No. 326 - The Invermay Presbyterian Church - 'Friendly Rivallry'

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In 1905, two Presbyterian churches were built in Launceston; one in the south at Sandhill [No. 93] and the other on Foster Street, Invermay, north of the city. The Invermay church was the smaller of the two, seating 150 to 200 people with dimensions of 40ft in length and 25ft in width. Both churches were wooden structures with the Invermay church following a design typical of weatherboard churches of the era. Both churches were connected with Chalmers Church in Launceston.

The foundation stone was laid on Wednesday 22 November 1905 by Alderman George Kerr, Mayor of Hobart. A report in the Daily Telegraph provides details of the ceremony:

“After a preliminary skirl by some of the Highland pipers, who were present, Psalm 100 was rendered, and a prayer was delivered by Rev. J. Russell. …. Rev. A.R. Osborn then made a brief introductory statement regarding the new church. The Invermay and Sandhill churches, he said, would really form part of one great effort in connection with the scheme of extension, … he hoped that there would be friendly rivalry, … The Sandhill and Invermay churches were the complement of each other, and one could not stand without the other….”

The Invermay church was dedicated on the morning of Sunday 28 January 1906, in a service led by Right Reverend P.J. Murdoch, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Australia. The Sandhill church was dedicated on the same day in an afternoon service.

The Invermay Presbyterian church became a part of the Uniting Church in 1977. It was closed in 1985. The church was subsequently turned into semidetached houses which have altered the building beyond recognition although fragments of the original structure are still visible.
Cover Photo

Cropped Photo - The Foster Street Presbyterian Church - Source: The Weekly Courier

Original Photo: The Foster Street Presbyterian Church - Source: The Weekly Courier
A Google StreetView image of the church in 2017.

Sources
Daily Telegraph, Thursday 23 November 1905, page 2
Examiner, Thursday 23 November 1905, page 6
Mercury, Thursday 23 November 1905, page 3
Daily Telegraph, Saturday 27 January 1906, page 6
The Weekly Courier, 26 August 1920.

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