Window - 1946 Elizabeth Nora Badger Baptism

When peace came at the end of WWII, the church felt strong enough to contemplate emerging as a separate parish. Archbishop Booth was able to meet this wish when the Rev Edwin Badger became available upon his discharge from the army. He was accordingly instituted as the first Vicar of the Parochial District of Merlynston, on Monday 29th July, 1946 at 8PM by Archdeacon J A Schofield, with the double task of building up Merlynston and Fawkner into a self-supporting parish, while making the project financially possible by discharging the duties of chaplain to the Fawkner Cemetry. Fr Badger remained as Parish Vicar until 1951.