No. 1538 - North Hobart - St Margaret's Sunday School Hall and Kindergarten (1928)
This article is one of a series about buildings associated with Tasmania’s historical churches. These buildings include Sunday schools, parish halls, convents, schools and residences of the clergy. Ancillary buildings are often overlooked and rarely feature in published histories. My aim is to create a simple record of these buildings, including those which no longer exist.
The Margaret’s Mission on Federal Street began as a mission room established in 1871 in adjoining Ware street. In 1896 this was replaced by the ‘Holy Trinity Mission Room’, which was renamed St Margaret’s Mission Hall after it was dedicated by Bishop Hay in 1926.
In 1928 a Sunday school was built behind the Mission Hall which was largely funded by a donation of £500 by Mrs J.M.E. Gadsby. The Mercury reported the ceremonial laying of the school’s foundation stone which took place on Saturday 29 September 1928:
“The foundation stone of the new St. Margaret's Sunday school in Federal Street, Hobart, was laid on Saturday afternoon by Mrs. J. M. E. Gadsby, after a short but impressive little ceremony. The building is to consist of two rooms, one 30ft. by 30ft., and the other 14ft. square, and will cost when completed £1,000. Of this sum £780 is in hand, due mainly to the gift of £500 towards the work by Mrs. Gadsby.
A large number of parishioners attended the ceremony. The Bishop of Tasmania (Dr. Snowdon Hay) conducted a short service, and blessed the stone, and several hymns were sung. The Bishop congratulated the people of Holy Trinity parish on the good work they were doing, particularly mentioning Mrs. Gadsby, who, he was pleased to see, was doing good things during her life, and not waiting, as many people did, for the good things to be done for them after they were dead. He explained the value of the education work which was being done by the church in Tasmania, but deplored the loss which the State suffered when her young men left for other “pastures" after receiving all their education here.
Archdeacon Richard expressed warm appreciation of the work which was being done in the parish by Canon Blackwood and the Rev. C. G. Williams. Canon D. B. Blackwood pointed out that the work of the Sunday schools had always been given careful consideration in Holy Trinity parish, no matter what rector was in charge, and he hoped that that would always be the case.
Mrs. Gadsby was presented with a small silver trowel, suitably engraved and with this she tapped the block of stone, declaring it laid. The Rev. C. G. Williams addressed the gathering, and was presented with a stole by Mrs. Gadsby….”.
The Sunday school building was officially opened by Bishop Hay on Thursday 20 December 1928. The building was designed by architects Glaskin and Ricards.
The Margaret’s Mission on Federal Street began as a mission room established in 1871 in adjoining Ware street. In 1896 this was replaced by the ‘Holy Trinity Mission Room’, which was renamed St Margaret’s Mission Hall after it was dedicated by Bishop Hay in 1926.
In 1928 a Sunday school was built behind the Mission Hall which was largely funded by a donation of £500 by Mrs J.M.E. Gadsby. The Mercury reported the ceremonial laying of the school’s foundation stone which took place on Saturday 29 September 1928:
“The foundation stone of the new St. Margaret's Sunday school in Federal Street, Hobart, was laid on Saturday afternoon by Mrs. J. M. E. Gadsby, after a short but impressive little ceremony. The building is to consist of two rooms, one 30ft. by 30ft., and the other 14ft. square, and will cost when completed £1,000. Of this sum £780 is in hand, due mainly to the gift of £500 towards the work by Mrs. Gadsby.
A large number of parishioners attended the ceremony. The Bishop of Tasmania (Dr. Snowdon Hay) conducted a short service, and blessed the stone, and several hymns were sung. The Bishop congratulated the people of Holy Trinity parish on the good work they were doing, particularly mentioning Mrs. Gadsby, who, he was pleased to see, was doing good things during her life, and not waiting, as many people did, for the good things to be done for them after they were dead. He explained the value of the education work which was being done by the church in Tasmania, but deplored the loss which the State suffered when her young men left for other “pastures" after receiving all their education here.
Archdeacon Richard expressed warm appreciation of the work which was being done in the parish by Canon Blackwood and the Rev. C. G. Williams. Canon D. B. Blackwood pointed out that the work of the Sunday schools had always been given careful consideration in Holy Trinity parish, no matter what rector was in charge, and he hoped that that would always be the case.
Mrs. Gadsby was presented with a small silver trowel, suitably engraved and with this she tapped the block of stone, declaring it laid. The Rev. C. G. Williams addressed the gathering, and was presented with a stole by Mrs. Gadsby….”.
The Sunday school building was officially opened by Bishop Hay on Thursday 20 December 1928. The building was designed by architects Glaskin and Ricards.
In 1996 the church and Sunday school was earmarked for closure. This however was resisted and the church continued to function until it was eventually closed in 2007. Both buildings were sold in the following year.
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| St Margaret's Sunday School (2009) source: realestate.com |
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| St Margaret's Mission on Federal Street. (photo: Duncan Grant) |
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| The Sunday school on Feltham Street. (Photo: Duncan Grant) |
Sources:
Mercury, Monday 13 January 1896, page 4
Mercury, Tuesday 17 March 1896
Mercury, Monday 29 November 1926, page 3
Mercury, Monday 1 October 1928, page 3
Mercury, Monday 24 December 1928, page 3
Henslowe, Dorothea I & Hurburgh, Isa Our heritage of Anglican churches in Tasmania. Mercury-Walch, Moonah, Tas, 1978.
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