Bishop Augustus ShortPrint Page

The stained glass window commemorates the 25th anniversary of the episcopate of Bishop Augustus Short.

Augustus Short (1802 - 1883) was the first Anglican bishop of Adelaide, South Australia.

In 1845 the Archbishop of Canterbury offered Short the choice of two newly established sees, Newcastle, New South Wales, and Adelaide, South Australia. Short decided to accept Adelaide and on 29 June (St Peter's Day), 1847, was consecrated at Westminster Abbey. Short sailed in the Derwent for Adelaide on 1 September and arrived on 28 December 1847, the eleventh anniversary of the proclamation of the colony. There were then only five churches in the diocese, three at Adelaide, one at Blakiston and another at Gawler. Short travelled through the settled parts of South Australia, and before the end of 1848 went to Western Australia, then a part of his diocese, where he consecrated that state's first church, St John`s Anglican Church, Albany. He returned to Adelaide early in 1849, and on 24 May 1849 laid the first stone of St Peters College, Adelaide, founded in 1847 by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge and William Allen, a wealthy philanthropist. He was the first president of its council of governors. He consecrated Christ Church, North Adelaide in December 1849.

Soon after Short's acceptance of the see, he made enquiries about a site for a cathedral and was informed that the centre of Victoria Square had been allotted for this purpose by Governor Frederick Robe. This was objected to by the city council and Short decided to have the question finally settled and brought a friendly lawsuit for this purpose. The decision went against Short and eventually the present site in North Adelaide was bought. Subscriptions were raised but the building was not begun until 1869. It was consecrated as St Peter`s Cathedral on 1 January 1878.  In November 1881 Short became ill while preaching and under medical advice decided to retire. He left Adelaide for London on 6 January 1882 where he died in October 1883. 

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