No. 1524 - Hobart - Bathurst Street Presbyterian Church (1824-1836)
Exactly 200 years ago, Hobart’s first Presbyterian church opened. The church still exists and stands behind the Scots Memorial Uniting Church on Bathurst Street which opened in 1836. The building, which is now called St Andrew’s Hall, has changed little in appearance over two centuries. It is Tasmania’s oldest original church.
The question as to which is Tasmania’s oldest church is a debate which resurfaces from time to time with St Matthew’s at New Norfolk being regarded as the oldest church still in use. In 1938 the issue was comprehensively addressed by historian Basil Rait in an article published in the Launceston Examiner:
“The question has been raised in Hobart regarding the oldest ecclesiastical building in Tasmania as to whether the distinction can be claimed for St. John's Church of England. Launceston.
The matter was referred… to Mr. B. W. Rait, secretary of the Tasmanian Society and a well known Tasmanian historian. Mr. Rait stated that the first church established in Tasmania was in St. David's Cemetery now St. David's Park, at Hobart. It was built in 1810 but was never completed. It was blown down during a storm in 1812. The first permanent church was old St. David's, the forerunner of the present St. David's Cathedral. Begun in 1817 and completed about 1822 it was in use until demolished in 1874.
St. John's Church, Launceston, was begun in December, 1824, and opened in December, 1825, but was not then completed. It was consecrated in March, 1828. St. Matthew's Church of England, New Norfolk appeared to have been established at the same time. On the foundation of the chancel there is an inscription: "Erected in 1825 chancel added in 1884." A school was begun at New Norfolk in 1823, and completed in 1824. Whether this formed a part of the present nave was uncertain, though it appeared that a portion of the church must have been built for a school. The first minister at New Norfolk was the Rev. Hugh Robinson, who commenced duty at the township on August 12, 1825, when plans for a pulpit and church furniture were submitted. The building was not used as a church till after the arrival of Mr. Robinson. It was consecrated on April 30, 1828.
"There can be little doubt," said Mr. Rait, "that the oldest ecclesiastical edifice in Tasmania is that which is now the Sunday school of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Bathurst-street, Hobart. This building was the first church of the denomination to be erected in Australia in connection with a Presbyterian district presided over by an ordained minister*. The first minister of the church in Australia was the Rev. Archibald Macarthur, who arrived at Hobart in December, 1822. On March 21, 1824, the Governor of the day placed in position the foundation stone of the church. This was opened on September 12 of the same year, end was in use until the erection of the present building. It then became the Sunday school, and has been in use ever since, "If the age of the church is to be based on the date of the laying of the foundation stone, the claims of the Methodist Church must be considered, for the first Melville-street Church at Hobart was begun in 1822 and completed in 1926. This is still in existence adjoining the present building erected at the time of Sir John Franklin."
Turning to the historical record, details of the Bathurst Street church’s establishment make interesting reading.
In 1821 a meeting of residents of Scottish birth, petitioned the Scottish United Associate Presbytery in Edinburgh (a breakaway group of the Church of Scotland) to supply a minister for a congregation at Hobart Town. Reverend Archibald Macarthur arrived in Van Diemen’s Land in December 1822, and began his ministry by preaching in a room at the “government factory” at the corner of Macquarie and Murray Streets (later the site of the Treasury building).
On 3 February 1823 the Presbyterian Church in Van Diemen's Land was officially formed, a committee of management appointed, and arrangements made to provide the minister's salary and to raise funds for a church. The government donated land and promised contributions equal to private donations for a church to be constructed on Bathurst Street.
Construction of the church began in November 1823 although the ceremonial laying of the foundation stone was delayed until March 1824. It was a small freestone church built by convict labour in an ashlar style. It was situated at the rear of a block of land on Bathurst Street in anticipation of a larger church being built on the street front at future date. The building was designed by William Wilson, Van Diemen's Land's Superintendent of Stonemasons and Government Architect. He is best known as the stonemason responsible for the construction of the bridge over the Coal River at Richmond.
