Description
Lieutenant General Sir Joseph John Talbot Hobbs, architect and distinguished WWI General, was responsible for many late nineteenth and early twentieth century buildings, including The Weld Club in Perth, the Savoy Hotel in Perth and Victoria Hall in Fremantle.
James Wright, who established the first private architectural firm in Perth in 1884, designed the Nave of St Luke’s Church. St Luke’s was the first church built in the Mosman Park area.
The Church has been in continual use since the first service was held on 7 November 1897 by the first Rector, the Reverend D Howell Griffith.
Heritage significance and previous restoration
The pipe organ was built in 1892 by world-renowned builders Hill & Son in England and was initially installed in the home of George Francis Hillman at 236 Adelaide Terrace. It was then installed in St Luke’s in 1924 and fully restored in 2000 by FJ Larner & Co and Pipe Organs WA. It is one of three Hill organs brought to the state: one was located in St George’s Cathedral (now dismantled) and the other is at St John’s, Albany.
Alexandra Hall, to the north of the Church, is clad with jarrah weatherboards and a corrugated iron roof. Inside, the upper walls and ceiling are lined with stamped metal, with the lower metre of the walls clad in ripple iron. A large stage was constructed at the western end, and below the stage, a basement area now incorporates a small kitchen and Op Shop.
The Rectory on Willis Street, is a single-storey home constructed of square cut and tuck pointed limestone walls and a corrugated sheet metal roof in hip and gable forms. It has an encircling verandah around the front rooms on the south side and in the Federation Bungalow style. Original features include ceiling roses and cornices, stained glass windows, high skirtings and wide floor boards. Extensive renovations and an extension to the Rectory were completed in 2012.
These three buildings require constant maintenance and upkeep to preserve their heritage value. The Conservation Management Plan of 2011 is currently being updated and will assist the Parish in ensuring the longevity of these buildings.
Your donation will be gratefully received to preserve this iconic grouping of buildings.
All donations of $2 or more are tax deductible.