No. 1563 - Carlton River - Congregational Church (1841) 'An Opening and a Murder'
Carlton River is situated approximately 50 kilometres east of Hobart lies on the west side of the mouth of the Carlton River. The area was settled by the 1820s, with early settlers being McGuinness, Joseph, Quinton and Steele. An independent church, school, Watch House and Post Office were established by the 1840s. With the opening of Port Arthur and the establishment of probation stations, Carlton prospered. With the closure of Port Arthur in 1877 and the opening of the Sorell Causeway in 1874, Carlton went into a steady decline.
The Congregational church became active in the Pittwater district in the 1830s and a small community of worshippers met at Carlton in 1838. A burial ground was also established in the same year. In 1938, at the centenary celebration of the establishment of Congregationalism at Carlton, it was recalled that:
“Early in 1838, itinerant ministers, under the auspices of the Colonial Missionary Society, pioneered the work of the Congregational Church in the district, conducting prayer meetings in the homes of the early settlers. The Rev. Joseph Beazley appears to have been the first pastor to visit Carlton, which subsequently formed part of the extensive field covered by the Rev. Alexander Morrison, who devoted considerable attention to this district, and was chiefly instrumental in the erection of a church there, on land given by the late Mr. Hugh McGuinness and opened on January 10 1841, by the Revs. Frederick Miller and Beazley. Mr. McGuinness was a lay reader and superintendent of the Sunday school for many years…”.
Aside from a public notice published in the Hobart Courier which announced the opening of an “Independent Chapel” at “the Carlton”, there is little information available about the construction of the church or the opening ceremony. The church was a simple rubble sandstone and stone building with a rectangular ground plan. It had a shingled gabled roof, boxed eaves, and ashlar sandstone quoinwork and reveals. The doorway was set in a gabled wall, and there were three windows on each side of the building.
Religious services at the chapel were intermittent but were initially held once a fortnight on Sunday mornings until 1843. The chapel was supplied for a time by the Colonial Missionary Society. The chapel was evidently shut for a period of time as a report by the Colonial Missionary Society noted that it had reopened in 1859. In 1872 another public notice announced the chapel’s reopening.
It appears that the building was also used for non-religious purposes such as public meetings. For example in August 1919 the Mercury reported:
“A social in the nature of a, welcome home has been given at Carlton to Corporal C. McGinnis, A.I.F., who had served over three and a half years on active, service at the war. The gathering was held in the Carlton chapel, and there was a large attendance of residents from all parts of the district. The hall was decorated, and the ladies of the district provided a bountiful supply of delicacies for the occasion. The Warden of the municipality of Sorell (Mr. A. H. Reardon) presided, and in a complimentary speech, presented the returned soldier with a gold medal suitably inscribed on behalf of the residents. A suitable response was made. During the evening vocal and musical items were rendered by the State-school children and others….”.
By the 1920s religious services at Carlton River had all but ceased. In the book ‘Congregationalism in Tasmania’, Theo Sharples notes:
“Eventually, after difficulties occurred in supplying the chapel, the Presbyterian minister at Sorell conducted monthly services for some years. However, these were also discontinued and Carlton was supplied by various agents and ministers until about the 1930’s”.
However the church remained in use for at least another 20 years. In 1938, the centenary of Congregationalism at Carlton was celebrated in the chapel which was “renovated and decorated” for the occasion. Similarly, in 1941, the centenary of the opening of the church was celebrated. In 1950 a wedding took place in the church and in the 1950s the Church of Christ held services in “old Carlton Church”.
The chapel is now privately owned and has heritage protection due to its age and significant place in the early history of the Congregational Church in Tasmania.
The Carlton River cemetery, which is near the church, is also of historical importance. Of particular interest is the headstone of 13 year Thomas Gulley, who died on the 4 January 1841, and who was buried in the same week that the chapel opened.
‘Tommy Gulley’ was in fact murdered by Henry Loane having been struck on the head with “the handstaff of a threshing flail”. On Christmas day in 1840, Gulley and two other boys, 12 year old John Quintin and Frank Vallady intervened in an incident where a drunk Henry Loane was abusing his wife. Gulley was rendered unconscious by a blow to the head and died over a week later. Loane was indicted for manslaughter and sentenced to six months imprisonment. Tommy Gulley was the nephew of Hugh McGuinness, who had donated the land for the church. The pathos of a scene where McGuinness buried his nephew days before the church was opened is still tangible. The records of the inquest into Gulley’s death and the trial of Henry Loane make interesting reading and can be found <HERE> and <HERE>.
The Courier, Tuesday 5 January 1841, page 3
Hobart Town Advertiser, Tuesday 5 January 1841, page 3
The Courier, Tuesday 12 January 1841, page 2
Hobart Town Advertiser, Tuesday 2 February 1841, page 4
Colonial Times, Tuesday 2 February 1841, page 2
The Courier, Tuesday 22 March 1859, page 2
The Mercury, Saturday 2 March 1872, page 1
The Mercury, Saturday 16 March 1872, page 3
The Mercury, Monday 25 August 1919, page 6
The Mercury, Monday 13 January 1941, page 4
The Mercury, Tuesday 8 March 1950, page 14
The Mercury, Saturday 24 March 1951, page 19
The Congregational church became active in the Pittwater district in the 1830s and a small community of worshippers met at Carlton in 1838. A burial ground was also established in the same year. In 1938, at the centenary celebration of the establishment of Congregationalism at Carlton, it was recalled that:
“Early in 1838, itinerant ministers, under the auspices of the Colonial Missionary Society, pioneered the work of the Congregational Church in the district, conducting prayer meetings in the homes of the early settlers. The Rev. Joseph Beazley appears to have been the first pastor to visit Carlton, which subsequently formed part of the extensive field covered by the Rev. Alexander Morrison, who devoted considerable attention to this district, and was chiefly instrumental in the erection of a church there, on land given by the late Mr. Hugh McGuinness and opened on January 10 1841, by the Revs. Frederick Miller and Beazley. Mr. McGuinness was a lay reader and superintendent of the Sunday school for many years…”.
