No. 733 - Claremont Methodist Church (1915-1962)

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Claremont is a suburb of Greater Hobart. It is named after Claremont House built in the 1830s by Henry Bilton. Bilton purchased the property from John Pascoe Fawkner in 1825 and increased the size of the estate over the next half century. Upon Bilton’s death in 1889, the 700 acre property was subdivided, opening the way for later suburban development. In 1914 Claremont was developed as a temporary Army training camp. At this time the area had only a few scattered houses and a railway station in what was a still a mostly rural setting.

The first Methodist church in the Claremont area was a chapel that was established at Roseneath in 1836. This was a simple log chapel that was destroyed around 1850 when a large tree fell across the building. More than half a century was to pass before a second church was established at Claremont.

In 1894 Reverend W.R. Cunningham visited Roseneath with the intention of recommencing services. In July 1913, Reverend H.A. Overland and Reverend J.A Penna met with 12 local residents and decided to build a church on Abbotsfield Road. The foundation stone was laid on 12 December 1914 by Mr S.H. Burrows and the church was dedicated on 11 April in the following year.

In 1936, the centenary of the original (Roseneath) Methodist chapel was celebrated at the Claremont Methodist church. The last service at the church was held in March 1962 before the building and grounds were acquired for the construction of the Brooker Highway. The old weatherboard church was lifted and transported to Winnaleah in North Eastern Tasmania where it is still in use as an Evangelical Presbyterian church.

The former Claremont Methodist church at its new location at Winnaleah. (my photograph)

The former Claremont Methodist church at its new location at Winnaleah. (my photograph)

A photograph of the church in 1936 taken at the time of the centenary celebration of the establishment of a Methodist Chapel at Roseneath - which was later incorporated into the suburb of Claremont. (The Mercury)


Sources:

The Mercury, Saturday 5 December 1936, page 9
The Mercury, Monday 7 December 1936, page 3 

Stansall, M. E. J & Methodist Church of Australasia (1975). Tasmanian Methodism, 1820-1975 : compiled at the time of last Meeting of Methodism prior to union. Methodist Church of Australasia, Launceston, Tas

http://claremonthouse.com.au/history/history-private-ownership-1825-1940/

http://derwentcluster.unitingchirch.org.au

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