All Saints' Anglican Church, Collie

Statement of Significance

The Church is of architectural and environmental significance. It stands on high ground and is a prominent feature of the townscape with its elegant tower and generally imposing presence. The use of brickwork and stucco render in intricate patterns is of interest. The mural on the carved wall of the eastern apse is quite unique. THE MURAL. The most outstanding feature of the church is the large mural painting which occupies the greater part of the sanctuary wall. This mural convers and area of 425 square feet and was painted by Mr Phil Groacher. One of the conditions laid down by Mrs Noyes £in giving the church was that all the work should be done by West Australian craftsmen. At her request when she desired to complete the decoration of the sanctuary, the architect Mr J.H. Eales, recommended Mr Groacher as a scenic artist of world wide reputation. Trained in this work as an Englishman, he migrated to the U.S.A where he gained a great reputation for his architectural settings in the greatest theatres of New York and Chicago. He was conversant with architecture in all its phases and never offended the most critically disposed in the regard. For health reasons he had to come to Australia and settled in Melbourne. After executing some notable work there, he was commissioned to do similar work in Perth. Impressed by the warmer climate he decided to settle in Western Australia. In 1922 about the age of 70, he began work on the mural painting. Sometimes assisted by his son, Mr James Groacher he took eight months to complete the work for which they were paid £500. The canvas was painted on a large frame in the artist’s Perth studio and later fixed to the sanctuary wall. (further explanation of the content of the mural omitted here) OTHER GIFTS: Mrs Noyes and her family later provided valuable gifts of candlesticks, crucifix, chalise and paten. Numerous other generous gifts have been provided to the church by members of the congregation and their families.

Physical Description

The Church is a large and imposing structure of red brick and Marseilles tile roof with a square tower- The nave is Romanesque in concept and the windows are round arched. From the east end projects an apse with a rounded end. The altar is accommodated in this apse and the curved wall behind the altar is decorated with a most impressive mural painting. The roof over the apse in the form of a half dome is covered with claypan tiles (flat rectangular). Externally the red brickwork is combined with stucco render to form a number of intricate patterns. The Bishop Goldsmith, the first Bishop of Bunbury launched appeals in England to build churches in the Bunbury Diocese. Nora Noyes offered to finance a church in' Collie because of her and her late husband's interest in the welfare of minors » The Church was designed by J.H. Sales of Eales and Cohen Architects of Perth in a Romenesque Italianate style to ingratiate Nora Noyes' love of Italy' and her belief that such a style would suit the climate of Western Australia. The tower was added in 1928 still to the design of Eaies. The builder of the church was A. Thompson of Katanning and the tower was built by Mr. Allwood from Perth. The mural was painted in 1922 by Mr. James Goatcher with the assistance of his son. The church has a number of impressive stained glass windows.

