The following story is reproduced with permission from the writer, Rev Father Ted Doncaster, further details by the writer on Canon Collick can be read at
Canon Collick
Canon Collick.
Back in 1894 there was an advertisement in a London newspaper which read “Wanted – a priest for 10,000 Miners” and when a young Anglican priest in Hoxton, London, read it, he applied for the job! What a contrast awaited him, for at that stage Coolgardie was a little more than a tent village.
He sailed on the “Orient” and arrived in Western Australia in December that same year reaching Coolgardie in time for its first Christmas church services and to discover that fever was raging in the place, he was to go down with it himself in February.
Canon Collick in later years
Oh! Haven’t I told you who he was? Some of you may have already guessed that it was Edward Mallan Collick
(Edward Mallan (Henry) Collick was born 4.11.1868, son of Charles and Rosetta.) who was the only 26 years of age. Almost a hundred years after his arrival he was made a local saint and hero of the Anglican Church in Western Australia and this arose out of his utter commitment to god and the people he served over many years in Coolgardie, Menzies, Kalgoorlie, Boulder and finally Fremantle. He retired in 1950. During all those years he has also served as a chaplain in the Civil Military Force in WA.
In 1912 he was appointed Archdeacon of the Goldfields and served as such until 1924.when moved to Fremantle he was made a canon of Perth and that is how most remember him – “Canon Collick”. Among his involvement in community life, he used to also organise very successful Christmas dinners and sports events for indigenous people and he was greatly loved by them all. In fact, such was their admiration of him they tended to call all clergymen in those days “Collick”
A Christmas Celebration
Just one of the many stories about him concerned a prostitute whom he was taking to the hospital and she said to him “you shouldn’t let yourself be seen with me” with typical humility he replied “why? are you ashamed of me?” and when he was appointed to Fremantle some of the Kalgoorlites said: “him no go to Fremantle! Him plurry good fellow” Sadly some only knew one place in that town – the gaol.
Canon Collick’s Inkwell
A friend who had known his family and who had been baptised by him said he would send some photographs to me. One of the mementos h sent was an ink stand that bore the inscription “Rev. E.M. Collick with love and best wishes from the children of “all Saints” Sunday School Kalgoorlie 6/11/1907”.
All Saints Church, Collins Street Piccadilly
All Saints was, of course, the little church that stood in Collins Street in the Suburb of Kalgoorlie named Piccadilly. In 1918 it was moved up to Lamington and it looked a sad sight when I saw it in 1958 because it was no longer in use.
This photograph (right) of the church in Collins Street, Piccadilly was taken in 1908 by a young man named Frank Cash, who had worked there and at the mine at Mertondale and after ordination served as a priest in the diocese of Sydney, eventually becoming the registrar of the Australian college of theology for a number of years. He even marked my examination papers! I had the pleasure of knowing him, too, and sometimes wondered whether Collick had so impressed him that he, too, became an Anglican clergyman because of that influence in his life. Such was the simple example of Canon Collick. – Father Ted Doncaster.
This picture of All Saints Church appeared in the Western Argus in 1900 with the following article:-
All Saints 1900
The accompanying picture of All Saints Church is an outward visible sign of the progress of the Church of England in Kalgoorlie. In the last four years three churches and a mission hall have been erected in this populous and scattered parish, of which All Saints is the latest. In a new town upon a Goldfields all building are at first flauntingly utilitarian – hopless and monstrous in their ugliness, and even in places of worship it is hard to be otherwise. The present picture however shows that an effort has been made to break through the ridgid lines of mere utility in the shape of four walls and a roof and in the house of god to offer some exception to the building that surround it. All Saints is situated near to the Railway Works where a large number of men are employed and near to which the government are about to erect a large barracks for their accomodation. This will incrrease ther population very largely and shows how suitable this site was for this mission church.
A room close to the church has recently been given over for church purposes, and a mens reading room has already been established there. It will also be used to carry on work with the children of the district and it is also hoped before long to start a branch of the ‘Mothers Union’ there. The Sunday School, although only started a few months ago has over 100 children registered.
The Church was moved in 1918 to the corner of Addis and Keenan Streets in Lamington and the first service was held therein on Sunday 20-10-1918. The last service was held on Sunday 01-05-1949. It was officially closed in 1953 having been used as a Sunday School for those four years. It was demolished at that time. The following photograph is of the chapel that was built on the rear of 43 Ward Street (my house) and when it was blown down (on the 8th December 1925) in a cyclone a new chapel was built into the verahdah of the bishops house next door. This house is still there and the chapel is intact though now privately owned.
41 Ward Street, Lamington ‘Bishop Bourne’
Moya Sharp
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Thanks for sharing, Moya. I want to write a story based on my great grandmother’s life and your posts are providing so much contextual history for me, so I read all you posts with great interest and appreciation.
Thank you so much Melinda
Hi Moya, I happened upon this site by accident as I was searching for more information on Canon Collick who married my Mother and Father in St Johns Anglican Church, Fremantle in 1944. I was absolutely astounded at what I found out about this beautiful human being. Do you know where Canon Collick would have been interred.
No I dont but I can find out for you.
Hi Cheryl Canon Collick died unmarried on 03-06-1959 and after a service in S. George’s Cathedral Perth his remains were cremated at Karrakatta on 5th June, his ashes being placed in the Rose Garden of Remembrance there (M0025).