St Michael’s Anglican Church, Wollongong

St Michael’s Anglican Church, Wollongong

St Michael’s Anglican Cathedral

The church is located at the junction of Church and Market Streets, Wollongong.

1820   Charles Throsby Smith granted 300 acres located at present day North Wollongong

1826   Captain Bishop of the 40th Regiment and Charles Throsby Smith authorised to conduct Church of England religious services

1828   Smith’s barn near the harbour used as a church — Father John Joseph Therry celebrated Roman Catholic mass and Rev. Thomas Reddall took services for Anglicans

1833      Rev. Frederick Wilkinson appointed firdt chaplain to Illawarra

1834   The private town of Wollongong was surveyed on part of Charles Throsby Smith’s land and a 2-acre block on one of the highest rises reserved for the Church of England.  Smith insisted that the church block be approached by a street on each of its four sides.

1847   First St Michael’s built in Corrimal Street. Consecrated 13 January 1848 and demolished in 1859.

1858   Edmund Blacket designs new St Michael’s Church

1859   Church consecrated 15 December

1877   Pipe organ installed. Built by Walker & Son, London, which with freight cost 300 pounds.

1884   Gas lighting replaced kerosene lamps and candles in the church

1887   Bulli mine explosion - 81 miners died. Special services were held and the interior of St Michael’s was draped in black 

1893   Rectory foundation stone laid—completed in 1894.

1902   Mount Kembla mine disaster. The burial register of St Michael’s records the deaths of men and boys killed on that day.

1907   telephone connected to rectory

1908   Small hall opened 13 August

1909   rectory connected to town water supply

1914  1918 St Michael’s bell rang each day at noon to remind people to pray for soldiers and for a “speedy termination of the war”

1919   A memorial tablet “to the Fallen” erected in church

1921   Electricity installed in the church and rectory

1926   Main hall dedicated 14 February

1940   Stone fence erected to honour pioneers, surrounding roads paved and kerbed

1944   Laying up of the colours of the 34th Infantry Battalion in the Northern Transept

1946   St Michael’s Pre-school Kindergarten (the first pre-school in the Wollongong Area) began. Finished in 2005.

1958   war memorial vestries built, organ remodeled and choir stalls and sanctuary remodeled and curate’s residence built

1963   petrol station built on western end of church land - lease money used for church building improvements

1967   Covered way built, connecting office hall to church building

1968   Extended large hall dedicated 17 May

1969   Graham R. Delbridge appointed first bishop

1970   church inaugurated as pro-cathedral 13 March

1982   Church rededicated as a cathedral

Source

Treasure in Earthen Vessels: a history of St. Michael’s Cathedral, Wollongong. M.Lamb, S Piggin, S. Radkovic.Wollongong, 1984

St Michael's Church of England 1839-1859 Original St Michael's located in Corrimal St