Aside from a public notice published in the Hobart Courier which announced the opening of an “Independent Chapel” at “the Carlton”, there is little information available about the construction of the church or the opening ceremony. The church was a simple rubble sandstone and stone building with a rectangular ground plan. It had a shingled gabled roof, boxed eaves, and ashlar sandstone quoinwork and reveals. The doorway was set in a gabled wall, and there were three windows on each side of the building.
Religious services at the chapel were intermittent but were initially held once a fortnight on Sunday mornings until 1843. The chapel was supplied for a time by the Colonial Missionary Society. The chapel was evidently shut for a period of time as a report by the Colonial Missionary Society noted that it had reopened in 1859. In 1872 another public notice announced the chapel’s reopening.
It appears that the building was also used for non-religious purposes such as public meetings. For example in August 1919 the Mercury reported:
“A social in the nature of a, welcome home has been given at Carlton to Corporal C. McGinnis, A.I.F., who had served over three and a half years on active, service at the war. The gathering was held in the Carlton chapel, and there was a large attendance of residents from all parts of the district. The hall was decorated, and the ladies of the district provided a bountiful supply of delicacies for the occasion. The Warden of the municipality of Sorell (Mr. A. H. Reardon) presided, and in a complimentary speech, presented the returned soldier with a gold medal suitably inscribed on behalf of the residents. A suitable response was made. During the evening vocal and musical items were rendered by the State-school children and others….”.
By the 1920s religious services at Carlton River had all but ceased. In the book ‘Congregationalism in Tasmania’, Theo Sharples notes:
“Eventually, after difficulties occurred in supplying the chapel, the Presbyterian minister at Sorell conducted monthly services for some years. However, these were also discontinued and Carlton was supplied by various agents and ministers until about the 1930’s”.
However the church remained in use for at least another 20 years. In 1938, the centenary of Congregationalism at Carlton was celebrated in the chapel which was “renovated and decorated” for the occasion. Similarly, in 1941, the centenary of the opening of the church was celebrated. In 1950 a wedding took place in the church and in the 1950s the Church of Christ held services in “old Carlton Church”.
The chapel is now privately owned and has heritage protection due to its age and significant place in the early history of the Congregational Church in Tasmania.
The Carlton River cemetery, which is near the church, is also of historical importance. Of particular interest is the headstone of 13 year Thomas Gulley, who died on the 4 January 1841, and who was buried in the same week that the chapel opened.
‘Tommy Gulley’ was in fact murdered by Henry Loane having been struck on the head with “the handstaff of a threshing flail”. On Christmas day in 1840, Gulley and two other boys, 12 year old John Quintin and Frank Vallady intervened in an incident where a drunk Henry Loane was abusing his wife. Gulley was rendered unconscious by a blow to the head and died over a week later. Loane was indicted for manslaughter and sentenced to six months imprisonment. Tommy Gulley was the nephew of Hugh McGuinness, who had donated the land for the church. The pathos of a scene where McGuinness buried his nephew days before the church was opened is still tangible. The records of the inquest into Gulley’s death and the trial of Henry Loane make interesting reading and can be found <HERE> and <HERE>.
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| The Carlton River church before its recent restoration. Photographer: Colin Chick |
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| Photograph: Sue McC - Findagrave.com |
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| Photograph: Realestate.com |
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| Photo: Libraries Tasmania Item Number LPIC33/1/19 |
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Thomas Gulley's Headstone - photo:
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| The Cemetery - photograph: Australian Cemeteries Index |
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| Hobart Town Advertiser, Tuesday 5 January 1841 |
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| The Mercury, Saturday 2 March 1872 |
Sources:
The Mercury, Monday 17 January 1938, page 3The Courier, Tuesday 5 January 1841, page 3
Hobart Town Advertiser, Tuesday 5 January 1841, page 3
The Courier, Tuesday 12 January 1841, page 2
Hobart Town Advertiser, Tuesday 2 February 1841, page 4
Colonial Times, Tuesday 2 February 1841, page 2
The Courier, Tuesday 22 March 1859, page 2
The Mercury, Saturday 2 March 1872, page 1
The Mercury, Saturday 16 March 1872, page 3
The Mercury, Monday 25 August 1919, page 6
The Mercury, Monday 13 January 1941, page 4
The Mercury, Tuesday 8 March 1950, page 14
The Mercury, Saturday 24 March 1951, page 19
MacFie, Peter, A Short History of The Carlton, Pittwater Press, 2007.
Sharples, Theo E., Congregational Union of Tasmania. Congregationalism in Tasmania, 1830-1977 : a brief history / compiled by Theo E. Sharples Congregational Union of Tasmania Hobart 1977.
Sharples, Theo E., Congregational Union of Tasmania. Congregationalism in Tasmania, 1830-1977 : a brief history / compiled by Theo E. Sharples Congregational Union of Tasmania Hobart 1977.
https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2586945/carlton-river-congregational-cemetery
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