No. 288 - The Original Presbyterian Church at Mole Creek

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The turn of the 19th century was a time of active church building at Mole Creek. An Anglican church was opened in 1901 and the Wesleyan Methodist church was rebuilt in 1899. In the same year ‘Mr Cameron and Mr Baker and other friends’ were the principal movers in establishing a Presbyterian church in the town.

In December 1899, the Daily Telegraph reported that “the Presbyterian church is now erected, and preparations are being made for the opening services”. However there seems to have been some delay in finishing off the church because more than a year was to pass before it was ‘reopened’. The Launceston Examiner reported on this “Reopening Ceremony” in April 1901:

“A little over 12 months ago the Presbyterians erected a church. Recently also a new organ was purchased, and new pews have been made, and during the past fortnight the church has been nicely lined and painted. Easter Sunday was the day appointed for holding the reopening services, and the people of Mole Creek were fortunate in securing a minister from Launceston in the Rev. H. Jones, …. to preach the sermons. It is needless to say that two masterly sermons were delivered by him…. Both morning and evening the church was almost unbearably crowded…”

This church is now serves as a hall alongside the ‘new” Presbyterian church that was opened in 1932. [This church will be the subject of a follow-up blog entry] In the photographs of the original Presbyterian church [see below] the appearance of the building has been altered by cement sheet cladding and by an extension at the rear. However, traces of the originally building can be seen in the stone foundation and weatherboarding in the interior of the entrance porch.

Photograph: Duncan Grant 2018

Photograph: Duncan Grant 2018

The new church built in 1932 to the left of  the original church - Photograph: Duncan Grant 2018
Daily Telegraph, Friday 8 December 1899, page 4


Sources:

Daily Telegraph, Friday 8 December 1899, page 4
The Mercury, Thursday 22 March 1900, page 4
Examiner, Friday 12 April 1901, page 7
North Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times, Friday 12 April 1901, page 2
Examiner, Monday 12 September 1932, page 12

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