No. 1005 - North Hobart - St Margaret's (1896-2007)

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The suburb of North Hobart, as the same suggests, is on the northern fringe of the city centre. It has evolved into a mixed residential and commercial area since it was developed in the 1830s.

St Margaret’s Mission on Federal Street (previously called Colville Street) began as a mission room established in 1871 in adjoining Ware street. In 1896 this was replaced by the ‘Holy Trinity Mission Room’, which was renamed St Margaret’s Mission Hall after it was dedicated by Bishop Hay in 1926.

The Mercury records the laying of the Mission’s foundation stone in January 1896:

“On Saturday afternoon the foundation or memorial stone of a new mission-room, in connection with Holy Trinity Church, was laid in Colville-street North by Mr. Alfred Crisp, M.H.A. for the district, in the presence of a goodly number of people. The new building is to be 60ft. by 25ft., and is being erected in substitution for the temporary room which has been occupied in Ware street, and will be a substantial one in brick with a shingle roof, and capable of seating nearly 300 people. Land had to be bought for the purpose at a cost of nearly £100, whilst the contract price of the building is £186. Altogether the cost will be about £300. The architect is Mr. Geo. Fagg, and Mr. James Dunn is the contractor….”.

In 1928 a new kindergarten building was built behind the Mission Hall which was largely funded by a donation of £500 by Mrs J.M.E. Gadsby.

Shortly after St Margaret’s centenary in 1996 the church was earmarked for closure. This however was resisted and the church continued to function until it was eventually closed in 2007. The building was sold in the following year.








The Kindergarten building at the rear of the Mission Hall - Feltham Street (previously Ware Street)

The interior of the church (2007) - Photographer not known.


The Mercury - March 1896

Undated photo with the Mission in the background (Libraries Tasmania)

Sources:

Mercury, Monday 13 January 1896, page 4
Mercury, Tuesday 17 March 1896

Mercury, Monday 29 November 1926, page 3
Mercury, Monday 1 October 1928, page 3
Mercury, Monday 24 December 1928, page 3

Henslowe, Dorothea I & Hurburgh, Isa Our heritage of Anglican churches in Tasmania. Mercury-Walch, Moonah, Tas, 1978.



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