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St Stephen`s Anglican Church Soldiers MemorialPrint Page Print this page

The church was originally erected as a war memorial to commemorate those who died in service or were killed in action during World War One.

A series of plaques commemorating those those who died in service or were killed in action were placed in the church with an additional plaque being placed to commemorate a Flying Officer who was killed in World War Two. 

The church was believed at the time to be the first war memorial church built in the Commonwealth and was known as the Soldiers Memorial Church of St. Stephen. It is now known as Lidcombe Anglican Church.  

At Lidcombe is to be erected what is claimed to be the first war memorial church in the Commonwealth. At a special meeting of the parishioners of St. Stephen's Anglican Church, a suggestion emanating from the Rev. R.O. Todd to this effect, was considered and enthusiastically adopted. During the past three years special efforts have been made to obtain funds to build a church to replace the existing weatherboard structure and as sufficient cash to carry out the project is in hand, the work will be immediately undertaken. The Church will contain a grand honor roll and individual memorial tablets are to be affixed to windows and other suitable architecture positions, in honor of local soldiers who have been killed.
Evening News (Sydney), 3 January 1916.

The foundation-stone of the first church in New South Wales to be erected to the memory of soldiers was laid on Saturday afternoon at Lidcombe by Archbishop Wright. The new church will be of brick, and will be called the Soldiers' Memorial Church of St. Stephen. The present church, which is a small wooden building, was opened for service in 1878. It was then attached to the parish of St. John, Parramatta, under the Rev. W. J. Gunther, M.A., now archdeacon, and was specially worked by the Rev. Wallace Mort. Under the rectorship of the Rev. J. Bidwell a fund was started for its erection, and the present rector, the Rev. R. O. Todd, on taking up duties last October, suggested the idea of building the church as a memorial to the soldiers. Tile rector announced that the church would cost £1800, and towards that there was £1200 in hand. The collection on the foundation-stone amounted to £105, and there were promises ot further sums, amounting to £100. The Archbishop, in the course of an address, congratulated the people of Lidcombe upon their achievement. 
Sydney Morning Herald (NSW), 11 September 1916.

Location

Address:Mark & Taylor Streets, St Stephen`s Anglican Church, Lidcombe, 2141
State:NSW
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -33.865201
Long: 151.045072
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Structure
Monument Theme:Conflict
Sub-Theme:Multiple
Link:http://www.warmemorialsregister.nsw…

Dedication

Approx. Monument Dedication Date:09-November-1916
Source: NRWM, MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au