No. 1168 - St Helens - Methodist Church (1889-1988)

St Helens is the largest town on Tasmania’s east coast. It was established as a fishing village and whaling station in the 1830s. When tin was discovered in the hinterland in the 1870s, St Helens was developed as a port for the mines. It was named by Captain Furneaux after a town of the same name on the Isle of Wight, England. In the 19th century the St Helens district was also referred to as Georges Bay. The Methodist presence at St Helens dates back to 1871 when services were first regularly conducted by Reverend J. Graham who was stationed at Fingal. For almost 15 years the Methodists periodically worshipped in a small weatherboard Anglican church built on Tully Street in 1875. An attempt to build a Methodist church at the settlement was made in 1883. In July the Hobart Mercury reported: “A meeting of gentlemen attached to the Wesleyan Church was held at the Telegraph Hotel….The Rev. Mr. Brown and delegates from St Mary’s and Gould’s Country were present. Amongst various matters di...