Anglican Church of St John the Evangelist

The first St John's church in the middle of Kings Square, in SM Stout's c1864 photo, RWAHS 3553, looking north.

The first St John's church, opened 4 August 1843 by George King when WA was in the diocese of Adelaide, stood in the middle of King's Square, facing the Roundhouse Gaol at the other end of High Street. Victoria Hall, 179 High St, was the parish hall of the original church.

Hitchcock: On April 6 [1842] the foundation stone of the old St. John's Anglican Church was laid by Governor Hutt. That church stood in the centre of King's Square, which comprised the block of land bounded on the south and west by Newman Street and William Street, and on the north and east by Adelaide Street and Queen Street, the site of the old church being that portion of the existing High Street which lies between the present church and the Town Hall Chambers. The High Street of that day, therefore, had a church at one end and a gaol at the other.
Mysterious Loss of Territory
The mystery of how the church acquired possession of King's Square was a subject of much controversy in bygone times. Both King's and Queen’s Squares were originally set apart as breathing spaces for the people, but somehow it came about that a church was built in the centre of the former. Eventually it was decided to bisect both squares and run High Street through them. The Church of England claimed and established ownership over the whole of King's Square, and had to be bought out. When the erection of a new church was contemplated, the town bought from the church all that portion of the square south of the present church enclosure, retaining part of it for the extension of High Street and a site for the Town Hall, and selling the triangular portion east of the Town Hall, on which shops were later built. Hitchcock: 28.

