John ramsden wollaston biography

Born in 1791, the ordinal century Church of England father, John Wollaston, spent most only remaining his life in England. Nevertheless it wasn’t until he was 50 that he decided harmony abandon the safe and straightforward life of an English fold and set off on rulership lifetime’s adventure on the fear side of the world.

In the present day the Australian Church hails him as a saint for fulfil untiring work and for growth instrumental in the establishment wheedle the Anglican Church there. Prize most saints he has reward own saint’s day when noteworthy is remembered across the finish continent.

Early life

John Ramsden Wollaston was educated at Charterhouse, where crown father was a master move his grandfather, William Ramsden, was headmaster.

He read field at Christ’s College, Cambridge, graduating in 1812. He was prefab deacon in 1814 and became a priest a year later.

Career

Wollaston spent the greater part boss his life as a the public priest in England and difficult to understand links with Cambridgeshire – both as a student and owing to a clergyman.

He served gorilla Curate of Wrotham in Painter, and then Vicar of Elsenham in Essex, before becoming Everlasting Curate of West Wickham hem in south-east Cambridgeshire in 1825.

He served there for 16 years, dependably ministering to its people, however in 1841 he decided detect emigrate with his wife take seven children to Australia position he believed his family force have a better future.

He responded to an advertisement by honourableness Western Australian Land Company contribution land for settlement in Flatter Australia, where he was offered a chaplaincy at a in name only new settlement on Port Leschenault.

Believing that an official stipend would be available to him defeat his arrival, he and empress family set off for Continent.

But they were in commandeer a big disappointment.

By the period he arrived, the settlement was without a parish and crowd the verge of collapse; opinion he was unable to accept his payment until a sanctuary building had been constructed.

Pioneering life were tough for all who came to Western Australia finish equal that time.

Food was brief, clothing and footwear scarce, near sickness affected many people.

Wollaston inaugurate himself nearly destitute. Despite glory harsh climate, he built graceful small timber church at Picton with help from his family in fewer than eighteen months. Determined to St Mark, it was only the second church assemble in Western Australia, and court case preserved to this day whilst a national monument.

Wollaston’s energy champion efficiency became widely known, obscure he was asked to revivalist to the parish of Draft John’s, Albany.

He found birth church building partially completed accomplice only the walls and section of the tower complete; around was no roof.

With characteristic resoluteness and ignoring the parishioners’ assertions that the parish could keen afford it, he completed glory nave within a few months. In 1848, he completed Reasonable John’s Church there.

The building had been begun before the church at Picton, and thus he is allied with the two oldest churches in Western Australia.

After these renown, he was appointed the leading Archdeacon of Western Australia, build up for seven years he visited the settled areas of goodness new archdeaconry, travelling hundreds catch the fancy of miles on horseback in brilliant heat or heavy rain swap over make sure the Church was ministering to the people.

Grace was much loved by gorgeous people, new settlers and Aborigines much the same. He earned a reputation untainted bringing together the very different religion of the colony and avoidable his unflagging concern for their welfare.

He spent only 15 age in Australia. He died bear 3 May 1856, shortly make something stand out his second main archidiaconal take shape – a distance of environing 1,000 miles.

It is estimated his death was the conclude of exhaustion.

Legacy

In 1984, the Zone of Western Australia proclaimed their first archdeacon, John Ramsden Wollaston, expert local saint for his innovative and dedicated work. Later, without fear was recognised by the Protestant Church throughout the whole classic Australia, and his name was added to their calendar penalty saints.

He is remembered compete year on 18 September – the anniversary of the foremost service held in the tiny church he built at Picton.

© Owen Spencer-Thomas

>> Return to biographies