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MARRICKVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH was founded in 1887 as an offshoot of Petersham Baptist Church, being formed into a recognised Baptist Church in July of that year and accepted into the Baptist Union of NSW in September of that year.

Initially the church met at Winkies’ Hall in Illawarra Road, which was near or next to the tram depot.

In 1889, the church moved to the building on the current site at the corner of Silver and Calvert Streets. This site was purchased with assistance from two businessmen of the area, Sir Hugh Dixson (the tobacco magnate, whose wife was a leading figure in the Scouts and Guides in Dulwich Hill) and Mr J. Palmer whose Palmer’s Terraces still stand in Enmore Road opposite Alice Street. Mr Palmer also purchased the site on which the current chapel stands with the intention of selling it to the church at a later stage if the new congregation grew. For some time after this property was bought by the church, the cottage on it was used as a caretaker’s cottage for the church.

Over the succeeding years, the church building was extended several time, including by the addition of some upstairs rooms.

The new church building was opened in 1961, and the old building was retained as the Church Hall, separated from the chapel area by a corridor.

From 1980 to 1987, the church had student pastors, the final one of which was the current Pastor, Rev Peter Green. He continued with the church after he completed his theological studies. An outline of the Church’s history to 1987 is now on-line.

On 1 August 1999, the Church decided to redefine itself as a Baptist Mission functioning within the Marrickville area.

Mr Green remains the pastor. He has been in a voluntary role since 1999.

The early history of the church was closely linked to Petersham Baptist Church, but the new congregation began moving in other directions, due to links with both Carlton and Drummoyne Churches and an influx of new settlers in the district from southern Scotland. At that time, Drummoyne and Marrickville were linked by an effective and fairly quick tram service, and there was talk at one time of the Drummoyne Church closing down and amalgamating with the Marrickville Church.

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