The official opening of the church took place on Sunday 12 September 1824 with the occasion being recorded in the Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen’s Land Advertiser:
“It affords us much pleasure to announce that the first Presbyterian Church erected in these Colonies was opened in the Capital of Van Diemen’s Land on last Lord's Day, at 11 o'clock, with an eloquent, impressive, and appropriate discourse by the Rev. A. Mc’Arthur, when His Honor Lieutenant Governor Arthur honoured the congregation with his presence.—The Church, although small, is elegant and commodious. The Rev. Gentleman, who has performed Divine Service during the last twenty months, in a room temporarily fitted up by Government, preached three times on this occasion; when liberal and handsome collections towards defraying the expense of the building were received,—but as several Gentlemen, have since expressed their regret at not having had it in their power to contribute on that day towards so laudable an undertaking, and as the debt incurred is still considerable, we are requested to state, that such persons will have an opportunity of doing so on Sabbath first at eleven in the forenoon two in the afternoon, or six in the evening”.
The church was in use for 12 years before it was replaced by the present Uniting Church which opened on 26 June 1926.
* Basil Rait noted that the Hobart Presbyterian Church “to be erected in Australia in connection with a Presbyterian district presided over by an ordained minister”. While this is true, the first Presbyterian church was in fact built at Portland Head on the Hawkesbury River in 1809. This church, which is still in use, only acquired an ordained minister in 1823.
Sources:
Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen's Land Advertiser, Saturday 11 January 1823, page 2
Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen's Land Advertiser, Saturday 15 February 1823, page 2
Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen's Land Advertiser, Saturday 16 August 1823, page 1
Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen's Land Advertiser, Saturday 29 November, page 1
Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen's Land Advertiser, Friday 3 September 1824, page 1
Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen's Land Advertiser, Friday 17 September 1824, page 2
Windsor and Richmond Gazette, Friday 26 January 1923, page 5
Examiner, Saturday 30 April 1938, page 6
https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/macarthur-archibald-2386
https://crosslight.org.au/2024/08/22/salute-to-past-and-present/
https://www.scotschurch.com.au/the-scots-kirk/
Interpretation signage at the Scots Memorial Church
The question as to which is Tasmania’s oldest church is a debate which resurfaces from time to time with St Matthew’s at New Norfolk being regarded as the oldest church still in use. In 1938 the issue was comprehensively addressed by historian Basil Rait in an article published in the Launceston Examiner:
“The question has been raised in Hobart regarding the oldest ecclesiastical building in Tasmania as to whether the distinction can be claimed for St. John's Church of England. Launceston.
The matter was referred… to Mr. B. W. Rait, secretary of the Tasmanian Society and a well known Tasmanian historian. Mr. Rait stated that the first church established in Tasmania was in St. David's Cemetery now St. David's Park, at Hobart. It was built in 1810 but was never completed. It was blown down during a storm in 1812. The first permanent church was old St. David's, the forerunner of the present St. David's Cathedral. Begun in 1817 and completed about 1822 it was in use until demolished in 1874.
St. John's Church, Launceston, was begun in December, 1824, and opened in December, 1825, but was not then completed. It was consecrated in March, 1828. St. Matthew's Church of England, New Norfolk appeared to have been established at the same time. On the foundation of the chancel there is an inscription: "Erected in 1825 chancel added in 1884." A school was begun at New Norfolk in 1823, and completed in 1824. Whether this formed a part of the present nave was uncertain, though it appeared that a portion of the church must have been built for a school. The first minister at New Norfolk was the Rev. Hugh Robinson, who commenced duty at the township on August 12, 1825, when plans for a pulpit and church furniture were submitted. The building was not used as a church till after the arrival of Mr. Robinson. It was consecrated on April 30, 1828.
"There can be little doubt," said Mr. Rait, "that the oldest ecclesiastical edifice in Tasmania is that which is now the Sunday school of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Bathurst-street, Hobart. This building was the first church of the denomination to be erected in Australia in connection with a Presbyterian district presided over by an ordained minister*. The first minister of the church in Australia was the Rev. Archibald Macarthur, who arrived at Hobart in December, 1822. On March 21, 1824, the Governor of the day placed in position the foundation stone of the church. This was opened on September 12 of the same year, end was in use until the erection of the present building. It then became the Sunday school, and has been in use ever since, "If the age of the church is to be based on the date of the laying of the foundation stone, the claims of the Methodist Church must be considered, for the first Melville-street Church at Hobart was begun in 1822 and completed in 1926. This is still in existence adjoining the present building erected at the time of Sir John Franklin."
