Trinity Church, Perth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Trinity Church |
|
|---|---|
Trinity Church – St Georges Terrace frontage
|
|
| General information | |
| Type | Church |
| Location | Perth, Western Australia |
| Coordinates | 31°57′18″S 115°51′29″E / 31.9549°S 115.8580°E |
| Official name | Trinity Uniting Church Group |
| Type | State Registered Place |
| Designated | 6 September 1996 |
| Reference no. | 2105 |
Trinity Church is a very old church in Perth, Western Australia. It's one of the few buildings left from the 1800s in the city. You can find it at 72 St Georges Terrace.
Contents
The Beginning of Trinity Church
The Trinity Church group started with a man named Henry Trigg. He was a Congregationalist and came to the Swan River Colony in 1829.
At first, Henry Trigg went to the first Anglican Church. He even led the choir there. Later, he joined the Wesleyans.
But from 1843, he started holding special prayer meetings at his home. These meetings followed the Congregational tradition.
In 1845, many Congregationalists met to talk about building their own church. They agreed to collect money, starting with £3 from each person.
Soon after, they got a piece of land on William Street. On September 6, 1846, their first Congregational Chapel opened.
Within a year, the building was made bigger. It could then fit almost 200 people. For the next six years, Henry Trigg led all the services himself.
In 1852, the London Missionary Society sent Reverend James Leonard. He became the first official Congregational minister. However, he only stayed for three years, leaving in 1855.
The Congregational Church then closed in 1858. But in the early 1860s, Henry Trigg worked hard to bring it back to life. In October 1862, Reverend James Innes became the new pastor.
Building a New Church
In 1863, the church group decided to build a new chapel. The one on William Street was too small. They chose a new spot on St Georges Terrace and bought the land for £350.
The person who designed the new church was Richard Roach Jewell. The Governor, John Hampton, laid the first stone on May 10, 1864.
Thomas Smith and William Buggins built the church in 1865. It cost £1,400 to build. They even used help from prisoners (called convict labour).
The church was made from bricks laid in a special pattern called Flemish bond. It was a simple building: 54 ft (16 m) long, 34 ft (10 m) wide, and 70 ft (21 m) high. It had a timber roof.
In 1872, a hall was added behind the church. It was also designed by Jewell. This hall was 52 ft (16 m) by 28 ft (8.5 m) and 16 ft (4.9 m) high. It was called the Schoolroom and cost £550. In 1879, a ceiling was added to the main church building.
In October 1884, the church decided to build a business building. This building would be on the Hay Street side of their property. The architect for this was Henry Stirling Trigg, Henry Trigg's grandson. He was the first architect trained in Western Australia. Robert Henry Hester was hired to build it for £1,056.
The Grand Trinity Church
On August 4, 1892, a plan was made to build an even newer, bigger church. It would be built in front of the existing one. The cost was estimated at £5,100. They planned to build offices next to it to help pay for the church.
This plan was approved, and the new Trinity Church was officially opened in 1894. Henry Trigg prepared the designs. The builders were Bunning Brothers, and their price was £6,100.
The new church was designed to hold 750 people on the ground floor. Another 100 people could sit in the galleries upstairs. They also set aside £500 for furniture and £500 for an organ. The church was designed so the minister's voice could be heard everywhere.
They planned to use chairs, but because the floor sloped, they used locally made pews instead. Governor William Robson laid the foundation stone for this new Trinity Church on March 22, 1893.
Dr. Bevan from Melbourne came to Perth to lead the opening services. Many important people attended, including Sir John Forrest and Lady Forrest, Sir James George Lee Steere, and Alexander Forrest (who was the Mayor of Perth).
John Forrest said that such a "magnificent building" would make the city's main street look beautiful. He felt it showed that people were growing in good ways.
The church also built a two-storey office building next to the new church. It was called Trinity House and faced St Georges Terrace. It cost £1,500. In 1900, Trinity Hall was updated for £130.
In 1904, a two-storey building called the Guild Rooms was built. It had a caretaker's home and a gym. This building was at the back of the office building and cost £1,637.
Trinity Buildings and Arcade
More buildings were added at the back of the property, facing Hay Street. In 1923, construction began on Trinity Buildings and Trinity Arcade.
This building is one of the most famous works by architect James Hine. E. Allwood finished building it in 1927. It has three floors and a basement. There's a public walkway, called an arcade, that goes down the east side. This arcade connects Hay Street and St Georges Terrace.
In 1970, the office building on the east side was taken down. In 1981, a shopping arcade was built. This arcade connected Trinity Church to Trinity Buildings on Hay Street and to St Georges Terrace.
The arcade's new design in 1981 created different levels for people to walk. It runs along the east side of the church buildings. It also has courtyards and pathways for the public. People can enjoy the architecture and use the church's services.
This new design won the Civic Design Award in 1982–83. It was praised for making central Perth a better place. The money from renting out the site in 1981 helped fix up Trinity Hall, the Schoolroom, and Trinity Church.
Today, Trinity Hall is used as a church hall and a school for older people. The Schoolroom is used as the Trinity lunch room.
In 1977, the Congregational Church joined with the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches. Together, they became the Uniting Church of Australia. Since 1996, Trinity Church has been owned by the Uniting Church.
What Trinity Church Looks Like
Trinity Hall (built in 1865) is made of handmade bricks. These bricks are laid in a Flemish bond pattern. The building has a simple Victorian Academic style.
Outside, it has small decorative towers called tourelles made of cement. It also has a rendered string course, which is a horizontal band. It's a simple building with a timber roof.
Inside, the walls are white. There are small stained glass windows with simple colored glass. A large three-leaf window (called a trefoil window) faces south. All the wood inside is jarrah.
The Schoolroom (built in 1872) is behind Trinity Hall. It's built with similar bricks and has a timber roof.
Trinity Church (built in 1893) has a very unique style for churches in Perth. Most churches in the city are Gothic. But Trinity Church is in the Romanesque Revival style.
The church follows the slope of the land. Its foundations step down towards St Georges Terrace. The main front of the church has two towers with eight-sided spires. These spires have slate roofs. It also has a rose window and a large main entrance.
Inside, the church is known for its galleries. These galleries have cast iron railings. The stained glass windows were made by Ashwin from Sydney.
Current Use and Importance
Today, Trinity Church is home to the Trinity worshiping community. This community is part of the Uniting Church in Australia.
Trinity Church is considered very important to history. It was added to the Register of the National Estate in 1986. The National Trust of Australia (WA) also recognized it in 1970. On September 6, 1996, it was officially placed on the permanent State Heritage Register.
