Special Delivery of Stirling Commemorative Brochures to St John’s Church

Published on: 5 Feb, 2013
Updated on: 5 Feb, 2013

The Guildford Dragon News was delighted to deliver some free copies of a commemorative brochure on behalf of our contacts in Guildford, Western Australia (WA) to St John’s church in Stoke Road, Guildford.

David Rose hands some copies of the Stirling Memorial Gates rededication commemorative brochure to operations manager Helen Barnardo at St John’s church, Stoke Road, Guildford.

Last year we ran a story sent to us by Barbara Dundas about the rededication in Guildford, WA of the town’s historic Stirling Memorial Gates. A special brochure was produced for the event and about 1o copies are now at the Stirling Centre at St John’s church on a first come, first served basis for anyone who wants one.

Click here to read the story about the gates.

Sir James Stirling was the first governor of Western Australia. He married a Guildford girl, Ellen Mangles, and in their later lives they returned to Guildford, England, lived at Woodbridge Park and are buried in the graveyard opposite St John’s church in Stoke Road.

David Rose of The Guildford Dragon News handed over the brochures to Helen Barnardo, operations manager at St John’s church. The church thank the people of Guildford WA for sending them.

And St John’s has been in the national news in Australia recently. On a visit there UK Defence Secretary Philip Hammond was asked by the Australian premier Colin Barnett whether he could help in the quest some people Down Under have to locate the bones of Sir James Stirling. Stirling is something of a hero in WA, although his name has largely been forgotten here.

The saga concerns the fact that the Sir James and his wife’s bones have, over time, been moved, and their whereabouts in the churchyard are not known.

The Australian newspaper on January 21 reported that Mr Hammond said to Premier Colin Barnett: “What you didn’t know, Colin, because we only had a few brief moments to speak when I came in, is that I live about two miles from St John’s church in Guildford, and I am going to take up your challenge.”

Read our story on the bones saga and one man’s quest to find them, that we also ran last year. Click here.

It would seem, unfortunately, whatever help Mr Hammond can offer, St John’s church has, at the present time, no new leads to offer him.

Share This Post