No. 1307 - Hobart - Harrington Street Gospel Hall (1898-1906)

In 1898 the Christian Brethren established a Gospel Hall on Harrington Street. The building was previously a ‘Baptist Chapel’ built in 1841.

The Brethren arrived in Australia in the 1860s as a result of the efforts of the immigrant English evangelists of the 1859 revival. These included Frank Brewster, John Baird, William Brown, Charles Perrin and many others. The evangelists preached to large congregations and won converts who established local assemblies and built gospel halls.

The Hobart Brethren rented the old Baptist chapel from May 1898. For the next 9 years meetings at the Harrington Street Gospel Hall were regularly advertised in the Mercury. Visiting preachers and overseas missionaries regularly addressed meetings.

In 1906 the Harrington Street building was sold by the Baptist Union which caused the Brethren to find new premises. In April 1906 the Mercury reported:

“For some time past services of an evangelical character have been held by a body of Christ was known as the "Brethren" in a ' Gospel-hall at the corner of Bathurst and Harrington streets. This has recently been sold, and the "Brethren" had to find some other building. The old Mariners' Church, although in a sad state of disrepair, seemed admirably suited for the purpose, so the trustees were approached; the building was leased, about £30 was spent in renovating the interior, and a public subscription was got up for erecting a fence round the building, and for other necessary repairs….The building was re-opened last (Sunday) evening, when the first of what promises to be a regular series of services for mariners and others was held….”.

After the Harrington Street building was sold it housed Cuthbertson’s Boot Factory. The building was demolished at a later date and the site is now a parking lot.

The Harrington Street Particular Baptist church, used as a Gospel Hall between 1898 and 1906. (The Tasmanian Baptist)


A notice of a meeting published in the Mercury (1898)


Sources:

The Mercury, Saturday 21 May 1898, page 4
The Mercury, Wednesday 23 November 1898, page 2
The Mercury, Wednesday 6 December 1899, page 2
The Mercury, Tuesday 2 October 1900, page 2
The Mercury, Saturday 12 September 1903, page 3
The Mercury, Saturday 30 December 1905, page 9
Mercury, Monday 2 April 1906, page 5

Historical Notes on the Brethren Assemblies in Australia, Ian McDowell, Emmaus Journal (Summer 1995)










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