PEOPLE CENTRED HERITAGE: EPISODE 12 // BENJAMIN PETKOV - ST JAMES' OLD CATHEDRAL

“These windows do more than simply light a room—they aren’t dissimilar to pieces of art in a gallery. You’re forced to interact with them in a completely different way. You’re immersed in a narrative projected by light.” – Benjamin Petkov

St James’ Old Cathedral was Melbourne’s first cathedral, built on the corner of William and Little Collins Streets in 1842, and then moved brick-by-brick to its current location by Flagstaff Gardens.

What’s most remarkable about St James’ Old Cathedral is its collection of eighteen leadlight windows from across the building’s history, from the 1880s to the 1980s, including the stunning Art Deco work of Australia’s first woman leadlight artist, Christian Waller.

Working with master glazier Robert Rusev, Extent Heritage advised on conservation works, cleaning away decades of grime, and preventing further breaking, bulging and cracking in the panes.

Our Heritage Advisor Benjamin Petkov has a special connection to the place, having studied it as part of his Masters degree at University of Melbourne. Now, he has overseen the conservation of the windows for generations to come.
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