John Wroe Founder of the Christian Israelites

Christian Israelite Sanctuary in the Melbourne Suburb of Fitzroy– – – – o – – – – 

In the 1840s an English religious sect under the leadership of John Wroe established itself in the Port Phillip District. They called themselves the Christian Israelites but they were more commonly known as the ‘Beardies’ because of their practice of not shaving. Wroe declared that the chief means of obtaining eternal salvation was to wear the beard unshaven, stating that “as the beard lengthens, the faith strengthens.”

The sect had its origins in the ministry of a prophetess named Johanna Southcott who was said to have had over 100,000 followers at the time of her death in 1814. Many of her supporters then accepted George Turner as her successor. John Wroe joined them about 1820 and after Turner’s death, he became their leader and they became known as ‘Christian Israelites.’ One of the most extraordinary of the leading principles of this sect was the immortality of the body. Certain rules were laid down for the guidance of the members respecting diet, clothing, the wearing of the hair and beard uncut, and a prohibition of the use of medicine and vaccination. In legal proceedings they chose to make an affirmation instead of the usual oath. The faith that the body was never to die depended on a strict accordance with these rules – once broken, the body became mortal.

John Wroe was born on 19 September 1782 at Bowling, Bradford, Yorkshire, the son of Joseph Roe, farmer and businessman. He married on 22 April 1816 at Bradford, Yorkshire, England to Mary Appleby. She died on 16 May 1853.

The first two Christian Israelite missionaries arrived in Australia in late September or early October 1839 and were soon preaching to large open air gatherings in Sydney and selling hundreds of their pamphlets for three pence each. Each Sunday they would stand on chairs in Hyde Park and preach to sometimes hostile crowds. One of them, Charles Robertson was said to be elderly and both were said to have beards and be illiterate and rude of speech.

By November 1840 Robertson, together with another preacher named William Savage, and their disciples named John Tuckwell and James McManus had for some months been holding meetings on the racecourse, when they were charged by the Superintendent of Police, Captain Innes who feared they were likely to cause a disturbance of the peace. However when they appeared before Mr. Windeyer, Magistrate, Robertson produced a certificate issued by the Trustees of the Christian Israelites in England appointing him to proceed to New South Wales to preach the second coming of Christ. To this was appended a license as a preacher, signed by Abraham Wood, whom Robertson declared to be a Magistrate for the County of Lancaster. Mr. Windeyer, unsure as to the legality of their activities, remanded them for a week while he sought advice.

In 1843, John Wroe, who had travelled widely in England, on the Continent, and to America made his first trip to Australia. He arrived at Melbourne on 17 August 1843 per “Francis” from Liverpool, England, en route to Sydney. After a brief stay he sailed on to Sydney, arriving there on 24 September 1843. He left Sydney in January 1844 on the “Ocean” and arrived back in London, England in June 1844.

Wroe arrived at Melbourne again on 6 September 1850 per “Digby” from Liverpool, England. Also on this ship were two Roman Catholic priests, Rev. Gerald A. Ward and Rev. Patrick Dunne, and notwithstanding the wide difference in their religious opinions, it was said that the greatest cordiallity and good feeling existed between them.

On arrival in Melbourne, Wroe was to have preached in the open area in front of the Court House on Sunday afternoon, but was prevented from doing so because of rain. However he received an offer from the Rev. John Allen to preach in his ‘Church of the Tabarnacle’ in Napier Street, Collingwood.

He also made a visit to Geelong at this time with a number of his Melbourne adherents and a public meeting was held to introduce him to the Geelong Israelites, whose ‘Chapel’ was located in Welsh’s old store. Mr. John Cartwright and other leaders addressed the meeting, though John Wroe was unable to preach. This temporary place of assembly was quite full, and a great many were obliged to go away.

After spending some more time in Melbourne he made a brief visit to Van Diemen’s Land and arrived back in Melbourne on 17 October 1850 per “Shamrock” from Launceston, later returning to England.

In the 1850s one of the leaders of the Christian Israelite Church in Victoria was John Stoneham of Geelong. On Christmas Day in 1854 he was in Ballarat to address a large number of diggers and hold a temperance meeting. On Sunday, 26 October 1856 he preached on Flagstaff Hill in Melbourne at noon and on the Wharf at 3.00pm on “The Ingathering of Israel for the Redemption of the Mortal Body, that it enter into Life Eternal.”

A census of in 1857 revealed that there were 307 Christian Israelites in Victoria, consisting of 186 males and 121 females. A census in 1861 gave the total number as 395.

The Christian Israelite Sanctuary in Fitzroy Street, Fitzroy was opened on 9 March 1862 with sermons preached at 3.00pm by Mr. George Morgan and at 7.00pm in the evening by Mr. John Stoneham. Collections were made at each service. It was later re-opened for public service on Sunday evening, 8 March 1863. The Fitzroy congregation became one of his strongest and they still have a church there.

John Wroe died on 5 February 1863 at Fitzroy Street, Fitzroy, Victoria, aged 81 years and was buried on 7 February 1863 in the Melbourne General Cemetery, Carlton, Vic. His adherents at Melbourne fondly cherished the hope of their venerable founder’s resurrection. In this however they were mistaken.

No photo of John Wroe is known to exist but he was described as being about five feet eight inches tall, rather stoutly made, of a florid complexion, with a silvery beard reaching to his waist. In his preaching, he displayed a great deal of animation, and, assuming the office and character of Elijah, as recounted in the Prophet Malachi, his action and delivery was much of that type.