Turning to the historical record, details of the Bathurst Street church’s establishment make interesting reading.
In 1821 a meeting of residents of Scottish birth, petitioned the Scottish United Associate Presbytery in Edinburgh (a breakaway group of the Church of Scotland) to supply a minister for a congregation at Hobart Town. Reverend Archibald Macarthur arrived in Van Diemen’s Land in December 1822, and began his ministry by preaching in a room at the “government factory” at the corner of Macquarie and Murray Streets (later the site of the Treasury building).
On 3 February 1823 the Presbyterian Church in Van Diemen's Land was officially formed, a committee of management appointed, and arrangements made to provide the minister's salary and to raise funds for a church. The government donated land and promised contributions equal to private donations for a church to be constructed on Bathurst Street.
Construction of the church began in November 1823 although the ceremonial laying of the foundation stone was delayed until March 1824. It was a small freestone church built by convict labour in an ashlar style. It was situated at the rear of a block of land on Bathurst Street in anticipation of a larger church being built on the street front at future date. The building was designed by William Wilson, Van Diemen's Land's Superintendent of Stonemasons and Government Architect. He is best known as the stonemason responsible for the construction of the bridge over the Coal River at Richmond.
The official opening of the church took place on Sunday 12 September 1824 with the occasion being recorded in the Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen’s Land Advertiser:
“It affords us much pleasure to announce that the first Presbyterian Church erected in these Colonies was opened in the Capital of Van Diemen’s Land on last Lord's Day, at 11 o'clock, with an eloquent, impressive, and appropriate discourse by the Rev. A. Mc’Arthur, when His Honor Lieutenant Governor Arthur honoured the congregation with his presence.—The Church, although small, is elegant and commodious. The Rev. Gentleman, who has performed Divine Service during the last twenty months, in a room temporarily fitted up by Government, preached three times on this occasion; when liberal and handsome collections towards defraying the expense of the building were received,—but as several Gentlemen, have since expressed their regret at not having had it in their power to contribute on that day towards so laudable an undertaking, and as the debt incurred is still considerable, we are requested to state, that such persons will have an opportunity of doing so on Sabbath first at eleven in the forenoon two in the afternoon, or six in the evening”.
The church was in use for 12 years before it was replaced by the present Uniting Church which opened on 26 June 1926.
* Basil Rait noted that the Hobart Presbyterian Church “to be erected in Australia in connection with a Presbyterian district presided over by an ordained minister”. While this is true, the first Presbyterian church was in fact built at Portland Head on the Hawkesbury River in 1809. This church, which is still in use, only acquired an ordained minister in 1823.
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| Hobart's first Presbyterian Church (1977) Photograph: Margaret Bryant - Libraries Tasmania, Item number NS3373-1-274 |
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| The old church was for many years used as a Sunday school. (1966) Photograph: Sir Ralph Whishaw, Libraries Tasmania, Item number NS 165-1-238 |
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| Undated Beattie photograph of St Andrew's Hall. Libraries Tasmania, Item number PH30-1-2980 |
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| Memorial plaque - Cross Light Magazine (Uniting Church) |
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| Hobart Town Gazette, Saturday 15 February 1823 |
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| Hobart-Town-Gazette 11 January 1823 |
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| Hobart-Town-Gazette 16 August 1823 |
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| Hobart Town Gazette, Saturday 29 November |
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| Hobart-Town-Gazette 3 September 1824 |
Sources:
Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen's Land Advertiser, Saturday 11 January 1823, page 2
Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen's Land Advertiser, Saturday 15 February 1823, page 2
Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen's Land Advertiser, Saturday 16 August 1823, page 1
Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen's Land Advertiser, Saturday 29 November, page 1
Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen's Land Advertiser, Friday 3 September 1824, page 1
Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen's Land Advertiser, Friday 17 September 1824, page 2
Windsor and Richmond Gazette, Friday 26 January 1923, page 5
Examiner, Saturday 30 April 1938, page 6
https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/macarthur-archibald-2386
https://crosslight.org.au/2024/08/22/salute-to-past-and-present/
https://www.scotschurch.com.au/the-scots-kirk/
Interpretation signage at the Scots Memorial Church
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