The Inquirer, 1843: OPENING OF THE CHURCH AT FREMANTLE.
The Church of Fremantle was opened for divine service on Friday last, the 4th instant, amid the thankgivings of hundreds of our brother settlers, many of whom came from distant parts of the colony to be present on this joyful occasion. It was a deeply interesting ceremony, not merely on account of the proceedings of the day, although these were, to the secluded inhabitants of this part of the world, both novel and striking, but with reference also to the future effects of that day's work; effects which we trust and believe will be beneficially felt throughout our little community for ages to come. Among those who testified by their presence the interest they took in the ceremony, were many of our very oldest settlers ; men who remember what Fremantle was fourteen years ago; and who, looking back upon the days when all around them was an unknown and mistrusted desert, must indeed have found their hearts glad at the glorious change, and in thus witnessing the highest proof of civilization and improvement that can be offered by man— the erection, viz., of a place of worship to his Creator. The present edifice, too, is the first Episcopal Church — properly so to be called — that has yet been completed either in Fremantle or Perth, and this, no doubt, served to make the occasion even more than commonly important and imposing. In the much to be lamented absence of the Bishop, there was of course no attempt at consecration, the procession set out from the house of the Government Resident of Fremantle, headed by the Churchwardens Messrs. Bateman and Davey. Next came the Governor, supported by R. McBride Brown, Esq., the Resident, and followed by the Clergy in full canonicals. A vast number of persons collected together from all parts of the colony brought up the procession, and in this order they reached the Church, which, although containing seats for nearly three hundred persons, was soon crowded to excess. The worship of the day was conducted by the Reverends J. B. Wittenoom, J. H. Wollaston, W. Mitchell, and G. King; the responses being audibly and feelingly pronounced throughout the densely crowded pews. We can not better express our own feelings on this occasion than by here reciting the words of the Rev. G. King, the officiating Chaplain at Fremantle, as they occur in a letter which that gentleman has written to us since the ceremony. Mr. King thus writes : — "Never did I feel more powerfully the pathos of that simple, rapturous exclamation, "Lord, how delightful 'tis to see a whole assembly worship thee," and then the beautifully sublime expression of our venerable liturgy, in spirit and in purity, as in the establishment of its divine and comprehensive adaptation, exhibiting not merely the impress of its heavenly founder's mould, but, carrying out the design conceived in its heavenly founder's first grand model formulary, seemed to inspire our souls with that devotion the Apostles felt, which is still the birthright of the Church of Christ, when "they lifted up their voice to God with one accord." O, if the worship of the Church were received in the spirit, as well as in the letter of her sanctifying service, there would be no scene in the created universe to equal the assembling of ourselves together in the holy sanctuary." The form of prayer consisted of the Church morning service, with the exception of the litany, for which was substituted a variety of prayers proper to the peculiar occasion. These being concluded, the Rev. G. King preached an excellent sermon on the text "Know thou the God of thy fathers" ; in which, after observing how much his gratification at the success of that high moment was mingled with a knowledge of the responsibility that now attached to him, he pointed out, in a forcible and feeling manner, the divine origin of our church establishment, and the great claim it had upon our regards. The building itself is very chaste and pleasing, and reflects great credit on the skill and taste of Messrs. Davey and Harwood, the contractors for the work. The internal arrangement is very complete, and approaches as near the old ecclesiastical design as circumstances would permit; the chandelier is a carving of native mahogany and cedar, presented to the church by Mr. B. Von Bibra. Externally, the structure presents a peculiarly modest yet harmonious form, and the justly-proportioned dome, surmounted by the triumphant emblem of our redemption, smiling back upon the wilderness beyond, strikes upon the eye, as well upon the mind, with a pleasing and salutary effect. The site of the church has been well selected. Standing in the centre of King's-square, it commands the entire view of the main street of Fremantle, at the extremity of which the majestic "Arthur's Head," with the various buildings on its summit, full in view, forms a prospect only to be surpassed by that which the beautiftul church itself exhibits when viewed from the same bold headland. To the ladies and gentlemen forming the choir of the Perth Church, by whose exquisite performances the service of the day was admirably sustained, the warmest acknowledgments are due. Several very beautiful hymns were sung during the service, and one in particular, the celebrated "Denmark Hymn," we never expected to have heard so well executed in a choir having such small means at its disposal. Neither, assuredly, must we forget to record the disinterested and praiseworthy conduct of our fellow townsmen Messrs. Gray, Morton, and Dyer, in equipping and sending forth some half-dozen boats for the gratuitous conveyance of the visitors from Perth, and others living at a distance from Fremantle. Such acts as these, done by comparatively poor men, are indeed grateful evidences of the right feeling that was awakened by the occasion, and richly deserve a place in our humble records. The offerings collected in the Church amounted to £46 0s. 4d., which will be appropriated towards the discharge of the debt incurred in the building. The new church is to be called St. John's. We cannot conclude our notict of this most gratifying event without expressing a fervent hope that the great success which has thus attended the exertions of our friends at Fremantle may operate as a stimulus in hastening the completion of the new Church in Perth. Disguise it from ourselves as we may, we may rest assured that the want of a church in the metropolitan town of the colony is a national disgrace ; a disgrace to us as colonists and as Christians. By the word church, we of course mean a proper and sacred edifice exclusively set apart for the worship of God. Episcopal churches have been raised even in the most remote parts of the colony; but in Perth—while the Wesleyans have their proper and sacred place of worship— the Church of England is driven to take shelter where it may and its followers, all numerous and influential as they are, are still content to assemble in a building which, six days out of the seven, reverberates with law quibbles, and even with more unholy echoes. How long will our brother settlers consent that this worse than heathen neglect shall remain as a reproach to us! Latterly something more of activity has been shown, but much remains to be done, and many sacrifices to be made, before the inhabitants of this town can participate in the same pure joys as those which our friends at Fremantle now experience. Inquirer, Perth, Wednesday 9 August 1843: 3.

