William Wardell

Born into lowly circumstances in London’s East End in 1823 William Wilkinson Wardell became one of Australia’s greatest architects whose crowning works are his two cathedrals, St. Mary’s in Sydney and St. Patrick’s in Melbourne. He also stamped his character and high standard on many of Melbourne’s best-loved public buildings. As a contemporary and devoted admirer of Pugin both were converts to the Catholic Faith and shared a deep religious conviction in the superiority of Gothic Architecture for church building.