St John's Uniting Church, Neutral Bay

St John's Uniting Church
The exterior of St John's Uniting Church, in 2012
33°49′57″S 151°13′17″E / 33.8325°S 151.2213°E / -33.8325; 151.2213
Location	49 Yeo Street, Neutral Bay, North Sydney Council, New South Wales
Country	Australia
Denomination	Uniting (since 1977)
Previous denomination	Presbyterian (1980 – 1977)
Website	www.neutralbayuniting.org.au
History
Former name(s)	St John's Presbyterian Church
Status	Church
Founded	26 April 1890 (1890-04-26)
Dedication	19 July 1890 (1890-07-19)
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Architect(s)	Charles H. Slayter
Architectural type	Church
Style	Victorian Free Gothic
Specifications
Materials	Brick; slate roof, replaced by concrete tiles
Administration
Synod	New South Wales and ACT
Clergy
Minister(s)	Rev. Darren Liepold
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name	St. John's Uniting Church and Pipe Organ; Richardson Pipe Organ
Type	State heritage (built)
Designated	2 April 1999
Reference no.	423
Type	Church
Category	Religion
Builders	Tafield and Collins (church) Charles Richardson (pipe organ)

St John's Uniting Church and Pipe Organ is a heritage-listed Uniting church at Yeo Street, Neutral Bay, North Sydney Council, New South Wales, Australia. The church was built by Tafield and Collins; and the pipe organ was built by Charles Richardson. It is also known as St. John's Uniting Church and Pipe Organ and Richardson Pipe Organ. The property is owned by the Uniting Church of Australia. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.^[1]

The Presbyterian congregation was established in Neutral Bay in 1889. Land for a church was donated by Captain Robert Craig and the foundation stone was laid on 26 April 1890. Architect was Charles H. Slatyer of 96 Pitt Street, Sydney and builders were Messrs Tafield and Collins. The church was opened on 19 July 1890. An 1890 photograph shows the church as an austere gothic structure consisting of the central four bays of the present building. It was enlarged in 1898 and in 1908. The pipe organ was installed in 1912, the manse built in 1920, and the school hall in 1923.^[2]

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The church is a buttressed brick building with stone trims and a steep gabled roof. The interior is plastered and each bay is occupied by a memorial tablet. There is an elaborate carved pulpit and two windows in the organ chamber designed by Norman St Carter (sic) and executed by F. J. Tarrant of Darling Harbour. The diagonal boarded hammer-beam roof features nailed laminated arches.^[2]

The organ (1912) is a rare intact example of the work of Charles Richardson, who was the most prominent organ-maker in New South Wales from 1883 to 1920. It features a case design which is unique for its period, and is a late example of the use of tracker action to the manuals.^[2]

This building is designed in the Victorian Free Gothic style.^[2]

The originally slate roof was replaced in 1979 with concrete tiles. The north end, a later addition, has a large three-light lancet window and a well-proportioned stone-trimmed entry porch. The organ chamber at the south end, also a later addition, is separately roofed.^[2]

The church is a competent late Victorian example of the gothic style arranged to meet Presbyterian liturgical requirements. Its corner site makes it significant in the streetscape. The use of thin laminations as an integral part of the circular arch roof structure makes the building unique for its date in structural terms. The organ is significant as being a rare intact example of the work of Charles Richardson, the most prominent organ-builder of New South Wales from 1883 to 1920. Interior detailing also of significance, including joinery.^[2]

St John's Uniting Church and Pipe Organ was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.^[1]

• Uniting Church in Australia

• "Neutral Bay Post Office to Cremorne and Military Road Heritage Walk". 2007.
• Attraction Homepage (2007). "Neutral Bay Post Office to Cremorne and Military Road Heritage Walk" (PDF).

• This Wikipedia article was originally based on St. John's Uniting Church and Pipe Organ, entry number 00423 in the New South Wales State Heritage Register published by the State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) 2018 under CC-BY 4.0 licence, accessed on 1 June 2018.
• This Wikipedia article was originally based on St John's Uniting Church (including pipe organ), entry number I0766 in the New South Wales State Heritage Register published by the State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) 2018 under CC-BY 4.0 licence, accessed on 6 September 2018.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to St John's Uniting Church, Neutral Bay.

• "St John's Uniting Church, Cnr Yeo and Barry Streets, Neutral Bay". Sydney Organ. 206.