No. 1367 - Cradoc - St Peter's Anglican Church (1921)

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Cradoc was once an important orchard-growing district on the Channel Highway. It is situated about 10 kilometres south of Huonville and lies on the eastern bank of the Huon River.

The foundation stone for the St Peter’s Anglican church was ceremonially laid on Saturday 31 July 1920. The Huon Times published the following report of the event:

“On Saturday afternoon last the Vicar General of the Diocese, Archdeacon Whitington, laid the foundation stone of a new Anglican Church to serve the people on the Cradoc side of the river. It is proposed to erect the first part of the church at present, adding an apsidal chancel and vestry later….The Rector and Rural Dean, Rev. A. G. Cutts, made a brief statement of the history of the movement and explained that the land was the gift of Mr. W. H. Beechey. The Vicar General duly laid the stone and in addressing the company congratulated the residents, and as the chief official of the diocese, thanked the donor of the site….A collection was placed on the stone of-about £25….”.

The building was completed within a few months and was officially dedicated and opened on Sunday 9 January 1921. The Huon Times reported:

“The new church of S. Peter’s, Cradoc, was formally dedicated on Sunday afternoon by the Bishop of Tasmania. The church, which has been erected on land given by Mr. W. Beechey, has accomodation for about 50 people and is free from all debt. At the service on Sunday afternoon it was crowded, many being unable to obtain seats….The Bishop, in a brief address, congratulated the rector and the people of Cradoc, the donor of the land on which the church stood…and the donor's son who had been the architect and builder….”.

I have not found any report about the construction of St Peter’s chancel and vestry but it this was likely completed before the end of 1921. The church was closed and sold in the late 1980s and was later converted into a house. I have yet to locate a photograph of the church before its closure.

St Peter's at Cradoc - Google 'street view' 


Sources:

Huon Times, Tuesday 3 August 1920, page 3
Mercury, Wednesday 4 August 1920, page 4
Huon Times, Tuesday 11 January 1921, page 2
Mercury, Wednesday 12 January 1921, page 6

Henslowe, Dorothea I and Hurburgh, Isa. Our heritage of Anglican churches in Tasmania / by Dorothea I. Henslowe ; sketches by Isa Hurburgh s.n 1978.



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