The foundation stone of St. Phillip’s was laid by the Governor on the 29th December 1863.
The Age, 28th April 2005, reported that St Phillip’s had been demolished in October 1968 at the instigation of the Bishop Geoffrey Sambell in defiance of a National Trust order.
A new bluestone church was built on the site of the old church hall circa 1999. The new church’s main window is now an eight-metre-high stained glass window facing Hoddle Street, designed by Christopher John of Phoenix Glass, at Box Hill, at a cost of $96,000.
The windows of the original church were made by Ferguson & Urie over a number of years and were relocated before the 1968 demolition:
The Church of England Messenger, Melbourne, Vic, Thursday 7th October 1875, page 4-5.
“ST. PHILIP’S MELBOURNE.- At a recent meeting of the friends of St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, Gold-street, it was resolved to contribute £100 per annum towards a curate for St. Philip’s parish, to assist the rev. J. Caton. It was also resolved to make an addition to the church by enlarging the present vestry, and making it available for a class-room. The appointment of a curate will be, it is hoped, a great acquisition to the parish. Hitherto Mr. Baker, a lay helper, has conducted services, but failing sight renders it desirable he should have rest. Messrs. Ferguson and Urie have just completed and erected in St. Philips Church a very pretty specimen of their artistic skill in stained glass, in the shape of a “memorial window,” made to order of the incumbent, the Rev. John Caton. During the late fatal visitation of measles and their after effects, the parsonage was not exempt, and a younger son of the rev. gentleman was carried off by death. The following is the inscription:- “Erected by the Rev. John Caton to the glory of god, and in memory of his beloved son, Herbert Henry Carus, who died Feb. 3rd, 1875, aged two years and four months.” The window is a great ornament to the sacred edifice, and a lasting memorial of parental love and affection to the little blossom snatched by death and rescued from this world of sorrows to enjoy the bliss of the courts of heaven.- From the local papers.”
Mercury and Weekly Courier, Victoria, Saturday 21st September 1878, page 2.
“… numerous memorial stained glass windows gives the church a very solemn and beautiful appearance. A portion of another memorial window to the memory of the late Rev. B.S. Walker, first incumbent, is now in course of execution by Messrs. Fergusson [sic] and Urie, and will comprise a full length figure of St. Phillip, the patron saint of the church.”
Fortunately seven of the original historic Ferguson & Urie stained glass windows still exist and were subsequently installed in the chapel of the Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement.
Photographs courtesy of Mrs Noelle Nathan, taken at the Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement Chapel 06/04/2012.
External links:
Trove Obituary: Rev. B. S. Walker
Trove: St Philips Collingwood, 1866.
Short link to this page: https://wp.me/p28nLD-s0
Ferguson and Urie 