No. 1241 - Kingston - The Reformed Church of Kingston (1956-1986)

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Kingston is a town located on the Browns River approximately 12 kilometres south of Hobart. The area was first settled in 1804 and was known as Brown’s River, after Scottish botanist Robert Brown, who visited the area. The settlement later became known as Kingston and this name was officially adopted in 1882.

Kingston’s Reformed Church was established by Dutch immigrants who settled in Tasmania after World War Two. Unlike Dutch communities on the Australian mainland, whose members were predominantly Catholic, the majority of the Dutch in Tasmania are Protestant. Approximately 3500 Dutch migrants settled in Tasmania in the 1950s forming the State’s largest non-English speaking migrant community at the time. Initially, Dutch community associated with the Presbyterian Church and were keen to integrate into Tasmanian society. However a desire for an independent church soon arose and reformed churches were soon established at Ulverstone, Penguin, Launceston and Kingston.

The Reformed Church of Kingston was established May 1954. Services were initially held in the Kingston Beach Hall. In 1956 a church designed by architect Dirk Bolt was built mostly by volunteer labour. The Reformed Church of Kingston-Hobart was officially opened on Friday 6 July 1956. In 1986 the Channel Highway church was sold after larger church was built on Denison Street. The last service in the old building was held on Sunday 18 May 1986.

The old Channel Highway church is now the Kingston Free Presbyterian Church. A separate article will be published on the new Denison Street ‘Christian Reformed Church of Kingston’.

The Reformed Church of Kingston shortly after it was opened (Source: Shaping Kingston)


Interior of the Reformed Church of Kingston (c.1960) Photo supplied by Annabel Carle: Photographer: Kelsey Aves and the Tasmanian Field Naturalists Club


Interior of the Reformed Church of Kingston (c.1960) Photo supplied by Annabel Carle: Photographer: Kelsey Aves and the Tasmanian Field Naturalists Club

Interior of the Reformed Church of Kingston (c.1960) Photo supplied by Annabel Carle: Photographer: Kelsey Aves and the Tasmanian Field Naturalists Club



Sources:

https://www.crckingston.org.au/

Kees Wierenga; Shaping Kingston: The Story of God's Children in Kingston Especially Focussing on the Reformed Church from 1950 to 2010; Kees Wierenga, 2019




 


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