No. 1630 - Queenstown - St Andrew's Presbyterian Church (1900)
Queenstown is the largest town in the West Coast region. At one time it was Tasmania's third largest town. In common with most West coast towns, Queenstown’s history has been shaped by the once dominant mining industry.
The origins of Queenstown’s Presbyterian church date to 1897 when Reverend Matthew Hart, minister of Chalmers Church, Launceston, proposed that a church be established at the rapidly growing town. On 1 March 1897 a meeting was held at McKay, Sampson and McKinlay’s department store which stood at the corner of Orr and Sticht Streets. Following the meeting Mr R.A. Barton was appointed as missionary to Queenstown. On 30 June 1898, Mr James Cairns, owner of Cairns Hall, granted the Presbyterian community free use of the building for a period of three months. On 3 July church services commenced and a Sunday school was established on the same day. In 1899 the construction of a church was seriously contemplated following a donation of of £50 by Mr Robert Sticht, the general manager of the Mount Lyell Company.
Following the the appointment of Mr L C M Donaldson as missionary in 1899, missions were established at nearby Conglomerate Creek and at Lynchford. In July 1899 the Tasmanian Presbyterian Assembly granted an amount of £300 to build a church at Queenstown.
The foundation stone for the church was laid 7 December 1899 with the ceremony reported by the Mount Lyell Standard and Strahan Gazette:
“The ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the new Presbyterian Church in Cutten Street was celebrated in due fashion yesterday afternoon in the presence of a couple of hundred spectators….The church organ was placed in a suitable position near the stone, and a large choir effectively performed the hymnal portion of the service. The proceedings opened with the rendering of a hymn, and then the Rev. Dr. James Scott, of Hobart, read a chapter from the Bible, and offered up prayer….The stone was declared to be well and truly laid by Mrs Sticht, who was presented with a handsome silver trowel, suitably inscribed, by Dr. Scott on behalf of the congregation…..”
The report went on to provide a detailed technical description of the building:
“The building occupies a site in Cutten street between Bowes and Sticht streets, and will for the present comprise an assembly hall 40ft long by 30ft wide, with a porch at the main entrance. The walls on three sides will be built of wood, lath and plastered with dado, and the ceiling will be in dressed hardwood boards. The front wall will be carried out in brickwork with cement dressings, and tuck-pointed joints outside, and will be plastered inside. The main elevation will present a bold appearance as it is to be carried out in the classic style of architecture".
"The entrance will be through two semi-headed doorways with panelled fillings. On each side of the entrance as well as on the two side elevations are placed single and coupled semi-headed windows. The front wall will be finished with a bold projecting pediment and entablature under, relieved with molded modillions. The tympanum of the pediment will be panelled and embellished with a rose in the centre. Surmounted above the roof is a neat bell turret, square in shape, with pilastors at all angles and semi-headed louvres on each side, and roofed with a pressed zinc dome with a finial on top. The building has been designed by and will be carried out under the personal supervision of Mr J. G. Austen, of Austen and Keogh, architects, of this town. Mr R. Urquhart is the contractor”.
The church was completed in a little over 8 months and was officially opened on Sunday 16 September 1900. The Mount Lyell Standard and Strahan Gazette reported:
“The building is not yet entirely complete, for the exterior has to be painted and the interior to be lined. As it at present stands the church is practically free of debt, and it is hoped that the finishing touches to it will soon be made, The congregation which assembled in the building yesterday morning was a very large one; in fact all the seating accommodation was exhausted. The Queenstown Highland Company to the number of 25, all arrayed in kilts, marched from the railway station up Orr street, along Sticht street, and thence to the church prior to the commencement of the service, and forming in two lines, one on each side of the entrance, constituted a guard of honour to the congregation as it filed into the church and became seated. The service was conducted by the Rev, W. R. Cunningham, of St. John's Church, Hobart, assisted by the Rev. L. C. M. Donaldson….”.
Soon after the completion of the building a manse was built opposite the church. In the 1920s the Presbyterian church at Linda was moved to Queenstown and attached to the rear of St Andrew’s for use as a hall and Sunday school room. The Presbyterian church at Zeehan was similarly moved to Queenstown for use as a hall however I have yet to establish where this building was located or what became of it.
An interesting aspect in the history of St Andrew’s was the appointment of Deaconess Hilda Wilson to oversee the Queenstown Presbyterian church in 1952. For five years she conducted services and carried out the work of a regular clergyman.
In 1972 St Andrew’s combined with the Methodist churches at Queenstown, Strahan, Rosebery and Zeehan to establish the West Coast United Church. Services took place at the Queenstown Methodist Church until the Uniting Church was formed in 1977. St Andrew’s continued to be used as a Sunday school until the late 1970s. Since the church’s closure the building has been used for a variety of purposes including a Karate Dojo and as the temporary home of Mount Lyell Abt Railway Society.
Sources:
Mount Lyell Standard and Strahan Gazette, Thursday 7 December 1899, page 2
Mount Lyell Standard and Strahan Gazette, Friday 8 December 1899, page 3
Mount Lyell Standard and Strahan Gazette, Monday 17 September 1900, page 3
The Weekly Courier, Saturday 28 May 1904, page 17
Mercury, Saturday 14 October 1933, page 3
St. Andrew's, "the friendly church", Queenstown, Tasmania, 1956. (pamphlet)
The origins of Queenstown’s Presbyterian church date to 1897 when Reverend Matthew Hart, minister of Chalmers Church, Launceston, proposed that a church be established at the rapidly growing town. On 1 March 1897 a meeting was held at McKay, Sampson and McKinlay’s department store which stood at the corner of Orr and Sticht Streets. Following the meeting Mr R.A. Barton was appointed as missionary to Queenstown. On 30 June 1898, Mr James Cairns, owner of Cairns Hall, granted the Presbyterian community free use of the building for a period of three months. On 3 July church services commenced and a Sunday school was established on the same day. In 1899 the construction of a church was seriously contemplated following a donation of of £50 by Mr Robert Sticht, the general manager of the Mount Lyell Company.
