The narthex opens directly into the Church nave, and looking back we have this view. The baptismal font can be seen by the entry, and to the right are the inner entry doors with their attractive stained glass. INDEX
22. NARTHEX WEST WALL
On the West wall are two large angels, and between them at least part of a stained glass window, showing Jesus with some children. The text below reads: ‘Suffer the little children to come to me, and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven‘. Below the window is a plaque which reads: ‘To the Greater Glory of God // The windows in this church were restored and repaired with the generous assistance of the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation. The windows were rededicated by the Rector, the Reverence Peter Kurti, on Sunday 24 October 2001, the Sunday in the Octave of Saint Luke, in the presence of the Primate of Australia, the Most Reverend Dr Peter Carnley AO.’ ••• Notice the bell pull hanging down in front of the window.
23. FONT AND LIST OF RECTORS
The baptismal font in the narthex is appropriately placed in front of the window depicting Christ with little children. It is also significantly placed by the entry to the Church. Baptism is seen by Christians as a rite of entry into the Christian church, and in fact into a union with Christ himself. The font has a simple marble design with a step at the rear. The presence of the font here means that the narthex might well be designated the baptistry! ••• On the South side of the East wall of the narthex, next to the arched entry to the nave, is a list of past rectors of the Church. 1824 is an early date in Australian history ... .
24. WELCOME AND BELLS PLAQUE
The opening from the narthex to the nave is through an arch with a semicircular top. There are items of interest on the inside walls of the arch. On the right (South) side is an artwork with a symbolic Southern cross, a welcome to the Church, and an encouragement to remember the traditional owners of this region, the architect and convict labourers who built the Church, and the present Church community. On the left (North) side is a plaque commemorating the hallowing and dedication of the peal of eight bells by the rector Reverend Peter Kurti in 2003.
26. CLOSER VIEW OF NAVE
Moving closer, we become more aware of the pulpit, the altar with its cross, the lectern. Those who have visited on a previous occasion will be aware of the absence of the organ pipes on the large stands either side of the altar.
27. NAVE WEST WALL
If we turn around we can see back through the arch to the narthex where we entered. We also see some more monuments on the West wall. We shall start on the right hand side, and work our way around the nave in a clockwise direction.
28. MEMORIALS ON WEST NAVE WALL
Memorials, clockwise from top left. ••• James Green, commander of the ship ‘Dunbar’. wrecked in a gale off the Sydney Heads. ••• Sir James Everard Home Bart, captain of ‘HMS Calliope’ who died 1853, remembered for his uniform kindness to those under his command. ••• Remembering Members of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire at St James’. ••• Eleanor, wife of John Pain who died May 4 1932. ••• Association of The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and St George with St James’ Church.
29. BACK INFORMATION SHEET
At the back of the nave there is a stand with this information sheet about the baptistry (narthex) and the nave. ‘Baptistry’ and ‘baptistery’ are alternative spellings. In my experience, the first version is more commonly used, except perhaps in Europe.
30. NORTH WALL WEST
Having reached the Northwest corner of the nave, we now investigate the windows and memorials of the North wall. At left is a memorial to members of the NSW Army Service Corps who lost their lives in South Africa, 1899 – 1902. ••• The brass plaque below the window remembers Frederick Septimus Kelly DSC (1881 – 1916), Olympic Rower, Musician and veteran of the Gallipoli campaign who later died at the Battle of the Somme.
31. WINDOW AND MEMORIALS
The attractive window is bordered by flowers and foliage. ••• The three memorials at right are for: Lieut Edward Murray Tupper R.N. and Seaman William Kennedy of the H.M. Ship ‘Iris’, killed by natives in 1858. ••• Jane, wife of the Revd Arthur W. Wallis of Bishops’ College, Calcutta, died of a lingering illness at age 24. ••• Captain Collett Barker of His Majesty’s 59th Regiment Of Foot, who was treacherously murdered by the Aboriginal natives ... 1851.
32. NORTH NAVE MEMORIALS 2
The next wall of memorials on the North side is very easy: two boards for hymn numbers, and one memorial. This memorial remembers the first minister of St James’, the Reverend Richard Hill. Hill died of an attack of apoplexy (stroke) in the vestry of St James’ on 30 May 1836. His constitution had long been weakened by his labours but his sudden death came as a surprise; there were many expressions of regret from outside, as well as within, the Church of England.
33. NORTH NAVE WALL EAST
Here we are looking at the next stretch of the North nave wall. A full length stained glass window is at our left, and the North portico exit is at the right of this set of memorials. High up, and to the right of the transept we can place a circular window, and in fact this is one of a pair, symmetrically placed on either side of the portico. We also observe that around the bottom of these walls is a great number of same-sized brass memorial plaques. We will leave investigation of these to the specialist researcher!
34. STAINED GLASS WINDOW AND HIGH CIRCULAR WINDOW
The window at left pictures St John the Evangelist. His name is written at his feet, and he holds the text ‘In principio erat Verbum’ or ‘In the beginning was the Word’ (John 1:1). Two cherubim at the top stand beside a menorah, and half way down there is the head of a large eagle – the traditional symbol for the Evangelist. ••• The circular windows are much easier, showing two angels with a text: ‘Praise the Lord’.
35. NORTH NAVE MEMORIALS 3
The next wall of memorials lies between the St John window and the North exit doors. Remembered here: Francis Methuen Noel, mate of HMS Calliope, drowned 1852 off Sydney Heads. ••• Lieut. George Philpotts R.N who fell in the assault of Ohaewae Pa in NZ, 1845. ••• John Gilbert, ornithologist, speared by blacks in 1845 during overland expedition to Port Essington (Northern Territory). ••• ? ••• Emily Jane Sibthorpe, died 1945, faithful worshipper in this Church. ••• ? ••• Sarah Catherine, wife of deputy Commissary General Ramsay, died 1853 on board ship ‘Vimeira’. ••• Assistant Surveyor Edmund Besley Court Kennedy, (brief history), slain by Aborigines 1848.
36. JOHN GILBERT MEMORIAL
Detail of the John Gilbert memorial. John Gilbert (14 March 1812 – 28 June 1845) was an English naturalist and explorer. Gilbert is often cited in the earliest descriptions of many Australian animals, many of which were unrecorded in European literature, and some of these are named for him by those authors.
37. NORTH PORTICO EXIT
The attractive exit has double doors with a semicircular window above, and four small plaques commemorating the Eora nation, Captain James Cook, Major General Lachlan Macquarie, and Admiral Arthur Phillip – all parts of early NSW history. ••• The window illustrates the scene recorded in Matthew 20:20–28 when the mother of James and John asks Jesus for special privileges for her sons. This window was designed by Australian artist Norman Carter in 1930.
38. NORTH WALL
This panoramic view of the North wall shows where we have been, and what lies ahead. Notice how the balcony extends out to the first stained glass window.
39. NORTH WALL EAST
This is a closer view of the remaining windows and memorials on the North side. Most of the stained glass windows in St James with their rich colours and detail were designed by Percy Bacon Brothers in London.
40. NORTH NAVE MEMORIALS 4
The next wall of memorials ... . Barrister William Vandermuelen Wild, died in 1861 at the early age of 22. ••• Lady Mary Fitzroy, wife of Sir Charles Augustus Fitzroy, died in 1847. ••• Lieut P. W. C. Grace, NSW Mounted Infantry died in 1900, Killed in Action in South Africa. ••• James Benjamin McAvoy, died 1872, and Thomas Thompson Auderton Smith, died 1872, both served on HMS Blanche.