Weekend Reflections

For more reflections visit James' Weekend Reflections

Bentley

I've seen Bentley around town a few times in the last couple of years but this is the first time I've met him properly (after chasing his owner around the supermarket).

St John's Cemetery - the wall

Unfortunately, no records survive that detail any aspect of the construction of the wall; brickmaker, builder and cost are all unknown. The bricks are, however, the typical apricot colour and similar in texture to other bricks known to have been made in Parramatta. Many of the bricks in the wall have impressed arrowhead marks. John Clew’s bricks, distinguished by his elongated heart frog mark and by their speckled markings due to impurities in the clay, were subsequently used to repair the walls. He had a particular affinity for the cemetery and its wall and, when dying, requested he be buried “as close to his beloved brick wall as possible”. His grave is alongside the northern boundary. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find it.

I'm not sure but I think the scratches in some of these other bricks may also be maker's marks.

St John's Anglican Cathedral, Parramatta

After visiting the old cemetery I thought I'd take a look at St John's Cathedral. It wasn't open so I have no idea what the inside is like. Some history:

On 23rd July 1802 St John's was declared an Anglican parish by Governor King. While the Reverend Richard Johnson, Chaplain to the First Fleet, came to Parramatta on the fortnightly basis to conduct a service on the banks of the Parramatta River, Reverend Samuel Marsden was the first resident minister of St John's. In 1796 he dedicated a makeshift building of two old huts at the corner of George & Marsden Streets as the first church building in Parramatta. These huts no longer exist.





The original church building on its present site in the Church Street Mall, was opened in 1803 but as the needs of the church family changed, so did the building. The twin towers which stand today were constructed by 1818 making them the oldest surviving part of any Anglican Church in Australia. They are built from handmade sandstock bricks, possibly by convicts, and overlaid with a stucco render giving the appearance of stone. The choice of design is attributed to Elizabeth Macquarie, the wife of Governor Lachlan Macquarie, who was inspired by a ruined church in Reculver, Kent in England.

The church building of the early 1800s, except the towers, was demolished in the early 1850s after a severe storm and subsequent deterioration meant that the building was no longer fit for use.

The new building was opened in 1855 and by 1882, the church family had expanded so much that the building needed to be enlarged. The well-known architect firm of Blacket and Son was commissioned to design transepts which completed the building as it is seen today.

Nowdays the congregation is very different to what it would have been when the church was first established.

Taphophile Tragics

St Johns cemetery was established on the outskirts of Parramatta as a general burial ground for all denominations. Formerly the Parramatta stock paddock, it is the oldest existing European burial ground in Australia, the first interment being James Magee, a convict’s child, buried 31 January 1790. It contains the remains of notable persons associated with the foundation of the colony and many graves of those identified as having arrived with the First Fleet. There were ten burials in the cemetery by the end of 1790 and a further 67 in 1791.

I spent a while trying to find the notable graves listed in the guide which I had downloaded before my visit but had limited success. Their map was very difficult to follow and I wasn't sure that some of graves are still marked. I'll show you those that I did find over the next few weeks.

Its a really interesting little place and a surprise to find, located as it is next to a massive Westfield complex and surrounded by apartments and light industry. Well worth a visit but I'd recommend getting yourself onto a guided tour. Not sure who runs them, probably the Parramatta Historic Society, but the Parramatta Visitors Centre or the St John's Cathedral would know.

I gather the cemetery fell into disrepair at some stage. Its good to see that its now being well cared for.

This will show you its location, hemmed in by modern development just across from the rail line in Parramatta.

Not so Vivid

Was quite surprised to see this on the way home last week. Something to do with the 15th anniversary of Hong Kong's handover from British to Chinese rule. The building being lit is Hong Kong House at Town Hall. Apologies for the quality (or lack of) of these shots, they are hand held in rapidly fading light with the little C90.

Theme Day - Chimneys

A selection of chimneys, industrial and domestic, some I've shown before some I haven't.

For more monochrome madness, visit Dragonstar's Weekend in Black and White. 

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