Following the the appointment of Mr L C M Donaldson as missionary in 1899, missions were established at nearby Conglomerate Creek and at Lynchford. In July 1899 the Tasmanian Presbyterian Assembly granted an amount of £300 to build a church at Queenstown.
The foundation stone for the church was laid 7 December 1899 with the ceremony reported by the Mount Lyell Standard and Strahan Gazette:
“The ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the new Presbyterian Church in Cutten Street was celebrated in due fashion yesterday afternoon in the presence of a couple of hundred spectators….The church organ was placed in a suitable position near the stone, and a large choir effectively performed the hymnal portion of the service. The proceedings opened with the rendering of a hymn, and then the Rev. Dr. James Scott, of Hobart, read a chapter from the Bible, and offered up prayer….The stone was declared to be well and truly laid by Mrs Sticht, who was presented with a handsome silver trowel, suitably inscribed, by Dr. Scott on behalf of the congregation…..”
The report went on to provide a detailed technical description of the building:
“The building occupies a site in Cutten street between Bowes and Sticht streets, and will for the present comprise an assembly hall 40ft long by 30ft wide, with a porch at the main entrance. The walls on three sides will be built of wood, lath and plastered with dado, and the ceiling will be in dressed hardwood boards. The front wall will be carried out in brickwork with cement dressings, and tuck-pointed joints outside, and will be plastered inside. The main elevation will present a bold appearance as it is to be carried out in the classic style of architecture".
"The entrance will be through two semi-headed doorways with panelled fillings. On each side of the entrance as well as on the two side elevations are placed single and coupled semi-headed windows. The front wall will be finished with a bold projecting pediment and entablature under, relieved with molded modillions. The tympanum of the pediment will be panelled and embellished with a rose in the centre. Surmounted above the roof is a neat bell turret, square in shape, with pilastors at all angles and semi-headed louvres on each side, and roofed with a pressed zinc dome with a finial on top. The building has been designed by and will be carried out under the personal supervision of Mr J. G. Austen, of Austen and Keogh, architects, of this town. Mr R. Urquhart is the contractor”.
The church was completed in a little over 8 months and was officially opened on Sunday 16 September 1900. The Mount Lyell Standard and Strahan Gazette reported:
“The building is not yet entirely complete, for the exterior has to be painted and the interior to be lined. As it at present stands the church is practically free of debt, and it is hoped that the finishing touches to it will soon be made, The congregation which assembled in the building yesterday morning was a very large one; in fact all the seating accommodation was exhausted. The Queenstown Highland Company to the number of 25, all arrayed in kilts, marched from the railway station up Orr street, along Sticht street, and thence to the church prior to the commencement of the service, and forming in two lines, one on each side of the entrance, constituted a guard of honour to the congregation as it filed into the church and became seated. The service was conducted by the Rev, W. R. Cunningham, of St. John's Church, Hobart, assisted by the Rev. L. C. M. Donaldson….”.
Soon after the completion of the building a manse was built opposite the church. In the 1920s the Presbyterian church at Linda was moved to Queenstown and attached to the rear of St Andrew’s for use as a hall and Sunday school room. The Presbyterian church at Zeehan was similarly moved to Queenstown for use as a hall however I have yet to establish where this building was located or what became of it.
An interesting aspect in the history of St Andrew’s was the appointment of Deaconess Hilda Wilson to oversee the Queenstown Presbyterian church in 1952. For five years she conducted services and carried out the work of a regular clergyman.
In 1972 St Andrew’s combined with the Methodist churches at Queenstown, Strahan, Rosebery and Zeehan to establish the West Coast United Church. Services took place at the Queenstown Methodist Church until the Uniting Church was formed in 1977. St Andrew’s continued to be used as a Sunday school until the late 1970s. Since the church’s closure the building has been used for a variety of purposes including a Karate Dojo and as the temporary home of Mount Lyell Abt Railway Society.
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| Photograph supplied by Matt Hillier |
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| St Andrew's Presbyterian Church - photograph : Wikipedia Commons User: User:Jimmyjrg |
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| The Weekly Courier, Saturday 28 May 1904 |
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| The foundation stone laid by the wife of Mr Robert Sticht, the general manager of the Mount Lyell Company. Photograph: Matt Hillier |
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| Deaconess Hilda Wilson who led the Queenstown church for a period of five years during the 1950s. Source: St. Andrew's, "The friendly church" |
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| A postcard of Queenstown showing managers residence `Penghana', c 1909. |
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| McKay, Sampson and McKinlay’s department store where a meeting took place to establish a Presbyterian church at Queenstown. Source: QVM: 1995:P:1067 |
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| Public notice placed in the Mount Lyell Standard and Strahan Gazette |
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| In the 1920s the Presbyterian church at Linda was removed and placed at the rear of St Andrew's for use as a hall. Image: Google street-view |
Sources:
Mount Lyell Standard and Strahan Gazette, Thursday 7 December 1899, page 2
Mount Lyell Standard and Strahan Gazette, Friday 8 December 1899, page 3
Mount Lyell Standard and Strahan Gazette, Monday 17 September 1900, page 3
The Weekly Courier, Saturday 28 May 1904, page 17
Mercury, Saturday 14 October 1933, page 3
St. Andrew's, "the friendly church", Queenstown, Tasmania, 1956. (pamphlet)
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