower. The plan is designed much on the same principle adopted for theatres, with such variations as are necessary to meet the requirements of a place of worship. The distribution of the accommodation is as follows : —The centre of the block is occupied by the auditory (53in. x 53in.), around three (E.W.and S.) sides of which, on the ground and gallery floors, are arranged corridors (5 ft. 6 in. wide) ; at the salient angle, at the intersection of the streets stands the tower (19 ft. 7½ in. x 19 ft. 7½ in. and 150 ft. high) ; the south-east angle is occupied by an entrance porch and gallery stairs, the north- west angle of the block being occupied by the two vestries. Around the auditory a deep gallery is arranged, horse-shoe shaped, as in theatres, and supported on iron columns ; on the same level as the galleries, at the platform (stage) end, are two private boxes. The minister's platform and organ gallery are placed on the north side, the gallery standing within a large arched and domed recess, and the minister's platform in front of it, and standing 4 ft. above the level of the lowest part of the auditory floor. On either side of this recess are arranged the minister's entrance lobby, and stairs to vestry and boxes. The main entrances are by the tower, which has two large door-ways and porch, before-mentioned. A side entrance is also provided in the east side. The seats in the auditory being raised at the back, the floors of the entrance lobbies are of necessity on a level with the floor of the back seats. The main entrances are therefore approached from the street level by three flights of steps (two at the tower and one at the porch), in order to gain the required height, which is about seven feet. The arcades before spoken of have open arches, thereby affording shelter from the heat in summer and cold in winter. The ends of the corridors are enclosed to form lobbies to the doors opening into the church ; the space over the south corridor is thrown into the church. The roof of the auditory is supported on arches, carried on iron columns, resting on the iron columns which support the front of the gallery. The ceilings of the auditory and organ loft are boarded ; all other parts of the interior are plastered. A bracketed cornice runs around the auditory, above the arches, and the ceiling is carved. The arch opening into the platform and organ gallery recess is carried on columns. The church will seat 1400 persons. The proceedings commenced with the singing of the Psalm, 'Before Jehovah's awful throne,' which was given out by the Rev. J. Beer, and sung to the tune of the ' Old Hundredth.' The Rev. T. Odell read one or two portions of Scripture ; and the Rev. George Clarke, of Hobart Town, offered up an appropriate prayer.The Rev. A. M. Henderson then addressed the assemblage. He first congratulated the congregation upon the appearance among them of their venerable friend Mr Henry Hopkins, who had rendered such signal services to their church throughout the colony during a long and useful lifetime. (Applause.) He next wished to say a few words in explanation of their present position as a Christian denomination. They were called by two names — Congregationalists and Independents. The former appellation was the most common in this colony, while at home they were generally styled by the latter. The name of Congregationalists expressed sufficiently their independent church government, and the unaccountability of their several churches to any head body of representatives or delegates ; but he must confess that he chiefly inclined to the name of In- dependent, as expressing in a wider sense their total independence of temporal power in any shape. (Applause.) This was the designation under which their great pioneers and leaders went, and for that reason he loved it above any other. (Applause.) This name of Independent expressed three things. It meant, in the first place, individual independence and the preservation of liberty of conscience. (Applause) ; that no man, or number of men, should possess the smallest right to prescribe to another man what he should believe, or force him to an opinion. Even where they believed a person to be in the direst error, they had no right to force him to conform to their own standard ; for even if this were indeed the truth, it could not benefit a man except it were embraced upon conviction. In the second place, the Independents or Congregationalists owned no authority beyond the law of the Bible ; and in the interpretation of this too they claimed independence in the widest sense. They claimed the right of every Christian church to interpret the Bible for itself ; and for the preservation of its liberty in doing so, they gave to each self-government. Thirdly, they declared themselves to be independent of the State. (Applause.) While they gave to way none in loyalty to their temporal sovereign, they would recognise no right of the State to interfere with things spiritual. And, on the other hand, they took no support from the State. (Applause.) There was no person in this colony taxed beyond what he chose to give of his own free will towards the Independent Church in Victoria. (Cheers). The 881st hymn in the collection was then sung, and, Mr Hopkins, having received an elegant silver trowel from the hands of Mr Henry Brooks, advanced to the stone, and laid it in due form. He then said that, as an old man of near four score, he would urge upon all he saw before him to be constant in their attendance upon the ordinances of God's house. It was seven and twenty years since he had stood upon that spot and laid the foundation stone of the old church. The contrast between the circumstances of that ceremony and of this was great indeed. Never since the world was created, he believed, did a city grow up like this of Melbourne. Its prosperity had been great and wonderful. He believed there were many then present who had shared in this prosperity. Some of his friends were rich, but he would impress upon them all the necessity of becoming rich in the sight of God. He was now within nine months of being eighty years of age, and if they got the place finished before he was eighty, he would give £200 to their fund, and £20 for the entertainment of the workmen. (Cheers.) Mr THOMPSON then read the following list of contents of the bottle to be placed in the memorial stone of the Collins-street Independent Church : — 'Melbourne, 22nd November, 1866. Records taken out of foundation stone of the first Independent Church, erected in 1839, viz. : Copy of supplement to the Port Phillip Patriot and Melbourne Advertiser, of date Thursday morning, 5th September, 1839. Parchment record of the ceremony. New Records : Parchment record of the cerTrustees : Henry Brooks, John Browning, William Bates, John Morrison and Robert Smith. Architects: Reed and Barnes. Builder: John Young. The proceedings then terminated
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Research and reports
Record number:
1197253
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 102154 | 1 PDF : 1,462 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |