No. 1522 - Dulverton - Wesleyan-Methodist Church (1889)
Dulverton is a former mining settlement situated about 4 kilometres north of Railton. It was also the location of a railway siding on the North-Western Line. At the height of the coal-mining boom, Dulverton’s population reached almost 300. For a period of about 15 years a church served the community.
The church was established by the Wesleyan-Methodist but was also used by the Baptist for a time. The church also served as a hall and as a school until a State school was built in 1891. The church was officially opened on Sunday 5 May 1889. Reports of the opening were published in the Launceston Examiner and the Tasmanian:
“A building to be set apart for a day school, Sunday-school, and place of worship was opened at the Dulverton coal mines by two services on Sunday, the 5th inst., and a tea-meeting on Wednesday, the 8th inst. The services were conducted by the Rev. J. Polkinghorne (Wesleyan) in the morning, and the Rev. Pastor Hyde (Baptist) in the afternoon. The building is 24ft by 14ft, and up to the present is out of debt, with a balance of 6s 6d in favour of building fund. It is but a shell yet, needing lining, ceiling, ridge boards, and fire-place”.
“Gifts of books have been received, from Mr. Richard Gee, a Bible from Mr. Thomas Bateman, lamps from Mr. M. D. Heatley, and bricks from Messrs. Purdy and Mann. The Rev. J. Polkinghorne commenced holding services here about seven months ago, and a spirit of devotion and self-help has been manifested all through which augurs well for this, little syndicate of co-operative coal miners. The services on Sunday were well attended, and £2 16s 9d was added to the building fund. The tea-meeting, too, was well attended on Wednesday, and the spread was a, rich and bountiful one; one, indeed, which reflected credit on the skill and hearty liberality of the colliers', wives….”.
“At the close of the meeting the usual votes of thanks were given, and an announcement made that divine services would be conducted on Sunday mornings, commending at 11 o'clock, till further arrangements can be made for supplies. It was also announced that Miss Blackett would open a day school next Monday….”.
In August 1889 a further reference to the church appears in a report published in the Launceston Examiner:
“I may mention one or two things that have been done here since the Dulverton mine has been opened up and proved such a success. A commodious station building has been created at the siding, and a platform constructed over 100ft long. A post office has been established by the Government. A new road has been cleared and opened about half a mile long to connect the district with the railway siding, A township reserve has been granted, and will shortly be surveyed. The present school building has been erected, Church services established, a Sunday school with about 25 children, a night school, free at present, for the young men in the locality…Our next improvement in the building line is to be a boarding-house and store, and we shall then only require a butcher's shop to make us happy”.
In 1890 the church is mentioned in an article ‘A Visit to Dulverton Coal Mine’, published in the Examiner:
“Altogether about 10 men are employed on the mine, including the proprietors. Most of the miners are married men, and a little village is springing up round the mine. At present there are seven houses and one general store. The houses, which are of weatherboard, have been built by the miners themselves after knocking off work at the tunnel, and they have also built a schoolroom, which is used on Sundays as a church. Services are conducted by the Baptist and Wesleyan denominations, Pastor Hyde and the Rev. Polkinghorne officiating. The school has 41 scholars on the roll, who are taught by a Government teacher, Mr G. P. Brydon, who courteously showed me specimens of the children's work, and which was of an unusually good description for such a school…..”.
In 1891 a visitor to Dulverton described his journey to the settlement, which had recently been ravaged by bushfires. The report also describes a celebration held at the church, which was most likely a Sunday school anniversary and as well as an occasion to farewell Reverend Polkinghorne, the the church’s founder:
“On Monday afternoon (writes our Latrobe correspondent), in company with the Rev J. Polkinghorne, I left Latrobe, and passing Sherwood on the road to Railton, we soon after turned off, and, taking an unmetalled sandy road to the right, we soon cantered across to the railway line, near what is known as Dawson’s shaft, where extensive coal mining operations are in progress, including the erection of a number of cottages, and what a year or two since was a deserted old mining shaft is now surrounded by bustle and activity".
"The road from here on to Dulverton runs through a forest of small eucalyptus trees, …in crossing a large creek, when about half way, we noticed that the substantial bridge, erected over it a good many years since, has been burned by the bush fires as to be quite unsafe until very considerable repairs are effected…. ".
"Since my last visit Dulverton, has grown exceedingly, and quite a number of buildings are either just finished or nearly so, and the population must have increased greatly of late. I noticed, also, several telephone wires which connect the township, the mines, and Devonport,…. The fires had burned some of the tramway, necessitating repairs, which had been at once carried out, and the line is once more in working order, it fact proved by us seeing a number of coal-laden trucks moving towards the Dulverton Railway station."
"At Dulverton an unwonted excitement prevailed, and quite a crowd were gathered, the occasion being the celebration of the first anniversary in connection with the Wesleyan Church, which was the first, religious body to establish itself in the little community of miners. We found that games of all kinds, including drop the handkerchief, cricket, rounders, &c, were being -played with great spirit and the tea was nicely laid out in the little building erected by local effort about a year since, for the purpose of using as church, school, and hall, and which, was prettily and tastefully decorated. The tea, which was well patronised by a great many visitors as well as many locals, was of a first-class character, and was presided over by “the sisters and the cousins and the aunts" of the local residents in a homely and pleasant manner. After tea, the games went an until 6 o'clock, when, the building having been cleared, an entertainment was given. Mr Viney acted as chairman, and the building was crowded to the doors. The Rev J. Polkinghorne made his farewell address, after a year or more of labor among them…”.
The subsequent history of the church is not well recorded. The last reference I have found dates to 1901 which describes a Sunday school anniversary:
“The anniversary of the Dulverton Wesleyan S.S. took place yesterday [Sunday 5 May 1901]. Rev. E. Tonkin [Sheffield] preached in the afternoon to a good congregation….and preached a forcible sermon, which was listened to attentively…. Mrs Blenkhorn presided at the organ and the singing was good. Three of Mr Lawler’s children sang a very nice hymn….”.
The settlement at Dulverton continued for many years although the population dwindled with the the decline of mining. When the cement works at Railton developed in the 1920s some Dulverton residents took up employment and moved their houses into Railton. Nothing of the settlement remains.
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| Tasmanian - May 1889 |
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| Plans were man to develop a formal township at Dulverton but these did not proceed. Source: Libraries Tasmania - Map - D/36 - town of Dulverton, county of Devon, part of Foster's Mersey Estate for sale by auction by WT Bell and Co, Law, Morrison and Foster Sts, Mersey and Deloraine railway. Item Number AF721/1/228 |
Sources and further information:
Tasmanian, Saturday 11 May 1889, page 28
Launceston Examiner, Monday 19 August 1889, page 3
Launceston Examiner, Wednesday 12 March 1890, page 3
North West Post, Thursday 26 March 1891, page 2
Examiner, Tuesday 7 May 1901, page 3
For further information about mining at Dulverton the following articles by Alan Dyer, originally published in the Kentish Voice are well worth a read:
https://www.alandyerbooks.com/61-dulverton-railton-newbed-part-1-pre-1900/
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