Chapel of St Mark

Renowned West Australian Architect, Mr Marshall Clifton designed the Chapel of St Mark. By 1969, in partnership with Tony Brand AM, he had already designed many of the buildings at the Wembley Downs campus including the Headmaster’s House, Memorial Hall and the Dining Hall.

The symbolism incorporated within the design was intended to offer sanctuary and peace to the growing Hale community in a place dedicated to God and Church. The southwest wall is unusual. It is curved and can look to some like a climbing wall for students. However, as the outer wall of the Chapel, it symbolises the protective security of the Church around its community. The balustrade around the outside of the entrance way, lining the broad platform, represents the crown of thorns.

Providing a firm link with the heritage of the School, Clifton incorporated in the build old convict-made bricks in the form of a cross.  These bricks and others from the George Street property (where the School, and later, boarders only were located from 1880 until 1926) were salvaged by Walter James, student (1880) and later member of the Board of Governors (1918-27). The George Street building was demolished soon afterwards.

In 1979 there were two major building works carried out in the Chapel to improve appearance and efficiency.  The first was the installation of a stained-glass window, the largest of the eastern windows. It was a gift from Quinton Stow who, after 20 years as Chairman of the Board of Governors, stepped down from the role. The second work undertaken was the fixing of plywood panels on the ceiling. The acoustics before this had been sub-par; according to the Cygnet, the “singing was dull and the organ ineffective”. Jarrah boards were fitted to each alternate row of ceiling panels to help improve the acoustics and make the inside of the Chapel more appealing.

View the Architects Brief document (pdf)

The Chapel of St Mark was consecrated by the Reverend George Appleton on Sunday 16 February 1969. The Cygnet from that year provides a vivid account of the day, conveying a strong sense of the solemnity and emotion of the occasion.

The 111th year in the history of Hale School was made memorable by the consecration of the school’s first Chapel, dedicated to the glory of God and the honour of St Mark, by the most Reverend George Appleton on Sunday, February 16th, 1969.

It was a day of searing heat with the temperature over the century by 11am. The Chapel was packed above capacity. The fact that it needed more ventilation was painfully obvious.

Before the service began, Mr Brian Barrett, organist of Guildford Grammar School, gave a recital on the new Larner organ and then the doors were closed.

The Archbishop – attended by the Chairman of the Board of Governors, Mr Q Stow, and the Chaplain, the Reverend R E Davis – then knocked on the door with his pastoral staff and was admitted by the Headmaster. Dr Tregonning handed the keys to the Archbishop and asked him to consecrate the Chapel.

The Chapel of St Mark is named after Mark the Evangelist, traditionally considered the author of the Gospel of Mark. More modern scholars believe the gospel was written by an anonymous author.  It remains a contentious issue. Nonetheless, in 1969, Reverend Charles ‘Tom’ Riley, suggested that St Mark was an appropriate name for Hale School’s first chapel. The Feast of St Mark fell on the same day as Anzac Day, 25 April; a day very close to the hearts of all Hale students, current and past. He believed that, together with aspects of St Mark’s life, it made it a fitting name. On the outside doors of the Chapel sit the Lions of St Mark. It is thought they were designed by Roger Lilly and were a gift from Stirling House. However, another source suggests they were designed by Ian Lilly and were a gift from Reverend Russell Davis.

The Reverend Russell Davis was appointed as the Hale School Chaplain in 1960. He looked after the religious education of the students and pastoral care of the Hale community until 1987.

There have been eight Chaplains of Hale School since the completion of the Chapel, each one acknowledged on an honour board inside the Chapel. The current Chaplain is Father Thomas Couper who joined the School in 2022.

Chaplains

From top left to bottom right:

• Reverend Russell Davis 1960 to 1987
• Reverend Brian Eccleston 1988 to 1989
• Reverend Richard Pengelley 1990 to 2000
• Reverend Tim Russell 2001 to 2006
• Reverend Dougall Ethel 2006 to 2016
• Reverend Dr. Alan Forsyth 2017 to 2018
• Reverend Dr. Eleanor O’Donnell 2019 to 2021
• Father Thomas Couper 2022 to present

The Chapel was funded by two appeals. Firstly, by two Old Haleian members of the Board of Governors, Sir Henry Cooke K.B. (1915-17) and Mr Quinton Stow (1911-19) who, with the help of Mrs Leslie Craig, raised over $50,000. Then in 1968, the Old Haleians’ Association organised an appeal that raised the remainder of the money needed to complete the build. These families form a deep and long connection to the School, many of whom feature again and again in the history of the Wembley Downs campus.