Wroe never wrote down his own Divine inspirations – they were all written by others as witnesses, and so signed. His memoirs and sermons were published in 3 volumes as “The Life and Journal of John Wroe.”

(Image Source: State Library of Victoria)

Contributed by Alexander Romanov-Hughes – PPPG Member No. 52

THE CHRISTIAN ISRAELITE CHURCH

Following Alexander Romanov-Hughes’s excellent article on John Roe and the Christian Israelite Church (above), as my great-grandfather Henry Tulk was involved in the Church in Melbourne and Geelong, I have collected additional information on the Church over many years.

Music was very important to the Church, including Brass Bands on the occasion of John Wroe’s public baptism in the River Aire, Yorkshire, England in 1824. It was well publicised in the Bradford area and over 30,000 people attended. Hymns accompanied by a select band of music was to mark the event.

John Wroe travelled to America four times as well as to France and Germany. He visited Australia five times over the years where he had a considerable following and died here in 1863 as a result of injuries sustained from a fall on the ship. He is buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery in an unmarked grave.

In 1854 Wroe announced that he had a command from the Lord to build a Temple in Wrenthorpe, near Wakefield, Yorkshire, England on a hundred acre site (this was to become ‘Melbourne House’ as Wroe liked the design of the old Melbourne Town Hall). Subscriptions were invited from the followers and money flooded in from all over the world, in excess of 9,000 English pounds. The interior was decorated with beautiful woodwork, much of which was imported from Australia. The Church had a grand opening of the house in 1857 and John Wroe lived there for five years. Following Wroe’s death an American, Daniel Milton claimed himself to be Wroe’s rightful successor, and for many years claimed possession of ‘Melbourne House.’

A plaque was erected on the Old Whim Public House, Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, England as a Tribute to Prophet Wroe 1782-1863 “Founded the Christian Israelite Church and declared that Ashton-under-Lyne would be the New Jerusalem. Four gatehouses were built of which this building was one. Later banished for indecent behaviour he went to Australia where the Christian Israelite Church still survives today.”

The first mention of Australia in John Wroe’s Journals was on the first of October 1834 where he stated that “Tho’ ye are few in number ye will be scattered – one here and one there, one in a town and one in a city, one in America and one in Botany Bay, and share the glad tidings of the Kingdom,”

The Christian Israelite Church does not have ordained clergy, instead they have appointed Local and Travelling Preachers.

Christian Israelite Sanctuary, 193 Fitzroy Street, Fitzroy. 1861 Citation: Architect: unknown. Built of squared bluestone with a pediment in classical temple form to the front (east) elevation. A rare example of a Christian Israelite Sanctuary, and an early and intact specimen of the Nonconformist classical church type. The building has Heritage listing and is still the World Headquarters of the Church.

Many of its members were involved in woodworking, timber, coach building, cab driving, motor body building and car sales (some may remember Gould’s Motors in Northcote). The Church still holds a service once a month, but at present is closed for ongoing maintenance.

The Church in Melbourne developed from the congregation of the Rev. John Allen which met in a tin building on the same site. On New Year’s Day 1852 there was a triple wedding. My great-grandfather Henry Tulk married Harriett Kearney; his brother Frederick Tulk married Harriett’s sister Esther Kearney and his younger sister Sarah Ann Tulk married William Perry.

Henry and Harriett Tulk

The Christian Israelite Church in Australia was also the first in Australia to have a designated female preacher. Hannah Giddy (nee Staggs) was born in Kent, UK in 1828. Her parents were Christian Israelites and held services in their home. In 1854 she was sent to Australia “to wherever she could find rest for the soles of her feet.” She married John Giddy in 1845 in Scots Church Sydney. They had eleven children, six boys and five girls. Hannah’s work in New South Wales was directly responsible for the commencement of the Kempsey Christian Israelites.

When a person joins the Christian Israelites Church they sign in a ‘Signing Book’ to their belief in the Old and New Testaments and the mission of John Wroe. Every member had to sign at some stage with the date they joined. Signing Books only came in in 1854. There were 13 Tulks signed into Melbourne, one Tulk in the Geelong Group, and the Founder John Wroe also signed in at Geelong. I have copies of the ‘Signing Book’ entries which were kindly given to me by the late Jean Parrott, a member of Port Phillip Pioneers Group, who had relatives connected to the Church.

Over in America a Group called ‘The House of David’ was formed by Benjamin and Mary Purnell in 1903 after settling in Benton Harbour, Michigan. Benjamin had sent a ‘Star’ (message) over to the Christian Israelites in Australia which was accepted here. Benjamin and Mary then embarked on an evangelizing tour of Australia. When they returned to Benton Harbour the next year 47 converts from the Christian Israelite Church, including most of the leadership and over twenty musicians and instrument makers, followed from Melbourne on the German mail steamer “Rhein.” They had all realised their personal property, their proceeds going to the Purnell’s for Benton Harbour where a large holiday camp was established. Over 500 people farewelled the converts. Included in the number were Samuel and Eliza Tulk and their four daughters. Samuel was a nephew of Henry Tulk. There were originally 86 people to go to America, but the second group never went.

The Church is still very active in New South Wales with a number of Churches in Sydney and country towns.

Contributed by Lewis C. Tulk – PPPG Member No. 1341