William ParkinPrint Page

Two stained glass windows placed by the Parkin Trust and Parkin Mission commemorates William Parkin, benefactor of the Congregational Church.

William Parkin is best remembered as a philanthropist and benefactor of the South Australian Congregational Church. He was a prominent and generous member of Reverend T. Q. Stow's Church in Freeman Street, and later attended the Glenelg Congregational Church (now St Andrews Uniting Church) for twenty years. In 1876, after consultation with R. D. Hanson and John Brown, he founded the Parkin Trust for the training and maintenance of students for the Congregational ministry by a gift estimated at £10,000, £8000 of it in cash and 4160 acres (1684 ha) worth £2000 near Palmerston in the Northern Territory.

The trust was also to be used for building churches and schools, and supplying benefactions for the widows of ministers. In 1882 he established the 'Parkin Congregational Mission of South Australia'. To provide for these purposes he gave his valuable property in Rundle Street. The Parkin Mission was duly incorporated on 24 October 1882.

One of the greatest benefactors of the Congregational Church at Glenelg was the Hon. William Parkin, of Plympton. To the of one whose kindness is not likely to be soon forgotten two memorial windows were on Sunday morning dedicated by the pastor of the church, the Rev. George Rayner. In doing so Mr. Rayner said:—" There has been recently erected in this church two beautiful and jointly stained windows to the memory of one whose name will be identified with South Australian Congregationalism so long as the denomination shall continue to exist. One of these was presented by the widow of the late honorable gentleman, the other by the governors of the Parkin Trust. It was thought fitting that there should be some worthy memorial of one whose splendid munificence has done so much to further and advance the cause of philanthropy and of religion in the land.
The Advertiser (Adelaide), 13 August 1900.

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