St John's Theological College, Perth (initially known as the Clergy Training College, Perth) was an Australian educational institution in

Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...

Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...

, established in 1899 and which closed in 1929. It trained candidates for ordination in the Church of England in Australia.

Origins

The second Bishop of Perth was Henry Hutton Parry, from 1876 to 1893. Parry wished to establish a theological college. At some point between his installation in Perth in 1876 and 1881, he opened his home to four theological students, whom he instructed, with a view to ordination. These efforts appear to have petered out.

Establishment

Parry's successor as Bishop of Perth (first Archbishop from 1914) was Charles Owen Leaver Riley (1894-1929). A priest in the diocese, Charles Lefroy, was instrumental in persuading Riley of the need for a theological college. In 1898 the Perth diocesan synod resolved to establish a theological college, and the Clergy Training College was opened the following year with Lefroy as Principal and with two students. The college took up occupation of part of

The Cloisters The Cloisters, also known as the Met Cloisters, is a museum in the Washington Heights, Manhattan, Washington Heights neighborhood of Upper Manhattan, New York City. The museum, situated in Fort Tryon Park, specializes in European medieval art ...

, and in 1909 changed its name to St John's Theological College.

Closure

At the outbreak of war in 1914, the college closed, as all of the students enlisted. At that point The Cloisters was converted into a hostel for undergraduates of the

University of Western Australia University of Western Australia (UWA) is a public research university in the Australian state of Western Australia. The university's main campus is in Crawley, Western Australia, Crawley, a suburb in the City of Perth local government area. UW ...

. In 1919 a new college council was formed, and a new Principal appointed in 1920. At that point the college moved to Beaufort Street in

Highgate Highgate is a suburban area of N postcode area, north London in the London Borough of Camden, London Boroughs of Camden, London Borough of Islington, Islington and London Borough of Haringey, Haringey. The area is at the north-eastern corner ...

. In 1922 there was a concerted effort for fundraising, but by 1926 there were no students at St John's, and a decision was taken to close. The intention was that it be replaced by St George's College, along the lines of

Trinity College, Melbourne Trinity College is the oldest residential college of the University of Melbourne, the first university in the colony of Victoria, Australia. The college was opened in 1872 on a site granted to the Church of England by the government of Victor ...

and Trinity College Theological School: a residential college within a university but which also offered theological education for ordinands. Although St George's was opened, and remains a residential college of UWA, it never offered theological education.

Wollaston College

Training for ordination recommenced in Perth in 1957, with the establishment of Wollaston College.

Principals

* Charles Lefroy, 1899-1904 * Cuthbert Hudleston, 1904-1906 *Charles Edward John Chennell, 1906-1907 (acting) *Charles Hugh Duffy Grimes, 1907-1919 Grimes was subsequently Chaplain of Christ Church, Vienna (1934-1938) including during the

Anschluss The (, or , ), also known as the (, ), was the annexation of the Federal State of Austria into Nazi Germany on 12 March 1938. The idea of an (a united Austria and Germany that would form a "German Question, Greater Germany") arose after t ...

, and proceeded to baptise 900 Jews, thereby saving them from arrest. * Lionel Walpole Parry, 1920-1922 (and acting Principal thereafter). Parry was the son of Bishop Parry. He left the college to become Headmaster of

Christ Church Grammar School Christ Church Grammar School is a multi-campus Independent school, independent Anglican Church of Australia, Anglican Single-sex school, single-sex Pre-school education, early learning, Primary school, primary and Secondary school#Australia, se ...

Claremont, Western Australia Claremont is a Western suburbs (Perth), western suburb of Perth, Western Australia, on the north bank of the Swan River (Western Australia), Swan River. History Prior to European settlement, the Noongar people used the area as a source of wat ...

(1923-32).

Notable alumni

* John Bell, Dean of St Peter's Cathedral, Armidale (1946-1948) and St George's Cathedral, Perth (1953-1959).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint John's Theological College, Perth Anglican seminaries and theological colleges Former theological colleges in Australia Education in Western Australia 1899 establishments in Australia Educational institutions disestablished in 1929 1929 disestablishments in Australia Universities and colleges established in 1899 Universities and colleges disestablished in the 20th century