No. 70 - The Chant Street Methodist Church - A Parable on Bricklaying

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The Chant Street Church was built to serve as a Sunday school as well as a church for the Methodist community in the growing suburb of East Launceston. The foundation stone was laid in March 1927 but by 1929 it had already become necessary to extend the building substantially. This was reported on by the Examiner in August 1928:

"The progress of the Methodist Church in Launceston was marked by a gathering at the Chant Street Methodist Church on Saturday afternoon …. A large number of members of the church and others interested in its progress also attended. The existing building is 52ft. long by 26ft. wide. Such has been the need for the church, however, that extension has become desirable. The addition, work on which has started, is at the rear [of the building]…The extension will be of brick, in conformity with the main building…The ceremony began with a hymn, followed by a prayer and a children's hymn. Mr E. Solomon, a steward of the Paterson Street Church, who is stated to have been responsible for the original structure in Chant-street, addressed the children, giving them a parable on bricklaying. The ceremony of bricklaying was then carried out by the children”.

There is little more recorded about Chant Street Methodist Church apart from the regular fairs, Ladies Guild Meetings, 'America Tea' fundraisers, concerts, weddings and more unusually, church tennis club matches which were held on the courts built alongside the building. The church has recently closed having been sold in 2017 to the St Michael's Association.

Photograph: Duncan Grant 2018

Photograph: Duncan Grant 2018

The Interior of the Chant Street Church prior to its sale in 2017 (Photo: Harrison Humphreys Real Estate)

The Interior of the Chant Street Church prior to its sale in 2017 (Photo: Harrison Humphreys Real Estate)


Sources

The Examiner Monday 6 August 1928
The Examiner Monday 21 March 1927
Rev. M Stansall et al., Tasmanian Methodism, 1820-1975.



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