In David’s Name

Yes, and in honour of our first lieutenant-governor, David Collins, founder of Hobart, is St David’s Cathedral named, and the churches before it.

The subject has been revived by comments that seem to cast doubts on that naming. They have come from the cathedral’s new Dean Richard Humphrey, writing in the latest issue of the Tasmanian Anglican magazine.

His contention is this on the first St David’s Church built where Collins is buried in St David’s Park: “The church was, as far as we know, not called St David’s, was never consecrated, and blew down in a storm in 1812; apparently it was not properly attached to its foundations.” Certainly it was a flimsy structure and had but a brief life. But not called St David’s?

Let’s revisit the comments of Professor Peter Boyce who has been working on a book on the cathedral’s history, and had this to say at a St David’s Day dinner on March 1, 2007: “The first St David’s was a small wooden structure erected in St David’s Park in 1810 near the gravestone of the first lieutenant-governor, David Collins, after whom the church was named.”

And there is this in the timeline of the cathedral’s history on its own website: “St David’s Church constructed of wood was erected over David Collins’ grave as a temporary place for public worship.” It added there was a plaque saying his body rested beneath the altar.

It was some years before the second church was built. Lieutenant-Governor Thomas Davey gained approval from Governor Lachlan Macquarie in New South Wales on plans for the second St David’s, and the cathedral timeline declared that on February 19, 1817, the foundation stone for the second church was laid at the corner of Murray and Macquarie Streets by Lieutenant-Governor Davey “to perpetuate the memory of the late David Collins”.

Then there is the letter in Monday’s Mercury from Taroona’s Richard Lord, a pioneer descendant. He was referring to an earlier suggestion from another correspondent that there should be a statue erected to Collins: “While I do not disagree, I would point out that one of the biggest churches in Hobart is named in his honour, St David’s Cathedral, as mentioned on February 19, 1817, in the Diary of the Revd. Robert Knopwood, 1803-1838, first chaplain of Van Diemen’s Land, edited by Mary Nicholls.

Lieutenant-Governor Collins (he had the rank of a colonel – some people have made the mistake of calling him Lieutenant Collins) deserves to be recognised also by a statue apart from being honoured in the cathedral’s name.

But also worth further investigation is exactly where he’s buried. An ABC item last month said that while it’s known he was buried in St David’s Park, the exact location of his tomb isn’t. I believe Richard Lord has some views on this.

Footnote: the Tasmanian Anglican says that it does not publish letters to the editor. That’s a pity. It can publish claims, but not accept letters of rebuttal.