Former Fullerton Memorial Church Group Buildings & Fence Including Interiors

Item details


Name of item:	Former Fullerton Memorial Church Group Buildings & Fence Including Interiors
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Religion
Category:	Church
Primary address:	388-396 Crown Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010
Parish:	Alexandria
County:	Cumberland
Local govt. area:	Sydney

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
388-396 Crown Street	Surry Hills	Sydney	Alexandria	Cumberland	Primary Address
Crown & Albion Street	Surry Hills	Sydney			Alternate Address

Statement of significance:


	The site contains a fine representative example of a Federation Gothic Church and Church Hall located on a prominent corner which contributes to the character and significance of Albion Street and Crown Street. This church represents the biggest and oldest surviving Chinese congregation in Australia, and possibly in Australasia. Its history is closely bound with the history of Chinese migration to Australia.
	Date significance updated: 23 Sep 04
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Physical description:	Two storey Federation Academic Gothic style church with bell tower 1905, and a two storey Federation Gothic Hall, 1905. The slate roofed church is predominately face brick with dressed stone gothic detailing to windows, sills, cornices and cappings. Its perimeter fence is made from stone ashlar. The adjacent hall is similarly detailed and highly intact. The parapet contains a 'shield' that contains the date of the building.
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	Good physical condition.
	Date condition updated:23 Jul 01
Modifications and dates:	1957: Alterations and renovation. 1959 - a manse was built on the site,
Further information:	Heritage Inventory sheets are often not comprehensive, and should be regarded as a general guide only. Inventory sheets are based on information available, and often do not include the social history of sites and buildings. Inventory sheets are constantly updated by the City as further information becomes available. An inventory sheet with little information may simply indicate that there has been no building work done to the item recently: it does not mean that items are not significant. Further research is always recommended as part of preparation of development proposals for heritage items, and is necessary in preparation of Heritage Impact Assessments and Conservation Management Plans, so that the significance of heritage items can be fully assessed prior to submitting development applications.


Current use:	Chinese Presbyterian Church
Former use:	Church

History

Historical notes:

The "Eora people" was the name given to the coastal Aborigines around Sydney. Central Sydney is therefore often referred to as "Eora Country". Within the City of Sydney local government area, the traditional owners are the Cadigal and Wangal bands of the Eora. There is no written record of the name of the language spoken and currently there are debates as whether the coastal peoples spoke a separate language "Eora" or whether this was actually a dialect of the Dharug language. Remnant bushland in places like Blackwattle Bay retain elements of traditional plant, bird and animal life, including fish and rock oysters.

With the invasion of the Sydney region, the Cadigal and Wangal people were decimated but there are descendants still living in Sydney today. All cities include many immigrants in their population. Aboriginal people from across the state have been attracted to suburbs such as Pyrmont, Balmain, Rozelle, Glebe and Redfern since the 1930s. Changes in government legislation in the 1960s provided freedom of movement enabling more Aboriginal people to choose to live in Sydney.

(Information sourced from Anita Heiss, "Aboriginal People and Place", Barani: Indigenous History of Sydney City http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/barani )

The church and hall sit on part of the two lots (13 acres, 2 roods, 10 perches) purchased by Richard Brooks in 1814 at the Provost Marshall's sale. This was part of the original land grant of 70 acres to John Palmer, known as 'George Farm', dated 1/04/1794. Brooks had cleared and subdivided his Surry Hills estate into 28 lots for sale in July 1831, when J. Clayton bought Lot 22 & 23 on which the existing 1905 Church and Church Hall now stand (although not the first buildings on the site) .
From the 1950s onward, there was a dramatic growth in post-war migration numbers of Chinese people to Australia - mainly in two groups - that of businessmen with their families and students.
The Chinese Congregational Church in Campbell Street was too small to cope with the increase of congregational members in the late 1950s. A larger church was needed. The Fullerton Church was declared vacant and the Chinese Congregational Church took possession of it on 21/04/1957. The church required many alterations and renovation, from which a sum of £6,250 was raised to do so. The church was re-opened on 31/08/1957 and was very popular at the time in the area. Reverand David Tsai built a family home for himself and his family on the Church grounds in 1959 (designed by Lawrence Chen) (Lumar, 1993).

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Religion-Activities associated with particular systems of faith and worship	(none)-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	This church represents the biggest and oldest surviving Chinese congregation in Australia, and possibly in Australasia. Its history is closely bound with the history of Chinese immigration to Australia.
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	These buildings are a good and intact example of a Federation Gothic church and hall.
SHR Criteria d) [Social significance]	This church represents the biggest and oldest surviving Chinese congregation in Australia, and possibly in Australasia. Its history is closely bound with the history of Chinese immigration to Australia.
SHR Criteria f) [Rarity]	The buildings are not rare.
SHR Criteria g) [Representativeness]	They are a fine representative example of a Federation Gothic church and hall.
Integrity/Intactness:	High.
Assessment criteria:	Items are assessed against the State Heritage Register (SHR) Criteria to determine the level of significance. Refer to the Listings below for the level of statutory protection.

Recommended management:

Any Development Application for minor works to be supported by a statement of heritage impact. Any proposal for major work including any redevelopment of parts of the site and works to existing buildings that are likely to impact on significant spaces and fabric to be subject of a Conservation Management Plan in addition to a Heritage Impact Statement. The building should be retained and conserved. A Heritage Assessment and Heritage Impact Statement, or a Conservation Management Plan, should be prepared for the building prior to any major works being undertaken. There shall be no vertical additions to the building and no alterations to the façade of the building other than to reinstate original features. The principal room layout and planning configuration as well as significant internal original features including ceilings, cornices, joinery, flooring and fireplaces should be retained and conserved. Any additions and alterations should be confined to the rear in areas of less significance, should not be visibly prominent and shall be in accordance with the relevant planning controls.

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Local Environmental Plan	Sydney Local Environmental Plan 2012	I1502	14 Dec 12

Study details

Title	Year	Number	Author	Inspected by	Guidelines used
South Sydney Heritage Study	1993		Tropman & Tropman Architects		Yes

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title
Written	Anita Heiss		Aboriginal People and Place, Barani: Indigenous History of Sydney City
Written	Lumar, Wendy	1993	So Great a Cloud of Witness: A History of the Chinese Presbyterian Church Sydney 1893-1993, the Centenary of the Chinese Presbyterian Church.
Written	Stapleton, John	1989	"Church's Chinese Tradition lives on" in Sydney Morning Herald, 20/02/1989

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

(Click on thumbnail for full size image and image details)

Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Local Government
Database number:	2420382

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