For Heritage Architects and Consultants

The Sydney Diocesan Archives holds many types of records which contain information sought by heritage architects and heritage consultants, in connection with heritage items and the lands on which they are constructed.
Heritage architects, consultants, and historians should contact the Sydney Diocesan Archivist by telephone or email to determine whether this collection holds any records relevant to a given project. It will be necessary for the researcher to visit the Diocesan Archives to work with the records in person. Working with archival records is time-consuming, and thus the project budget should allow for that time commitment.

Briefing information required

When making an initial approach to the Diocesan Archivist, please provide as much relevant information as possible in order that your request can be assessed anbd prioritised appropriately. Do not simply ask “Do you have anything on X church?”.
The information required includes:
• The company you are working for
• The client (often the Anglican Church Property Trust on behalf of a parish)
• The nature of your project (e.g.CMP / HIA / HIS)
• The brief and scope of your project
• The kinds of resources you have already consulted and information already gathered
• The information you are seeking, and the kinds of records you wish to consult
• And most importantly!, the deadline for your project

Diocese of Sydney only

It should be noted that the Sydney Diocesan Archives holds only information about heritage items situated within the boundaries of the Diocese of Sydney. Other adjacent dioceses, such as Bathurst, Newcastle, and Canberra Goulburn, should be contacted for information about buildings and land which were once part of the Diocese of Australia and are now part of these other dioceses.

Types of Projects

Since 1996, the research staff of architectural practices, heritage consultancies, archaeological consultancies and heritage trusts, have visited the Sydney Diocesan Archives to undertake research in preparation for:
• Conservation Management Plans
• Heritage Impact Assessments
• Heritage Impact Statements
• Development Applications

Commissioning Clients

In many cases, the client commissioning the work is the Anglican Church Property Trust of this diocese.
The staff of the Property Trust team in the Parish Services division of the Sydney Diocesan Secretariat also use the resources of the Sydney Diocesan Archives to undertake research to support the parishes in their management of heritage items.
Those dealing with heritage items owned by the Anglican Church Property Trust in the Diocese of Sydney should be aware of the webpage created by the Property Trust on the topic of Heritage Buildings.

The staff of the National Trust of Australia (NSW) and the Historic Houses Trust of NSW also refer to the collection to support their work of developing listings of heritage items, and in preparation of exhibitions.

The principal sources of relevant information for this field of research are created by head office administrative units, and parishes & churches:

Head Office Administrative Records

• Architectural plans approved by the Archbishops Architectural Panel (and now Regional Panels), associated correspondence & specifications
• Church Property Trust minutes, from 1882 onwards - monthly meetings which record purchase, sale and trasnfer of land and buildings
• Correspondence files of the Secretary to the Church Property Trust

Church and Parish Records

• Church Building Committee Minutes (if they exist) - minutes which document the process from the decision to build a church, via fund-raising and buidling process, through to the opening ceremony of the new church
• Parish Council minutes - monthly meetings at which all matters concerning buildings and land within the parish are discussed and approved
• Financial Records - payments for architects and building works will be recorded in statements of income and expenditure
• Service Registers - which sometimes show the time from which offertory monies were allocated towards building funds