The history of St James Old Cathedral

St James Old Cathedral, on the corner of King and Batman streets, directly opposite the Flagstaff Gardens, is an important building in the early history of Melbourne.

It was originally a church built close to the corner of Collins and William streets. Today St James Lane marks its approximate location. The foundation stone was laid on November 9, 1839, by Charles Latrobe, then the Superintendent of the Port Phillip District.

Melbourne had only begun to be settled four years earlier and was administratively a settlement under the Colonial Government of New South Wales. The church was opened for services in October 1842, and the building was finally finished in 1847.

The Anglican diocese of the Church of England was proclaimed the following year at which time the church became Melbourne’s Anglican Cathedral.

In 1847 Charles Perry was appointed the first Bishop of Melbourne and he arrived to take up the position in 1848. His wife, Frances Perry, founded the Royal Women’s Hospital as well as other charitable institutions.

As Melbourne’s population increased the Cathedral became too small for the Anglican community and in 1891 St Paul’s Cathedral, in Flinders St, was consecrated. St James became known as the Old Cathedral and remained on the same site until 1913 when cracks appeared and the structure was deemed to be unsafe.

It was decided that, rather than demolish what was one of Melbourne’s first buildings, it should be moved to a site opposite Flagstaff Gardens, on the corner of King and Batman streets. The church was reopened on its present site in April 1914.

Several modifications had to be made during its translocation. Its orientation was moved to North/South rather that the more usual East/West. And the design of the tower was made square to match its base, enabling all eight bells to be installed on one level. Only the exterior stone and timber works are completely original.

When, in 1851, the settlement of Port Philip was proclaimed the Colony of Victoria, the church was on its original site. It would no doubt have been the site of much celebration and rejoicing, although the church at that time had only one bell, reclaimed from a ship. Six bells were installed in 1852 and a further two shortly afterwards.

On July 1 this year, 175 years later, the church is again to be a part of the celebrations of Victoria becoming a Colony in its own right, with bellringers from around Australia and New Zealand congregating to ring a special “peal” of its eight bells. This involves the ringing of 5040 “changes” on the bells.

While recognising significant events in Melbourne’s history, it is also important to remember that the land on which we are celebrating was, and remains, land that is sacred to the original inhabitants of the land, the Wurundjeri and Boonwurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation, and that the land was never ceded.

Further information or comment about the bellringing can be made to Bill Cook, captain of the St James Bellringers, email: [email protected] •

Caption: St James Old Cathedral c1902.
Photo: State Library of Victoria.