Serving the Cross: the striking ambiguity of the phrase says a great deal about the Darlinghurst parish. An earlier rector, ‘Anniversary Archie’ Morton, first used it in 1962 in newspaper articles on the changing history of St John’s. Paul Egan has revived it, with telling effect, in his far from short historical account.

St John’s Darlinghurst began in 1856 as a church of wealthy and influential people who had erected fine houses on the side of the Woolloomooloo valley from the city. It was not a monochrome parish; there were poorer inhabitants to the south and Darlinghurst Gaol loomed on the outskirts. But, under a series of gentlemanly rectors, the leading parishioners built a fine Gothic church with a noble tower and spire. It was all very traditional and orderly, St John’s was well up on the list of wealthy parishes.

In the first half of the twentieth century, Darlinghurst underwent dramatic change. It was not just the declining quality common to many near-city suburbs at that time; what was distinctive was the emergence of the densely-populated King’s Cross (originally Queen’s Cross), first as a bohemian centre and then as a notorious red light district. St John’s was faced with an unprecedented challenge.

Having discussed smoothly the early story of Darlinghurst, Paul Egan, an experienced historian and a local parishioner of forty and more years, proceeds to describe the challenge and the responses of four successive rectors. It is a history full of courage and innovative faith, told with understanding and not a little humour.

At a time when many parishes are facing an uncertain future, all will profit by reading this perceptive and unvarnished piece of local church history.