User:Penora/sandbox

The First Church services in Melbourne were performed in a wooden building constructed by subscriptions from the earliest settlers.It was termed the Pioneers Church. ( date to be inserted ) This included John Batman who contributed 50 pounds, and Dr ?? who was appointed the cathetist by the Port Phillip Association. JP Fawkner also contributed. The building was situate near Batman's original dwelling on the north side of the Yarra probably where Spencer street is now situate. Batman's 20 acre plot included Batman's hill( now removed: it site is marked by the overpass at the west end Collins Street.) The Building was used by different religious denominations for worship initially including the Anglicans (the Church of England). These early settlers arrived by sailing vessel out of Launceston from Van Diemans land. They had no title to the land as Port Phillip had not been surveyed as such they were squatting on crown land. Govenor Bourke in Sydney was made aware of the rapid numbers of persons with sheep and cattle taking advantage of the excellent lands in Port Phillip and hastened to have the future site of Melbourne surveyed in order to effect land sales. He instructed Captain Lonsdale to sail from Sydney and administer the Port Phillip district and effect a survey. The survey was contributed to by Robert Russel, an architect and painter, and early settler: Russel had selected land on the South side of the Yarra for his dwelling just opposite the Yarra falls. Russel's drawings and sketches of the early colony, ( date) reveal much of early days of Melbourne. After the Survey was completed the First land sales were held 1 June 1836: The 1/2 acre lots were auctioned mostly to the local settlers, although a few from Sydney were aware of the new towns prospects, and also speculating. A 5 acre block between Collins and Bourke and on the west side of William Street was granted to the Anglican Church and the previous wooden Church was moved north to its new granted land. . Robert Russel was approached to design an Anglican Church to occupy the land grant.His building design included a Spire,and 8 windowed hall,and two upper galleries for dignatories. Govermor Bourke offered Places of worship a Goverment grant toward the construction a place of worship. The grant money would be 1 pound for every amount about 300 pound amassed for the building to a maximum of 1000 Pounds on completion  of the bulding In addition, if there were more than 100 parishoners, a goverment stipend of 150 pounds annually would be paid to the minister.

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