Mooving   Forwards  at  St  Margaret's

Greetings from the Anglican Parish of Northern Mallee, based at Mildura, Vic, Australia
St Margaret's in the year 2001

The first car owned by our clergy Canon Horner left St Margarets in 1946. He is fondly remembered on his varying types of transport. The horse and jinker gave way to a bicycle, and then to this beauty - a two seater Austin car. This carefully posed photograph was taken by Avis Hakewell, soon after she returned from Service as a missionary at Yarrabar in Queensland. Her parents are the two standing behind the others. 56 years after taking the picture, Avis remembers the names of her friends, including George Massie at the end, her future husband, and his mother Mrs Massie third lady from the left. Canon Horner is on the right. Click here to see a larger photo of the car

Our latest big change The pine trees were carefully chosen, and planted beside the front gates, to provide a charming front facade for our property. However, in the fullness of time - only about 90 years, the trees reached the end of being safe dwellers, and the decision was made to remove them. Photographs were taken and 14 August 1993 was a sad day for many.

St Margaret's in the 1930s The first view, with a fashionable hedge of olive trees surrounding the garden, and the Lynch Gate with a peppercorn tree on one side, and pine tree on the other. The church was designed to be built in stages, with small side rooms meant to be later developed. This photograph shows the stylish fence which replaced the labour-intensive hedge, small tower 'Vestry' and side entry used as the gentlemen choir members robing room, and the front porch. The ladies had a matching choir room on the opposite side of the church which had no entry into the church, they would come round to the men's side to join the procession as the choir led the clergy into the Services. Building programs gave us the Sanctuary, the Tower and the war memorial Warrior Chapel which replaces the lady choir member's robing room. The garden area has been set up as a Memorial Reserve where some parishioners have placed the ashes of dear departed ones.

Inside St Margaret's in the 1940s St Margaret's Church was Consecrated on Sunday 21 November 1937, and new Wardens and Vestry were instituted. Mr P Grisold made and presented the stately Warden's Wands. This view of the interior shows the two Warden's Wands in place at the West End, and looks towards the East End with it's beautiful windows raising our spirits to our Father above. The two daughter churches, All Saints Billabong and St Luke's Irymple also featured the same design for the Communion Table curtains and linen. The small pedal organ installed in 1929 was later taken to All Saint's Meringur when the church was moved from Billabong to serve the remotely placed Anglicans in the western sector of our Deanery - our 'bush Christians'.

Now we move forward, and focus on the large font at the left of the transcept, and it's handsome Blackwood Cover. Fashions have changed, and this font is now being appreciated as a bird bath in the front lawn of our Rectory. Click here to see a full sized photograph of this baptismal tool.

Dates are good coat-hangers for our progress. The Foundation stone for the Parish Hall was laid 12 Jan 1930, the Hall was dedicated 24 Apr 1930, and St Margaret's College began classes in the Hall on Monday 2 June 1930. The Foundation Stone for the new Sanctuary designed by LR Williams of Melbourne was laid 14 Oct 1933, and the completed addition was dedicated on 12 Nov 1933 St Margaret's church was Consecrated on 21 Nov 1937. On 19 May 1957 Bishop Winter laid the Foundation stone for the new Tower and Vestries to be added to St Margaret's Church, and the building was dedicated on 15 Feb 1958. A year later the Warriors Chapel dedicated to St Michael and St George, warrior saints, were nearing completion - it was dedicated 20 Sep 1959. Ven James Hardingham died 20 Feb 1962 and is buried in the Warrior's Chapel. 1966 featured renovations and painting completed in April 1967, and new pews were installed at a cost of $68 each. The new organ was dedicated on 28 May 1967. At this time Bishop Winter said our St Margaret is of Antioch with a date of July 20, so we had a window featuring her installed. On 5 August 1973 Bishop Alan Winter signed a proclamation saying that all doubts were to be settled, and our St Margaret is of Scotland, as intended by Bishop James on 21 Nov 1937, when he consecrated our church. Rev Warren Blomeley was Acting Rector in 1984, after Canon Norman McDonald retired, and till Rev Jack Thomson could come from Bunbury in West Australia. St Margaret's Patronal Feast Day was celebrated Sunday 18 Nov 1984 with a special 9.30am Eucharist, setting a custom that continued till 2000. The beautiful carved statue to St Margaret of Scotland, was given by his family in memory of Alexander Sharp William Bissland, 1907 - 1986. It was dedicated on 29 March 1987, gift of Mrs Con Bissland, daughter of Archdeacon Hardingham. St Margaret's story is told on the page for St Margaret's, on the Parish web site.