Marriage Register 1826 - 1834
Marriage Register 1835 - 1856
Marriage Register 1857 - 1864
Marriage Register 1865 - 1874
Marriage Register 1875 - 1884
Marriage Register 1885 - 1891
Marriage Register 1893 - 1904
Marriage Register 1905 - 1915

ST. JAMES CHURCH OF ENGLAND, PITT TOWN 

Background:

Church services were possibly held in the Pitt Town locality from the early 1800s, however it was not until the 1820s that a purpose built building was established. In 1810 Reverend Robert Cartwright was appointed as the resident chaplain to the Hawkesbury and was stationed at Windsor.

In 1814 Matthew Pearson Thompson established a school in Pitt Town and taught there until 1818, followed John Downing Wood. In 1820 repairs were made to the dwelling so that it was adequate as a school, chapel and accommodation for the schoolmaster. Rev John Cross used the building a temporary chapel. In 1825 Reverend Matthew Devenish Meares arrived on the "Mariner" with his wife & family was appointed as the Assistant Chaplain for a new parish which covered the area of Wilberforce, Sackville and Pitt Town.

In about 1827 a larger building was established for use as a schoolhouse and chapel in Bathurst Street, costing £274. A single storey building, it was also used for church services .

During the 1840s the congregation agitated for a new church and eventually in the 1850s a decision was made to go ahead and to build a new church. The foundation stone was eventually laid on the 30th July 1857 by the Lord Bishop of Sydney. The sandstone church was designed by architect Edmund Blacket and constructed by Thomas Collison. It is very similar to St. John's Church at Wilberforce although on a smaller scale. It cost £1050 to build. Although completed in 1858 and in use the church was officially consecrated by Bishop Barker on the 11th April 1859.

St. James Anglican Church is still in use today and is located on Bathurst Street, overlooking the Pitt Town Bottoms. It is situated opposite the Scots Uniting Church on the corner of Bathurst & Buckingham Street

Registers:

The Parish Registers commence in 1826. For baptisms, marriages & burials prior to this date check the records of St. Matthew's Church of England in Windsor which commenced in 1810.

Ministers:

Some of the 19th and early 20th century ministers at St. James were:

1825 Matthew Devenish Meares
1836 J. E. Keane
1841 C. C. Kemp
1843 T. W. Bodenham
1846 T. C. Ewing
1857 T. Wilson
1861 H. A. Palmer
1869 W. Wood
1886 J. Morgan
1892 M. Harrison
1893 H. Guiness
1897 W. S. Newton
1911 T. F. Cherry
1919 G. P. Kirk
1925 S. Howard

Source(s):

• Bowd, D. G. (1969). Macquarie Country - A History of the Hawkesbury. F. W. Cheshire Publishing Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Australia.
• Jack, R. I. (1990). Exploring the Hawkesbury. Kangaroo Press (2nd ed.)
• Barkley, J. & M. Nichols (1994). Hawkesbury 1794-1994. Windsor : Hawkesbury Council.