No. 1514 - Franklin - Uniting [Methodist] Church (1859)
Franklin is a small town on the Huon Highway approximately 45 kilometres south of Hobart. Settled in 1804, it was the first settlement in the Huon area. It was named a Governor of Tasmania Sir John Franklin and his wife Lady Jane Franklin. Until the 1930s Franklin was the major town in the Huon Valley with its own court house, several hotels a Town Hall and four churches. Franklin’s former [Methodist] Uniting Church closed in 1990 and the building is currently used for tourist accomodation.
The Wesleyan Methodist presence at Franklin dates back to 1843 although a church was only built in 1859. There is no record of the church’s official opening, however a report in the Hobart Town Daily Mercury in September 1859 indicates that the church had been completed but not yet furnished:
“A very interesting tea meeting was held in the above elegant and commodious building on Monday last, when about 200 persons were present. The ample and sumptuous repast was gratuitously provided by several respectable inhabitants of the district,…After tea W. Hebblewhite Esq. was called to the chair. A financial statement was then read by Mr. Merry, shewing that the expenditure, already amounted to £534 14s, and the income from subscriptions received from various sources £349 11s. 6d, thus leaving a debt of £185 2s 6d.
The Rev. John Cope said they were met for the purpose of raising funds to enable them to erect pews and pulpit; but they were not justified in incurring any further expense unless the sum of £150 could be secured. He then kindly engaged to procure one half if they would raise the other; a subscription list was then opened and the sum of about £50 including proceeds of tea was guaranteed. The remainder will doubtless be raised in a few days….”.
It may be assumed that the remainder of the necessary funds would have been raised and that the building would have been used before the close of 1859 or by early 1860. A Sunday school was established in 1857, two years before the church was built. A weatherboard Sunday school hall was constructed behind the church in about 1900.
The church is heritage listed and is characterised as a ‘stuccoed Victorian Romanesque ecclesiastical building”.
The Wesleyan Methodist presence at Franklin dates back to 1843 although a church was only built in 1859. There is no record of the church’s official opening, however a report in the Hobart Town Daily Mercury in September 1859 indicates that the church had been completed but not yet furnished:
“A very interesting tea meeting was held in the above elegant and commodious building on Monday last, when about 200 persons were present. The ample and sumptuous repast was gratuitously provided by several respectable inhabitants of the district,…After tea W. Hebblewhite Esq. was called to the chair. A financial statement was then read by Mr. Merry, shewing that the expenditure, already amounted to £534 14s, and the income from subscriptions received from various sources £349 11s. 6d, thus leaving a debt of £185 2s 6d.
The Rev. John Cope said they were met for the purpose of raising funds to enable them to erect pews and pulpit; but they were not justified in incurring any further expense unless the sum of £150 could be secured. He then kindly engaged to procure one half if they would raise the other; a subscription list was then opened and the sum of about £50 including proceeds of tea was guaranteed. The remainder will doubtless be raised in a few days….”.
It may be assumed that the remainder of the necessary funds would have been raised and that the building would have been used before the close of 1859 or by early 1860. A Sunday school was established in 1857, two years before the church was built. A weatherboard Sunday school hall was constructed behind the church in about 1900.
The church is heritage listed and is characterised as a ‘stuccoed Victorian Romanesque ecclesiastical building”.
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| The former Franklin Uniting Church. Photo: realestate.com |
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| The church and rectory. Photograph: churchhistories.net.au |
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| The Sunday school hall located at the rear of the church. Photograph: Huon Valley Council |
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| An aerial view of Franklin with the church and hall in the foreground. Photograph courtesy of Harcourts Real Estate. |
Sources:
Hobart Town Daily Mercury, Monday 26 September 1859, page 2
The Mercury, Wednesday 11 August 1937, page 5
The Mercury, Wednesday 24 November 1943, page 4
Stansall, M. E. J and Methodist Church of Australasia Tasmanian Methodism, 1820-1975 : compiled at the time of last Meeting of Methodism prior to union. Methodist Church of Australasia, Launceston, Tas, 1975.
https://www.churchhistories.net.au/church-catalog/franklin-tas-uniting-former
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