The Western Mail, Friday 27 May 1914: 34, p. 34:
ST. JOHN'S CHURCH, FREMANTLE. AN INTERESTING POSTCARD. (See Illustrations page 34.) With a view to helping the re-roofing fund of St. John's Church, Fremantle, and stirring up interest in the effort, the Rev. Canon Moore secured some time ago an in teresting photograph of the original Fremantle church, and with the assistance of Mr. P. H. Anderson, stationer, of Fremantle, has had this picture reproduced on a postcard in conjunction with the picture of the present church, and giving the dates on which they were built, etc. The old church was completed and opened for service on August 4, 1843. It stood for nearly 40 years in the middle of King's Square, at the top of High-street, the west door facing right down the street, at the other end of which stood and still stands the "Round House." which served as a "lock-up." The fence in the picture was of much later date, and enclosed all that area now bounded by William, Newman, Queen, and Adelaide streets. In the left hand corner of the picture may be seen the present rectory, which stands in Cantonment-street. The rectory was built for the Rev. Zachory Barry about 1855, and this photograph must date from the sixties, and was taken from a spot about where the present Federal Hotel stands to-day, the town hall site being then vacant and enclosed as part of the church yard. It was owing to the tireless energy of the late Archdeacon Watkins, who came as a young man to Fremantle at the end of the seventies, that the new church was built and consecrated in 1882. Mr. Watkins resolutely resisted every suggestion for enlarging the old church, and put all his efforts into the erection of a new building, and posterity must applaud his determination. After the demolition of the old church, High-street was continued diagonally through "King's Square" and a right-of-way for the purpose together with the site for the present Town Hall was sold to the municipality on January 1, 1878, for £500. The rest of the block was afterwards sold in lots, bringing in apparently another £1,900 for the building fund. The total cost of the church was close on £7,500, of which about £500 represented outside grants. Since its consecration 32 years ago many additions have been made to the fittings and furnishings. The organ, which was built by Mr. Cecil Clifton, cost £600 30 years ago, and only last year was re-built by the firm of Messrs. J. A. Dodd, of Perth and Adelaide. and fitted with a modern hydraulic blower at a cost of £300. Prior to that a beautiful Caen stone Reredos was erected as a memorial to Archdeacon Watkins at a cost of about £300. A little more than a year ago the family of the late W. D. Moore presented a massive brass "eagle" lectern in memory of their father, and a few months later the trustees of the late Mr. John Thomas put in a glass window in the north transept. The east window is a magnificent work, the three main lights respectively depicting "The Appearance in the Upper Room," "Stilling the Tempest," and "Christ and the Magdalen," and was erected many years ago in memory of Henry Maxwell Lefroy, 1879; Thomas Brown, 1863; and Daniel Scott, 1865. There is also a beautiful little window in the south transept, without any inscription, and two others in the nave said to be transferred from the old church. After thirty odd years, the shingle roof has become completely worn out, and considering the quality of the building the vestry felt that they would not be justified in adopting any other than the best material for re-roofing, and, acting on advice, they have arranged to carry out the work in best Welsh slates. The contract for this work, which has been arranged through Millars' Trading Corporation, will absorb considerably over £500, and it is expected that about £600 will be required to complete the work. Of this sum the greater portion has been already subscribed, and the remainder is arranged to spread over two years. When the heavy claims of the two previous years in connection with the Reredos and the organ are taken into account, it must be admitted that the parishioners of St. John's have shown a very practical interest in their church's affairs. And it should be noted that, in addition, all the other finances of the church have been receiving particular attention, and the debts which three years ago totalled upwards of £2,700 are now below £2,200, while upkeep, current expenses, and repairs have been kept well up to date. Nor is the strain likely to slacken for some little time, owing to the fact that within the next few months a large sum, ranging between £300 and £500, will be required to sewer the properties in connection with the deep drainage scheme. From the foregoing it will be seen that the rector and his vestry have before them a task which calls for energy, skill, and tact, and it is gratifying to know that the congregation are in full sympathy with the efforts put forth and the arrangements devised for carrying on the work. The post cards here reproduced are being retailed at threepence each, and each one sold is reckoned to equal the price of one slate on the new roof.

An archeological dig in St Johns Square on the site of the old church was conducted 15-21 January 2018. I thought some indications of the results had been left in the paving, but now think I was mistaken as I couldn't see any today (2023).

References and Links

Hitchcock JK, 1929, The History of Fremantle, The Front Gate of Australia 1829-1929, Fremantle City Council: 28.

Freotopia

This page incorporates material from Garry Gillard's Freotopia website, that he started in 2014 and the contents of which he donated to Wikimedia Australia in 2024. The content was originally created on 22 June, 2023 and hosted at freotopia.org/churches/stjohns2.html (it was last updated on 25 July, 2023), and has been edited since it was imported here (see page history). The donated data is also preserved in the Internet Archive's collection.