No. 1371 - Brittons Swamp - Anglican Church Hall (1943)

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This ‘blog entry’ is one of a series of short articles about places of worship that are barely represented in the historical record. Often no images of these buildings have survived. My hope is that these brief articles may result in further information and photographs coming to light enabling a more complete history of Tasmanian churches.

Brittons Swamp is a settlement on the Bass Highway approximately 20 kilometres west of Smithton. It had its beginnings as a saw-milling area established by the Britton family. Later the government used the area as a soldier settlement housing returned soldiers on small farms.

In August 1943 the Circular Head Chronicle reported that “a small hall was built at Britton’s Swamp for services”. This development followed the establishment of an Anglican Sunday school in 1941 which had an enrolment of 25 pupils. In 1951 the Chronicle reported that an organ was donated to the ‘Church of England’ at Britton’s Swamp and “had been installed”.

I have found no further information about the church hall or the date of its closure is not known. I have yet to locate a photograph of the building.

Brittons Swamp sawmill which was at the heart of the settlement. The photograph was taken in 1928 some 15 years before the church hall was built. Source: Circular Head Heritage Centre


Sources:

Advocate, Monday 4 August 1941, page 8
Circular Head Chronicle, Wednesday 4 August 1943, page 1
Circular Head Chronicle, Wednesday 25 April 1951, page 1


 

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