No. 1547 - Sorell - Anglican Church (1822-1827)

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Sorell is one of Tasmania's oldest towns with the Pittwater district being settled in 1808. Sorell was formally established as a township in 1821 and was thereafter named after William Sorell, who served as Lieutenant-Governor from 1816 to 1824.

In 1820 Anglican services at Pittwater were held in a barn. After a school was built in 1821, the schoolroom was used as a place of worship. Reverend Robert Knopwood conducted the first divine service at the Sorell school in February 1822.

The early history of the Anglican church at Sorell is recounted in an article by W.J. Rowlands which was published by the Hobart Mercury:

“The romantic history of the Church of England in Sorell began, for in 1820 the Rev. Robert Knopwood, M.A., the first chaplain of the colony, giving evidence at the inquiry conducted by the King's Commissioner, Thomas Bigges, said: In the first quarter of 1820, at the general muster at Pittwater (the original name of the Sorell district), divine service was held in a barn. A good many people attended, both free and convict, and I also christened several children".

"The erection of the first school at Sorell was completed in 1821, and that building was then used as a place of worship. The Rev. R. Knopwood conducted divine service there on February 2, 1822, during the general muster, when it was announced that monthly services would be held there by him. It is definitely known that the Bigges Commission recommended the building of a chapel and chaplain's residence at Pittwater, but when the report was submitted to the Secretary of State in 1823 it was found that the recommendation had been omitted".

"In consequence of the progress of the Pittwater settlement it was deemed advisable to secure a piece of land for a cemetery, and on March 7, 1823, the Rev. Samuel Marsden paid a visit for that purpose, under instructions from the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, and consecrated a suitable area. Previous to this all persons dying in the district were buried in St. David's Cemetery, Hobart Town".

"The Rev. R. Knopwood relinquished the chaplaincy of Hobart in favour of the Rev. W. Bedford, in April, 1823, after, 19 years' service to Church and State, but continued faithfully to serve the Church at Sorell, New Norfolk, and Clarence Plains (now Rokeby)….The agitation for a resident chaplain at Sorell began on June 9, 1824, when pressure was brought to bear upon Lieutenant-Governor Arthur, but it was not until June 10, 1825, that the Rev. Wm. Garrard and his wife took up their residence there, and Mr. Garrard assumed charge of the parish, which extended from Pittwater to Richmond, Jerusalem (now Colebrook), and the East Coast up to Bicheno".

The Sorell school functioned as a church until the construction of St George’s Anglican church was completed in 1827.

A photograph of the original 'school-church' which was published in the Tasmanian Mail in 1915 is reproduced below.


The first Anglican church at Sorell that was also used as a school. Photograph: J.C. Harrison - Tasmanian Mail,  July 1915

Sources:

Tasmanian Mail, 1 July 1915, page 24
Mercury, Saturday 8 August 1925, page 7
Mercury, Monday 19 May 1930, page 3

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