No. 480 - Kindred Anglican Church - 'Fire and Games'
Kindred is a small rural settlement in north west Tasmania approximately 15 km south of Ulverstone. It was settled from the late 1850’s and it is thought that the name “Kindred” is derived from the fact that many early settlers became related through marriage and therefore ‘kindred’.
Kindred had two churches, a Methodist church which was built in 1865 and an Anglican church built at a much later but undetermined date. Little is known about the building. Fundraising for a church began in the 1895 in the form of a “Sports at Kindred” carnival which was to become an annual event. The sports were held in John Russell’s paddock and events such as handicapped sprints, horse jumping, handicapped sawing and a cigar and umbrella race were held to “aid the building of a new Anglican church”.
At the 1898 “Sports at Kindred” meeting there is mention of an evening concert “held in a building now used as a church”. Thirty years later it appears that little progress had made towards replacing this building as the Kindred ‘Church of England’ building was destroyed in a fire and was described in a report as being “very old”. The Launceston Examiner gives an account of fire in December 1927:
“Word was received at Ulverstone this afternoon of a disastrous fire at Kindred, the Church of England adjoining the state school being totally destroyed, together with its contents, excepting the organ, which some nearby residents removed at considerable risk to themselves. It seems that growths of “rubbish” and blackberries had encroached upon the church grounds, and, a strong wind springing up, sparks were carried into these growths from a neighbouring farm, where clearing operations were in progress. The building, which was of wood and very old, was in a short time reduced to ashes. Only the strenuous of a number of people prevented the state school from sharing the same fate”.
Although the building was insured for £70, no serious effort seems to have been made to build a replacement church.
Kindred had two churches, a Methodist church which was built in 1865 and an Anglican church built at a much later but undetermined date. Little is known about the building. Fundraising for a church began in the 1895 in the form of a “Sports at Kindred” carnival which was to become an annual event. The sports were held in John Russell’s paddock and events such as handicapped sprints, horse jumping, handicapped sawing and a cigar and umbrella race were held to “aid the building of a new Anglican church”.
At the 1898 “Sports at Kindred” meeting there is mention of an evening concert “held in a building now used as a church”. Thirty years later it appears that little progress had made towards replacing this building as the Kindred ‘Church of England’ building was destroyed in a fire and was described in a report as being “very old”. The Launceston Examiner gives an account of fire in December 1927:
“Word was received at Ulverstone this afternoon of a disastrous fire at Kindred, the Church of England adjoining the state school being totally destroyed, together with its contents, excepting the organ, which some nearby residents removed at considerable risk to themselves. It seems that growths of “rubbish” and blackberries had encroached upon the church grounds, and, a strong wind springing up, sparks were carried into these growths from a neighbouring farm, where clearing operations were in progress. The building, which was of wood and very old, was in a short time reduced to ashes. Only the strenuous of a number of people prevented the state school from sharing the same fate”.
Although the building was insured for £70, no serious effort seems to have been made to build a replacement church.
 |
| Advocate, Thursday 29 December 1927 |
Sources:
The North West Post, Thursday 6 June 1895, page 2
The North West Post, Saturday 30 April 1898, page 4
Advocate, Thursday 29 December 1927, page 2
Examiner, Thursday 29 December 1927, page 4
Comments
Post a Comment