Our History
St Silas Anglican Church has served the Albert Park area since 1879. It was originally an offshoot of St Luke’s Emerald Hill.
The first services in Albert Park were held in the Albert Hall, Bevan Street, then for 50 years in a wooden church building on the site of the present service station. That church was enlarged in stages as needed to seat 700. The present building was constructed by architect Louis Williams in 1925, and the earlier church became the hall and Sunday School. The Sunday School had over 300 children enrolled, and provided both morning and afternoon classes each Sunday.
The present church hall was incorporated into the lower part of the church building in 1961, by converting the church into a two storied multi-purpose building. The Sanctuary on the new upper level was subsequently re-ordered to enhance its contemporary liturgical use.
The lower level is now used mainly for educational purposes, including a ballet school. A lift to service the upper level and make St Silas more accessible for all was added in 2011.
St Anselm’s Church began in a wooden building on the corner of Langridge Street and Park Road in Middle Park. In 1891, the Parish was formed by cutting the area from Harold Street to Fraser Street, Middle Park from St Silas’ Parish. A brick church on the site was completed in 1919.
In 2001 the Diocese decided to close St Anselm’s Church and amalgamate the two Parishes. Many fine artefacts from St Anselm’s, including stained glass windows, were incorporated into St Silas’ Church. The combined Parish became known as the “Anglican Parish of the Parks, St Silas and St Anselm.”
The first services in Albert Park were held in the Albert Hall, Bevan Street, then for 50 years in a wooden church building on the site of the present service station. That church was enlarged in stages as needed to seat 700. The present building was constructed by architect Louis Williams in 1925, and the earlier church became the hall and Sunday School. The Sunday School had over 300 children enrolled, and provided both morning and afternoon classes each Sunday.
The present church hall was incorporated into the lower part of the church building in 1961, by converting the church into a two storied multi-purpose building. The Sanctuary on the new upper level was subsequently re-ordered to enhance its contemporary liturgical use.
The lower level is now used mainly for educational purposes, including a ballet school. A lift to service the upper level and make St Silas more accessible for all was added in 2011.
St Anselm’s Church began in a wooden building on the corner of Langridge Street and Park Road in Middle Park. In 1891, the Parish was formed by cutting the area from Harold Street to Fraser Street, Middle Park from St Silas’ Parish. A brick church on the site was completed in 1919.
In 2001 the Diocese decided to close St Anselm’s Church and amalgamate the two Parishes. Many fine artefacts from St Anselm’s, including stained glass windows, were incorporated into St Silas’ Church. The combined Parish became known as the “Anglican Parish of the Parks, St Silas and St Anselm.”
St Silas Church, Albert Park
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St Anselm Church, Middle Park
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