No. 1545 - Forcett - St Mary's Anglican Church (1897-1998)
Forcett is a small settlement on the Arthur Highway situated approximately 7 kilometres east of Sorell. The name originates from Forcett in Yorkshire, the birthplace of James Gordon, who was a District Magistrate and an early settler in the district.
The history of St Mary’s Anglican church is not well documented and there are few references to it in the historical record. The church was established in 1897 as a Mission Hall and was dedicated to St Mary at a yet to be determined date. While there are few reports of the church in the newspaper record, there is a substantial account of its official opening onTuesday 2 September 1897 which was published in the Hobart Mercury:
“An interesting function took place here on Thursday, 2nd, lost., in the shape of the opening of the Forcett Mission Church by the Ven. Archdeacon Whitington, the Administrator of the Diocese. In spite of the heavy rain of the previous day a large gathering assembled. The proceedings comprised an opening service at 3 p.m., followed by a tea meeting at 5 o'clock, and a lecturette at 7, by the Ven. Archdeacon, on “English Fun and Fancy." Owing to the untiring exertions of Mr. Albert Reardon and his fellow-members of the Church Committee, backed by the willing help of ladies and gentlemen too numerous to mention, everything passed off most satisfactorily. No detail in short was wanting in arrangements in lying much labour and forethought”.
“The church was tastefully decorated for the occasion, and the opening ceremony comprised the ordinary evening service with suitable prayers….After service a meeting was held, and the report of the committee was read by Mr. John Grierson, who took occasion to congratulate the Rev. M, Cockerill on the success of the movement for a place of worship initiated by him a year ago. The report itself eulogised Mr. George Quinn, the contractor for the building, for his conscientious work, and showed only the small sum of £3 still due upon the building. This was more than met by the day's takings, which amounted to £7. There remains, however, most of the usual church furniture to be provided, and the building itself has to be lined and fenced. It is proposed to postpone the latter two details for a time. The report was adopted, on the motion of the Archdeacon, who thanked Mr. Joseph Cooper for the gift of the land on which the church stood, as well as for his contribution of £5 towards the building”.
“The service was followed by a tea meeting, held in a large and comfortable booth, and over 100 persons sat down to a plentiful spread provided by an energetic committee of ladies resident in the district….Captain Taylor and his family gave a few musical selections during the evening. We are glad to acknowledge our indebtedness to this gentleman both for his interest and the financial help he has given us...”.
St Mary’s was still in use up until the 1990s but was closed and deconsecrated in 1998, a year after it celebrated its centenary
Sources:
Mercury, Tuesday 7 September 1897, page 3
Tasmanian State Archive, Anglican Parish of Sorell NG 432, Deconsecration of Churches NS 1957/1/1
Henslowe, Dorothea I and Hurburgh, Isa. Our heritage of Anglican churches in Tasmania / by Dorothea I. Henslowe ; sketches by Isa Hurburgh s.n [S.l. 1978
The history of St Mary’s Anglican church is not well documented and there are few references to it in the historical record. The church was established in 1897 as a Mission Hall and was dedicated to St Mary at a yet to be determined date. While there are few reports of the church in the newspaper record, there is a substantial account of its official opening onTuesday 2 September 1897 which was published in the Hobart Mercury:
“An interesting function took place here on Thursday, 2nd, lost., in the shape of the opening of the Forcett Mission Church by the Ven. Archdeacon Whitington, the Administrator of the Diocese. In spite of the heavy rain of the previous day a large gathering assembled. The proceedings comprised an opening service at 3 p.m., followed by a tea meeting at 5 o'clock, and a lecturette at 7, by the Ven. Archdeacon, on “English Fun and Fancy." Owing to the untiring exertions of Mr. Albert Reardon and his fellow-members of the Church Committee, backed by the willing help of ladies and gentlemen too numerous to mention, everything passed off most satisfactorily. No detail in short was wanting in arrangements in lying much labour and forethought”.
“The church was tastefully decorated for the occasion, and the opening ceremony comprised the ordinary evening service with suitable prayers….After service a meeting was held, and the report of the committee was read by Mr. John Grierson, who took occasion to congratulate the Rev. M, Cockerill on the success of the movement for a place of worship initiated by him a year ago. The report itself eulogised Mr. George Quinn, the contractor for the building, for his conscientious work, and showed only the small sum of £3 still due upon the building. This was more than met by the day's takings, which amounted to £7. There remains, however, most of the usual church furniture to be provided, and the building itself has to be lined and fenced. It is proposed to postpone the latter two details for a time. The report was adopted, on the motion of the Archdeacon, who thanked Mr. Joseph Cooper for the gift of the land on which the church stood, as well as for his contribution of £5 towards the building”.
“The service was followed by a tea meeting, held in a large and comfortable booth, and over 100 persons sat down to a plentiful spread provided by an energetic committee of ladies resident in the district….Captain Taylor and his family gave a few musical selections during the evening. We are glad to acknowledge our indebtedness to this gentleman both for his interest and the financial help he has given us...”.
St Mary’s was still in use up until the 1990s but was closed and deconsecrated in 1998, a year after it celebrated its centenary
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| St Mary's Anglican church - photograph: realestate.com |
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| St Mary's at Forcett - Google Street-view 2023 |
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| The church in 2024 - realestate.com |
Sources:
Mercury, Tuesday 7 September 1897, page 3
Tasmanian State Archive, Anglican Parish of Sorell NG 432, Deconsecration of Churches NS 1957/1/1
Henslowe, Dorothea I and Hurburgh, Isa. Our heritage of Anglican churches in Tasmania / by Dorothea I. Henslowe ; sketches by Isa Hurburgh s.n [S.l. 1978
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