View the Chapel fundraising appeal document (pdf)

Owing to the generosity of Old Boys, students and friends, the Chapel of St Mark had everything it needed when it opened in 1969. The list of donations is long and a few of the items have expired and been replaced, but many are still in place or have been retired to the archives. The donations are all recorded on the front pages of a visitors’ book, now located in the School Archives (available for viewing upon request).

It can be said that the Chapel was built, quite literally, on donations. The bricks for the building were donated by Old Haleian, Charles Richard New (1929-30), founder of the Midland Brick Company. 

Each of the School’s houses raised money to buy something to donate to the Chapel. Old Boys and their families donated stained glass windows and church furnishings. Donations were also received from other schools such as Wesley College and Guildford Grammar School. These donations made in the 1960s displayed the true community spirit that was behind the creation of the Chapel of St Mark.

Additions were made to the Chapel organ in 1978 when a bequest was received from the estate of the late Doris Green, a long-time Junior School teacher. In the same year Justice John Virtue donated a stainless-steel font cup, and the two sisters of Bill Altorfer, Pat Kennison and Margaret von Hazel, donated a communion chalice. Mr Michael Bennett, assistant Housemaster in Faulkner House (date unknown) gave the alter service book, Mr Andre Foss (1956-59), Art Teacher and Old Boy, made and gave a pottery urn for the font, while Robin Johnson (1947-50), Woodwork Teacher and Old Boy, made, presented and installed two hymn boards.

Over the years, further donations have been made to the Chapel of St Mark, some replacing initial ones. These include the current alter, which was made by Year 12 students in 2006.

View and download the Donations to the Chapel of St Mark (pdf)

Whilst many of the donated items are still in use and on display in the Chapel, some of the items are now stored safely in the Hale Archives repository.

These items include the candlesticks made and donated by Brine House in 1968, the visitors book with a list of all the donors in 1968,, The Common Book of Prayer donated by Christ Church Grammar School, the Alter Service Book (1662-1828) donated by Michael Bennett, Assistant Housemaster in Faulkner House and the candle snuffer.

The Archives is also home to the register of Hale School confirmations from 1960 to 1968, the first page of which is devoted to the last confirmation service at St Mary’s Church, West Perth before the School moved to the Wembley Downs campus. The collection also includes the register of services 1969 to 1978 and 1978 to 2001, and eight marriage registers from 1969 to 2013.

Whilst these items aren’t on display, viewing can be arranged by appointment with the Archivist.

The three main stained-glass windows above the entrance of the Chapel together tell a story.

The northernmost and smallest stain-glass window (below left), which incorporates the Greek letter forming the symbol for Jesus, was a gift from the parents of Graham “Goog” Parker (1960-68), young Old Boy killed in a motorbike accident in Kings Park.

The centre window was a bequest from the late Brian Simpson (1924) supplemented by an anonymous Old Boy. Brian Simpson who died shortly before the consecration of the Chapel had been greatly involved in its planning. Designed by old friend Marshall Clifton himself, who was an old friend, it was installed by Gowers and Brown in 1972 with glass from Italy. Its ‘glorious explosion of colour’ symbolises the Holy Ghost.

The long southern window was the gift in 1979 from Quinton Stow (below right). In the swirling patterns of light and dark blue and green can be seen the symbol for Christ. Gowers and Brown were commissioned to design the window and instructed to include the Greek letters for ‘Christ’ since the letters forming the symbol for ‘Jesus’ are in the smaller Parker Memorial window. The result is an unusual window full of movement and colour, symbolising the swirling outward from Christ of the truth and light he brought.

The three windows together constitute the Holy Trinity, depicting the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Under the pastoral care of Father Thomas Couper, the Chapel today is used for worship by the students during the week, the boarders on the weekends, baptisms, weddings and funerals of members of the Hale community.

It still provides a place of sanctuary and worship, continuing to “look out over the City of Perth – linking the faith with the mission of the school – to send boys out into the world, able to see beyond the material in the prosperity of this age” (Cygnet 1968).