History of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Seaforth

On 2 September 1872, land for the proposed new church was bought by the Trustees for the Church of England (Joseph Cook, William H Rolfe and John B Smithers) from Peter Ellery Senior (or possibly his son Peter) for £25.00. The site for the church measured 1 rood 24 perches.

On Saturday afternoon, 30th August 1873, the Foundation and Cornerstone of St. Paul's Church, Middle Harbour, was laid by Mrs. Barker (wife of the Bishop of Sydney) in the presence of over 250 people. Many had come on the steamer "Phantom", which had started at Circular Quay, stopped to pick up people at Manly and then delivered people to the Spit. Visitors and residents assembled at an elevated and beautiful spot at the back of Mr. Peter Ellery's house on the left of the road leading to Manly. Flags were displayed for people to see the commencement of a small stone church building.

The scroll was read by Mr. Joseph Cook who stated that in the bottle to be placed in the foundation cornerstone were copies of that day's Australian Churchman and the Sydney Morning Herald, that year's Australian Almanack and order of the day's service. He deposited the bottle, together with the scroll in the cavity.  On handing the trowel to Mrs Barker, wife of the Bishop, Mrs. Barker laid the foundation stone saying: “I lay this as the foundation and cornerstone of a church to be built in this place, to be named the Church of Saint Paul, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”

The church of Saint Paul’s, Middle Harbour (now Seaforth) was designed in the Victorian Gothic style by architect Alfred Cook. The church was opened for Divine Service on September 5, 1875. The building measured 32 feet 6 inches by 20 feet and was made of local timber and stone. It was able to seat 92 people on wooden pews with a three-light window on the southern side (the ecclesiastical east). The builder was Peter Ellery Senior’s stonemason son John, born 1849 and his brother Peter (Junior), born 1840 assisted him.

The register's first service entry a few pages over states simply: "Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity; September 5, 1875, 3.30pm; Joseph Cook, prayers and sermon; congregation 33; collection £1.4.6."

St Paul’s Middle Harbour (Seaforth) has been holding church services on this site every Sunday since then for 150 years and has been active in caring for the community of Seaforth and beyond.