Timeline of St. John’s Church, Launceston

1806 – settlement of Launceston in Van Diemen’s Land, Colony of New South Wales established

1811 – parish records commence, February

1814 – Diocese of Calcutta created, including the Colony of New South Wales

1815 – first minister commissioned in London as Assistant Chaplain to Port Dalrymple

1818 – parish formally constituted within the Diocese of Calcutta

1819 – first minister installed in the incumbency

1823 – land consecrated for a church building by Senior Chaplain of New South Wales

1824 – Van Diemen’s Land established as a separate colony from New South Wales, 3 December

1824 – foundation stone laid, 28 December

1825 – Mrs Charlotte Balfour (wife of the Commandant of Port Dalrymple in 1825-1826, Lt-Colonel William Balfour) buried on site, August

1825 – opened for worship, 16 December

1826 – first organ built by John Gray, London

1827 – Gray organ installed

1828 – church consecrated by Archdeacon Scott, 6 March

1828 – turret bell and clock manufactured in London, shipped to Hobart Town in 1829

1829 – clock, according to unproven legend, locally crafted by a convict, added to tower, with 1 dial (facing north)

1830 – stage 1 of the church building completed, with belfry added to the clock stage of the tower

1835 – the 1828 bell hung and the new 1828 clock added with second dial facing south

1835 – parish transferred to Diocese of Madras as part of the Archdeaconry of New South Wales

1835 – convicts cease attending St John’s Church on compulsory weekly assignment

1836 – Archdeaconry of New South Wales elevated to become the Diocese of Australia

1837 – Hedgeland window installed (Hutchins) – first stained-glass window in the church

1838 – government funding of churches, except for government chaplains’ stipends, ceases across colony

1841 – Sunday School built in Elizabeth Street

1842 – Diocese of Tasmania created by Letters Patent as an extra-provincial diocese

1846 – Launceston Church Grammar School commences, using St John’s Church for regular school chapel services

1857 – third dial, facing west, added to clock tower by parish

1862 – 2nd organ constructed by Charles Brindley, Sheffield UK, installed (replacing 1st organ)

1864 – Ferguson & Urie construct Ascension (Cameron) window; installed in east wall of new chancel in 1866

1866 – extension to the church by addition of a chancel

1868 – government Chaplaincy to Port Dalrymple replaced by parochial incumbency

1878 – rectory built

1890 – parish hall built, extending the Sunday School

1892 – plans to build a much larger church by architect Alexander North were approved

1893-1943  – St John’s conducted a Mission House to minister to the poor and teach the Gospel

1901-1911 – new chancel and transepts added (Alexander North’s stage 1)

1911 – extensions to the church consecrated by Bishop Mercer

1912 – organ moved from western end of church to chamber in the loft of the new chancel

1914-1918 – World War 1

1915 – Mr Hopkins commences complete re-build of the 1862 organ

1921 – Reredos installed in sanctuary – a peace offering marking the end of war, along with the Soldiers’ Memorial large plaque near the organ console

1923 – Grammar School moves to Mowbray Heights, and ceases using St John’s for regular chapel services

1927-1929 – north porch completed

1934 – new organ console and new metal front pipes installed; old front pipes framed on display on western interior wall

1938 – original galleries removed; nave roof raised and refurbished nave consecrated by Bishop Hay (Alexander North’s stage 2 of re-building the church)

1939-1945 – World War 2

1946 – carillon installed as a thank-offering for peace

1959 – current organ console installed; organ re-built

1964 – Hörügel harmonium donated

1970 – tower clock electrified, retaining 1828 clock work

1974 – further pipes added to organ; Tuba re-positioned en chamade above choir vestry door

1975 – Garden of Remembrance established on northern side of the church

1975 – Parish Centre replaces parish hall

1984 – narthex installed

1988-1994 – parish provided dedicated chaplaincy to the senior secondary colleges and university

2003 – dais built over crossing below chancel steps

2007 – pipes added to Great and Swell divisions of the organ, pipes now totalling 3,125 in 49 ranks

2019 – St. John’s becomes part of All Saints Anglican Network