Visit of the Prince of WalesPrint Page

The tower at Christ Church is named the Prince's Tower to commemorate the Prince of Wales visit to Melbourne in 1920.

The Prince of Wales granted permission to call the proposed tower of the new church the Prince’s Tower as a memorial of his visit to Melbourne.  The Prince of Wales visited Australia on behalf of his father King George V. The visit was to thank the Australian people, officially, for the sacrifices and contributions made during World War One. The Prince visited many cities and towns across Australia and his popularity was such that he became known as the ‘digger prince’.

As a tribute to the soldiers who enlisted from the city, the adherents of Christ Church, Essendon, decided to erect a war memorial church. The building will cost £4,000, and in addition, two members have subscribed funds for other memorials, including a stained glass window, emblematical of those who died on the fields of Gallipoli, Egypt, and France. In order to complete the church the vicar (the Rev Edward Schwieger) decided that a tower with a carillon was necessary, not only as a fitting completion to the memorial church, but also as a memento of the visit of the Prince of Wales to Victoria.

He therefore personally sought and obtained the consent of the Prince to name the tower "The Prince's Tower." The erection of the tower and carillon (which will be the first erected in the southern hemisphere) will mean an extra expenditure of £8,000. To provide for its immediate completion a public meeting to arrange for donations was held in the Essendon Town Hall last night. The mayor (Councillor Kinnear) presided, and addresses were delivered bv Mr Jowett, M.H.R., and Mr. Ryan, M.L.A. A committee was formed to collect funds to cover the cost, and several substantial donations were promised.
Argus (Melbourne), 14 July 1920.

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