| Historical notes: | The "Eora people" was the name given to the coastal Aborigines around Sydney. Central Sydney is therefore often referred to as "Eora Country". Within the City of Sydney local government area, the traditional owners are the Cadigal and Wangal bands of the Eora.
With the invasion of the Sydney region, the Cadigal and Wangal people were decimated but there are descendants still living in Sydney today.
The site is part of the 90 acres granted to Convict Superintendent Nicholas Devine in 1799. The first building on the subject site was house built in c 1832 for Rev George Erskine, a Methodist Minister, and Superintendent of the Wesleyan Mission in these colonies, who preached at the Princes Street Wesleyan Chapel in The Rocks. His house, Erskine Villa ( later named Erskine Ville and Herbert Villa) gave its name to the suburb.
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Following the Rev Erskine's death in 1834, Erskine Villa was acquired by Robert Henderson and then by William Toogood, publican and proprietor of the York Street Masonic Hall. Upon his death in 1853, Toogood bequeathed Erskine Villa and its property to the Anglican Church. His widow subsequently married the Rev Charles Campbell Kemp, Rector of St Stephen's Anglican Church from 1846-48.
The current Holy Trinity Church as built on the subject property behind Erskine Villa, in 1885, and consecrated on 19th April that year. It was designed by the office of Blacket Brothers, Cyril and Arthur Blacket, the sol of celebrated architect Edmund T Blacket.
The Trinity Anglican Church , Macdonaldtown, had existed from at least 1880, at the corner of George Street and Erskineville Road, under the leadership of Rev Speer. , When the Blacket church was erected, it too was know as the Trinity Church Macdonaldtown, and faced the street then known as Toogood Street. With the passing of the Borough of Erskineville Naming Act in 1893, the present suburb of Erskineville was created and the church became know as the Holy Trinity Erskineville. Toogood Street as since been renamed Rochford Street.
In 1894-95 a hall was built ( in two phases of construction) behind the church for use as a school rook. In 1905, after years of fundraising, a pipe organ by William Davidson, one of his last, was purchased and installed. A sandstone and iron palisade fence to Rochford Street was erected in 1924 and c 1930 the hall was extend at its north-western end, creating the present kitchen and joining the hall to the church.
In 1961 Erskine Villa , which had served for the rectory for around 80 years was demolished. A single storey brick veneer replacement with garage, designed by architects Thompson Spooner and Dixon was erected in 1962 by builder HN Barton., |
