No. 1258 - Sandy Bay - St Peter's Parish Hall and Sunday School (1924)

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This article is one of a series about buildings associated with Tasmania’s historical churches.These buildings include Sunday schools, parish halls, convents, schools and residences of the clergy. Ancillary buildings are often overlooked and rarely feature in published histories. My aim is to create a basic record of these buildings, including buildings which no longer exist.

Wellspring Anglican Church (previously St Peter’s) was established in 1917 when Mariners Church on Hobart’s Wharf was removed and rebuilt on Lord Street at Sandy Bay. A parish hall and Sunday school was built alongside the church in 1924.

The Mercury reported on the ceremonial laying of the foundation of the new hall which took place on Saturday 9 August 1924:

“…On Saturday afternoon The Bishop of Tasmania (Dr R S Hay)… laid the foundation stone of a building which is to serve a triple purpose in connection with St Peters Church, in Lord-street, the building being designed to serve as Sunday school, kindergarten, and parochial hall. The Sunday school associated with the church has largely outgrown the existing accommodation Hence the resolve to provide the requisite building which when completed, will be of ample dimension to meet the needs for a considerable time to come. The main hall will be 65ft. by 36ft. The room at the back to be used for kindergarten work will be 16ft. by 13ft., and there will be another room adapted for the holding of committee and similar meetings measuring some 16ft. by 14ft. The building which is situate by the side of the church has been planned with a view to combining attractiveness and utility….”.

The building was completed by November 1924 and was officially opened by the mayor of Hobart, Mr John Soundy. The hall was built by the Gillham Brothers.



Sources:

Mercury, Monday 11 August 1924, page 2
Mercury, Thursday 6 November 1924, page 3

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