History

Assessment 1988 Construction 1915 Architect: J.H. Eales of Eales & Cohen Builder: A. Thompson, Tower: Mr Allwood (history by Collie tourist association) The first Anglican church was established in Collie in 1899, It was a small wooden church beyond the hill from town and approached by a path through the bush. This building was dedicated to St. John. St. Johns Church grew too small and by the time of the Great War plans were in hand to raise money for a new church, Before the fund raising was completed news was received of a generous offer from England. The first Bishop of Bunbury, Dr, Goldsmith, twice sent to England to put the needs of the diocese before the people. It was after such an appeal in the All Saints' Church Margaret Street, London that a Mrs Moves offered to build a church. She and her late husband had always been interested in mining and miners, and asked if the church might be placed in Collie rather than some of the farming centres of the Bunbury diocese which also wanted new churches. This offer having been accepted, the money raised by the parishioners was now placed in a fund to furnish the new church. To make room for the larger building, the Church of St. John was moved from its original site down the Harvey Street hill to a position behind the then rectory, when it was used for a further 17 years as a Parish Hall, until it was destroyed by fire. Unfortunately almost all the early records of the church were stored in the hall and were lost in the fire. THE BUILDING PLANNED After hearing more particulars from Bishop Goldsmith of the country and its needs, Mrs Noyes discussed the proposed architectural style, and indicated her very definite preference for those styles to be seen in the architecture of the early Christian churches throughout Italy, where, to escape from London winters, she regularly visited. This style has no east window, which is usual in England She felt that this would be an advantage in our climate ' where the hot rays of the sun would, not disturb the worshippers at early services. The Bishop agreed with Mrs Noyes’ wish and arranged that an architect's drawing together with an estimate of the probable cost would then be forwarded to her for her approval. With the Great War in full blast there was little inducement to build-a church building, but the preliminary design had met with the donor's enthusiasm and entire approval, and the diocesan architects. Messrs Eales and Cohen of Perth, were invited to prepare and submit the necessary plans for the proposed church in readiness for calling tenders. One partner in the firm, Mr. Eustace Cohen, was engaged in war service throughout the whole of the war, and the senior partner, Mr. J.H. Eales, F.R.A.I.A., was therefore responsible form first to last for all architectural services in design and supervision. T he parishioners of Collie were offered the gift of the church on condition that they found the site and furnished the church, This they did and building operations commenced early in 1915. FOLJNDATION STONE The foundation stone was laid by his Excellency the Governor Sir Harry Baron on Wednesday May 19th,1915 and an account of the ceremony was published in the Collie Mail. by The church was consecrated on Wednesday 3rd November 1915, by the Bishop of Bunbury, Dr. Goldsmith. DESCRIPTION The main features of Churches built in both Byzanthine and Romanesque period are: 1. The semi-circular of apsidal projections eastwards forming the sanctuary of the church itself as well as the side chapels. 2. Campanile - a tail tower for bells. 3. Great richness in treatment of wall surfaces 4. The dome features diver the High Altar 5. The altar and surroundings, the best possible. The judicious use of coloured brickwork relieves the somewhat plain exteriors while the interior are decorated by the use of mosaics, richly coloured marbles, and mural decorations. It is upon these lines with careful regard for traditional treatment that this church was designed and carried out. The site the corner of Venn and Harvey Street places the church as a striking land mark overlooking the town - much in contrast to St. John's Church, originally hidden in the bush. The contractor for the church was Mr. Alex Thompson M.L.A. and the contracts price was £1,923, with the tower only partially built and the interiors furnishings some £250 extra. The total length of the interior, including the semi-circular apse, is 77 ft and width 28ft. The seating accommodation is for 275 worshippers. The ceiling is dark stained jarrah and the floor, pews, pulpit lectern, altar and altar circle are of polished jarrah. The inside wails are covered with light cream plaster and the windows are of green glass set in lead light. THE SANCTUARY . In 1922 the architects were again called upon to assist the benefactress in her desire to complete the decoration of the sanctuary. They prepared designs for additional architectural features in the form of a carved and panelled dado of dark jarrah framed with panels of banksia inlaid with ebony, each panel carries a burnished brass Byzantine cross. This work has been carried out in the spirit of the time and, with an enriched plaster cornice at the intersection of the walls and the dome, forms an ideal setting for the coloured mural painting which is permanently fixed to the wall surface enlosed by them. The panelling was the work of Messrs. Berry & Greth of Perth, and Mr. Phil Goatcher painted the fresco. Mrs " Noyes gave £750 for this work, which was dedicated on 24th June 1923, by the Bishop of Bunbury, Rt. Rev. C. Wilson. CAMPANILE. The tower was completed by Mr. Allwod, a builder of Perth, in 1928. It rises to a height of 65 feet and is topped by a large wooden cross. Mrs Noyes' gift of £650 for the tower prompted Mrs Lillico to give a set of tubular bells to complete the campanile. The bells were dedicated on 13th January l929. The eight brass bells or chimes vary in length from 5-7 feet and from the ringing chamber tunes can be played on the bells from a keyboard. In her will, Mrs Lillico left the sum of £100 to the Diocesan Trustees, the interest on which is to be used for the upkeep of the bells.

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