No. 1517 - South Preston - Anglican Church (1915)
South Preston is a rural area in the North West Central Coast. It lies about 6 kilometres south of Preston Hamlet and approximately 30 kilometres south-west of Ulverstone. The area was previously known as Dooley's Plains, after James Dooley, a prospector, who cut Dooleys Track along the Wilmot River after a gold rush in the upper Forth Valley in the 1850s.
There is little available information about South Preston’s Anglican church. The church, which opened in 1915, was transported from Preston. The building had been erected at Preston in 1897 where it had served as both a church and school. There is no record of the church’s official reopening at South Preston but in November 1915 the Daily Telegraph reported that the Bishop of Tasmania had visited the settlement to conduct a ‘Confirmation service’. It is probable that the church had opened earlier in that year.
In May 1916 the North West Post reported a subsidised State school was to open in the “South Preston Church of England” with Miss Grace Gillam as head teacher. In August 1921 the Advocate reported:
“At the South Preston Church Hall an interesting ceremony recently took place. During the usual Sunday afternoon service the Rev. S. M. Mortyn dedicated a handsome prayer desk to the glory of God, for use in offering prayer and praise. The prayer desk was the gift of Mr. E. S. Wilson, who has done much for this country church. The designing and manufacturing were both carried out locally, Mr. T. H. Piper being artist as well as artisan. It has been made, in a modified Gothic style, of Tasmania oak, and harmonises with the simplicity of the church”.
Mr Edward Stanhope Wilson was a settler at South Preston establishing the farm “Sledagh”. In 1913 bushfires destroyed several farm buildings and Wilson suffered injuries to both of his eyes. In 1915 the Wilson’s suffered further tragedy when their son Lionel was killed during blasting operations on the Nietta railway works at South Preston. In November 1917 another son, Private Henry Wilson, was seriously wounded in action in France.
Services at the church continued until the mid 1920s. In June 1926 a report of the Anglican Diocesan Council recorded:
“It was agreed to sell church buildings at Gunn’s Plains and South Preston, using the proceeds in one case to build a new church hall in a more central position, and in the other case pay off the loan on the buildings due to the church sites and loans fund…”.
Further reports confirm that the building was sold and used as a store. The building was later destroyed in a fire. There is no photograph of the building available at South Preston or at its original location at Preston.
Sources:
North West Post, Tuesday 20 May 1913, page 3
Daily Telegraph, Thursday 25 March 1915, page 5
Daily Telegraph, Monday 15 November 1915, page 2
North West Post, Saturday 27 May 1916, page 5
Examiner, Thursday 1 March 1917, page 3
Advocate, Wednesday 31 August 1921, page 5
Advocate, Saturday 18 May 1922, page 2
Examiner, Wednesday 16 June 1926, page 4
Advocate, Friday 24 February 1950, page 4
There is little available information about South Preston’s Anglican church. The church, which opened in 1915, was transported from Preston. The building had been erected at Preston in 1897 where it had served as both a church and school. There is no record of the church’s official reopening at South Preston but in November 1915 the Daily Telegraph reported that the Bishop of Tasmania had visited the settlement to conduct a ‘Confirmation service’. It is probable that the church had opened earlier in that year.
In May 1916 the North West Post reported a subsidised State school was to open in the “South Preston Church of England” with Miss Grace Gillam as head teacher. In August 1921 the Advocate reported:
“At the South Preston Church Hall an interesting ceremony recently took place. During the usual Sunday afternoon service the Rev. S. M. Mortyn dedicated a handsome prayer desk to the glory of God, for use in offering prayer and praise. The prayer desk was the gift of Mr. E. S. Wilson, who has done much for this country church. The designing and manufacturing were both carried out locally, Mr. T. H. Piper being artist as well as artisan. It has been made, in a modified Gothic style, of Tasmania oak, and harmonises with the simplicity of the church”.
Mr Edward Stanhope Wilson was a settler at South Preston establishing the farm “Sledagh”. In 1913 bushfires destroyed several farm buildings and Wilson suffered injuries to both of his eyes. In 1915 the Wilson’s suffered further tragedy when their son Lionel was killed during blasting operations on the Nietta railway works at South Preston. In November 1917 another son, Private Henry Wilson, was seriously wounded in action in France.
Services at the church continued until the mid 1920s. In June 1926 a report of the Anglican Diocesan Council recorded:
“It was agreed to sell church buildings at Gunn’s Plains and South Preston, using the proceeds in one case to build a new church hall in a more central position, and in the other case pay off the loan on the buildings due to the church sites and loans fund…”.
Further reports confirm that the building was sold and used as a store. The building was later destroyed in a fire. There is no photograph of the building available at South Preston or at its original location at Preston.
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| Advocate, Wednesday 31 August 1921 |
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| Services continued to be held at South Preston until the mid 1920s. Advocate, Saturday 18 May 1922 |
Sources:
Daily Telegraph, Thursday 25 March 1915, page 5
Daily Telegraph, Monday 15 November 1915, page 2
North West Post, Saturday 27 May 1916, page 5
Examiner, Thursday 1 March 1917, page 3
Advocate, Wednesday 31 August 1921, page 5
Advocate, Saturday 18 May 1922, page 2
Examiner, Wednesday 16 June 1926, page 4
Advocate, Friday 24 February 1950, page 4
Henslowe, Dorothea I and Hurburgh, Isa Our heritage of Anglican Churches in Tasmania. Mercury-Walch, Moonah, Tas, 1978.
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