No. 961 - George Town - Kingdom Hall

George Town is one of the oldest towns in Australia and is the second oldest town in Tasmania. It is therefore unusual that most of the town’s churches were only established after World War Two. The emergence of Launceston as the administrative centre of the North in the early years of the colony meant that George Town was destined to remain a backwater until more recent times. The construction of an aluminium smelter at nearby Bell Bay in the 1950s as well as the development of industry south of the town, accelerated George Town’s population growth in the post-war era.

George Town’s Kingdom Hall is located on the Main Road on the outskirt of the town. It is built in the typical style of most of the 21 Kingdom Halls found in the State. No published information about the hall is available.

The Jehovah's Witness diverges from the mainstream doctrines of Christianity in that it is a non-trinitarian tradition. Jehovah's Witnesses believe their denomination is a restoration of first-century Christianity. It is a ‘closed’ church and its practices have led its critics to regard it as a sect. The historical persecution of members of the Jehovah’s Witness in many countries, including Australia, has further contributed to the denomination maintaining a low profile in the media. For this reason the history of the Jehovah Witness in Tasmania presents a challenge to research.

The following information is derived from the Jehovah Witness’s official tract ''The Watchtower':

“In the early 1900s a member of the International Bible Students Association, as Jehovah's Witnesses were known, was distributing Bible study publications in Tasmania. Literature was left with the postmaster at Queenstown, Tom Anderson, and he and his wife became Witnesses. Around this time, E. Brewster preached around the state. In about 1908 Bible students were active in the Westbury area, and spread to the north-east of Tasmania. The Witnesses operated radio station 7UV in Ulverstone from 1934 to spread the Bible's message. In 1945 the Witnesses purchased their first Kingdom Hall (church) in Hobart”.

George Town Kingdom Hall - Google street view



Sources:

https://www.utas.edu.au/tasmanian-companion/biogs/E000528b.htm



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