ST JUDE’S CHURCH
PORT ELLIOT ANGLICAN
PAUL SCOTT
A brief history of this Church is given below. However, if you want to begin your tour of the Church immediately, tap / click on START . You can also access intermediate points in the tour by a tap / click on the following links:
NOTE ON MAGNIFYING IMAGES
With this website format the images are large enough for most purposes. If there is a need for greater magnification of an image, go to the identical photo on
https://www.flickr.com/photos/paulscottinfo/albums
and download the image as instructed.
HISTORY
Year Built: 1854
Address: Corner Arthur Street and The Strand, Port Elliot, SA 5212
A comprehensive history of St Jude’s, prepared by Mrs Lorraine Pokery and covering the church’s first 120 years, was published in 1974. The following is a short extract from that history.
A good beginning
What was then known as the Parish of Encounter Bay was established by the first Bishop of Adelaide, The Rt Revd Augustus Short.
At a public meeting held in Port Elliot on 27 January, 1854, a committee was formed to progress the building of a church, to be chaired by Mr Buxton Forbes Laurie. One of the committee was Mr Thomas Jones, who was then Superintendent of Public Works for the Goolwa-Port Elliot railway line, jetties and breakwater. Mr Jones designed the church building in 1854, the pews in 1855 and the front porch (tower) in 1870. Another committee member, Mr T.W. Higgins, donated the cost of the land on which the church was built, an allotment on the corner of The Strand and Arthur Street. Advertisements were placed regularly in the Observer and Dispatch newspapers, reminding subscribers that immediate payment was required so that building could begin.
On 22 June 1854 the foundation stone of the building was laid by The Very Revd James Farrell, Dean of Adelaide, with a last minute switch in name from St Saviour’s to St Jude. By December of the same year, construction was sufficiently advanced for a service to be held there on Christmas Day, although the building had only glazed calico windows, was not floored or roofed and had no seats, the pioneers having to bring their own seats with them.
In January 1855, The Revd John Watson was elected the first incumbent of the parish, a position he held until 1861.
Highlights
• The bell was presented by Mr William Basham Snr in 1854.
• The church floor was laid and cedar pews were installed in 1855.
• Land between Port Elliot and Middleton was set aside for a cemetery.
• The first baptism was performed on 2 March 1855 (Joshua, son of Joshua and Olive Laffin of Goolwa).
• First marriage in the church was between William Barnes and Jane Ramsey, both of Port Elliot, on 2 April 1855.
• Pew rents were collected to boost church income. This practice was discontinued in 1864 and re-established in January 1868. Rents were payable quarterly in advance. Funds were also raised through tea festivals, lectures (usually by the Bishop) and amateur concerts.
• A house was purchased for the rectory in 1865.
• The first burial in St Jude’s cemetery was on 4 April 1865, of Laura Mayfield, aged seven months.
• St Jude’s was consecrated when all associated debts were paid, on 5 March, 1870.
• A subscription list to raise funds for the building of the tower was opened in October 1870.
• The glazed calico had been replaced by glass c1860. In 1879 the large sanctuary window was installed and other stained glass windows were installed during the next several years.
• A St Jude’s Circulating Library was established in 1884, with lending rights also open to the congregations of Currency Creek and Hindmarsh Island.
• In 1885 the church roof was made good with slate.
• The foundation stone for the parish hall was laid by Mrs O.B. Hutchinson in July 1895.
• The church vestry was enlarged in 1905.
• Women were granted the right to vote at Vestry (annual parish) meetings in 1904.
• The tower was completed in 1937. The mason was Mr F. Bartel of Victor Harbor and Mr J.W. Trigg was the carpenter, assisted by Mr G. Brittain.
• The tower clock, built in the United Kingdom, was installed in 1940.
• In 1969 the Diocese of the Murray was established and encompassed Pt Elliot.
• A purpose built pipe organ was installed in 1995.
• St Jude’s continues to co-operate happily with Holy Evangelists’ Anglican Church, Goolwa in the combined Parish of Port Elliot-Goolwa.
https://stjudes160.weebly.com/history.html
