The Wesleyan Theological Institution was from 1863 until 1914 an Australian

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...

theological college A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...

located firstly in

Silverwater, New South Wales Silverwater is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Silverwater is located 15 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district on the southern bank of the Parramatta River within the local government ar ...

and from 1881 at

Stanmore, New South Wales Stanmore is a suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in New South Wales, Australia 6 kilometres south west of the Sydney central business district. It is part of the local government area of the Inner West Council. It is known for its long ...

History

At the

Methodist Conference The Methodist Church of Great Britain is a Protestant Christian denomination in Britain, and the mother church to Methodists worldwide. It participates in the World Methodist Council, and the World Council of Churches among other ecumenical ass ...

of 1862, the Revd John Manton proposed that a collegiate institute be founded in Sydney. On 16 July 1863, the Wesleyan Collegiate Institute opened with 16 boys and a small number of theological students. As no suitable buildings were available in Sydney at the time,

Newington House Newington House is a historic house in Silverwater, New South Wales, Australia and is located west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Parramatta. The house and chapel are situated on the souther ...

, the centrepiece of John Blaxland's estate at Silverwater, was leased. The institution functioned as a boys' school,

Newington College , motto_translation = To Faith Add Knowledge , location = Inner West and Lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales , country = Australia , coordinates = , pushpin_map = A ...

, and theological college. Expanding student numbers meant that more extensive premises closer to the city were required. A bequest by John Jones, of land at Stanmore, saw both institutions move to the newly fashionable inner-city suburbs. Seventy schoolboys and four theological students migrated from Silverwater to Stanmore and the theological college remained there until 1914. The NSW Conference of the Methodist Church purchased a house and grounds at 416-420

Liverpool Road Liverpool Road is a street in Islington, North London. It covers a distance of between Islington High Street and Holloway Road, running roughly parallel to Upper Street through the area of Barnsbury. It contains several attractive terraces o ...

Strathfield South, New South Wales Strathfield South is a suburb, in the Inner West of Sydney, Australia in the state of New South Wales, 13 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the Strathfield local government area. The area was historically part of ...

and moved the theological students there for the beginning of the 1915 academic year. The new institution was named Leigh College in honour of the Revd Samuel Leigh.

Notable alumni

* Cyril Bavin – missionary in Fiji, migration advocate * Howard Nolan – secretary of the NSW Conference of the Methodist Church of Australasia * Rodger Page – missionary in Tonga, president of the

Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga The Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga (FWCT; Tongan: ''Siasi Uēsiliana Tau‘atāina ‘o Tonga'') is a Methodist denomination in Tonga. It is the largest Christian denomination in the nation and is often mistaken to be its state church. It has it ...

, royal chaplain * Ernest Sommerlad – missionary in Fiji, meber of the New South Wales Legislative Council * B. Linden Webb – Methodist minister, peace activist * Henry Worrall – Methodist minister, temperance advocate

References

{{authority control Universities and colleges established in 1863 Education in Sydney Education in New South Wales Methodism in Australia Methodist seminaries and theological colleges Seminaries and theological colleges in Australia Defunct universities and colleges in Australia 1863 establishments in Australia Educational institutions disestablished in 1914 1914 disestablishments in Australia

History

Notable alumni

See also

References