No. 218 - The former Salvation Army 'Citadel' at Invermay

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An auto-electrician’s workshop on Invermay Road in Launceston is probably the last place one would expect to be associated with a ‘church’. Wise’s Street Directory however confirms that the workshop was originally a Salvation Army Citadel. A search of Trove reveals that the Citadel opened on Saturday 14 December 1912.

A further search of Trove revealed another surprise. In September 1947, a “Young People’s Hall” was erected behind the citadel. This building had previously been a Salvation Army centre at Chudleigh in 1889, which was dismantled and re-erected at Invermay. The Chudleigh hall is still behind the old Salvation Army Citadel although new weatherboards have been fitted on most of the building, covering nearly all of the original windows.

A final point of interest is that the original Invermay ‘citadel’ is remarkably similar in appearance to the old Salvation Army Citadel at Lilydale (erected in 1915), which may indicate that the Salvation Army probably produced at least two citadels using the same plan.

The old Invermay Citadel still has a loose connection with the ‘Salvo’s’ with a Salvation Army Store situated directly across the road. My guess is that this building may have replaced the timber ‘citadel’ in the 1950’s or 1960’s.  Further research might confirm this.

A side view of the old citadel with the old Chudleigh Hall visible behind.

Photograph: Duncan Grant 2018

A roller-door has taken the place of the original door and the left side window.

Sign board - note the similarity with the board on the photograph of the Lilydale Citadel below

The old Chudleigh Hall - The building has had new weatherboard covering the windows of the hall. 

The original window frames are still visible on the southern side of the hall.

The Salvation Army building directly across the road from the old citadel.

The Lilydale Salvation Army Citadel - note the similarities with the Invermay building.
Sources:

The Examiner Friday 13 December 1912, page 4
The Examiner Monday 22 September 1947, page 2
The Mercury Monday 22 September 1947, page 7

Comments

  1. Unknown16 February 2021 at 03:00

    This hall was in use by the Salvation Army until the congregation relocated to a new brick building in Newnham. The Salvo store building was purchased well after the relocation. This building plan was used all across Australia and in Tasmania the Longford Salvation army was the same design, Shefield Cornwall, Derby and many others. When the congregation build a new hall they would either use the old hall for youth or donate it to a new congregation. The timber hall at the rear of South Launceston Salvation Army building in Galvin Street was also a relocated hall of a similar design. St Marys hall was a similar design.

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