No. 1647 - Castle Forbes Bay - Methodist Church (c.1870)
Castle Forbes Bay is located on the Huon Highway approximately 50 kilometres south of Hobart. overlooking the Huon River. It is named after the ship, Castle Forbes, which landed sick Irish women migrants at nearby Hospital Bay in 1836. It is thought that the Captain of the "Castle Forbes" mistook the Huon River for the Derwent. It was settled in the 1850s and in 1856 a pardoned convict, James Reid, planted the first apple trees in the area. Irish settlers were prominent at Castle Forbes Bay and were mainly engaged in market gardening.
Two churches were built at Castle Forbes Bay, a Methodist church in the 1870s (which was replaced in 1905) and a Catholic church which opened in 1904.
Little is known about the settlements first Wesleyan-Methodist church and the exact year of its establishment cannot be determined. The earliest report of Wesleyan-Methodist preachers active at Castle Forbes Bay dates back to May 1860:
“While paying a visit to the locality [Mr Cope] had preached to a congregation at Castle Forbes Bay two thirds the extent of the congregations they could command of a week night at Hobart Town…”.
An early map of Castle Forbes Bay (1879) shows the location of the “Wesleyan Chapel” close to the settlements first school built in 1860. The church was located alongside the local cemetery, which contains about 200 graves, including that of Samuel Elliot (1802-1863), the earliest known burial at the site. It is probable that the cemetery was established about a decade before the church was built. Elliot had arrived in Hobart from London in 1837. He was engaged in farming and his cause of death is given as “dropsy”.
The first specific reference to the church dates to April 1872 when a visitor to the area describes the building being over Smiths Creek bridge and “about ten minutes walk from Dr. Crowther’s property”.
The church is again briefly mentioned in 1875 in an article published in the Hobart Mercury. This also provides an interesting description of the settlement:
“Castle Forbes Bay” is a small settlement with perhaps sixty inhabitants (the vast majority of whom are children, large families being the rule hereabouts), some two miles south of Franklin. This may almost be described as an agricultural community, all the settlers residing on, and being busily engaged in cultivating their eight or ten-acre holdings. Potatoes, oats, and small quantities of wheat and peas are produced. There are also a few orchards and the usual sprinkling of raspberry beds. But the most remarkable feature at Castle Forbes Bay is a tramway three miles long, belonging to Messrs. Smith and James, running from the river into the forest, without a sawmill at the hither terminus to account for so large an investment of capital. It must, I think, have been constructed during that lamented period when rapid and substantial fortunes were made out of timber splitting. There is a Wesleyan chapel and school here…”.
Earlier in the same year another article in the Mercury concerning the “Wesleyan Bush Mission” states that:
“At Castle Forbes Bay there is a Wesleyan Chapel in which Mr. Cameron preached several times and the people have the opportunity of hearing God’s word preached every Sabbath, and avail themselves of it very generally”.
While there are further references to the church over the next 30 years, they add little to the facts about the building or the Methodist community.
In March 1905 the Mercury reported that a new church had been built:
“The new Methodist Church was opened on Sunday afternoon, March 26, the Rev. F. Delbridge conducting the service. There was a large number present. Miss Gilbert, played a solo with exquisite taste on the violin, which was much appreciated.
A tea meeting was held on Tuesday afternoon, and a concert in the evening. The attendance was fairly good. Abundance of nice things was provided by the ladies of the congregation, and were much enjoyed. Most of those present afterwards examined the building, and all were of opinion that it was a neat and substantial building, reflecting credit on the contractor, Mr. Alfred Smith, and the architect. It will seat about 150 people.
Rev. Delbridge presided at the after meeting, which was opened by all singing the "Old Hundredth." The Rev. J. Cain, from Hobart, was present, and offered up earnest prayer. The following ladies and gentlemen took part in the concert: -
Misses Carrick, Griggs, E. and B. Inches; Messrs. H. Weymouth and Sampson. The secretary read his report, showing how the money was obtained, viz., by subscriptions, concerts, bazaars, and harvest thanksgiving, stating the amounts received under each head, making a total of £105. The contract price of the building was £100, and cost of foundation for labour, £5. The, trustees carted timber, stone, etc., free, and Mr. Cato gave four nice Gothic head windows. The building as it now stands is worth £150, and is free from debt.
There are to be new seats, new fence in front, and several other small items, which no doubt will be done in due course. Mr. Cain said it was wonderful what a few people could do when they made up their minds to do it; and he is quite right, for it is only about 18 months ago that the congregation decided to build a new church, the old church being too small, and very much out of repair”.
The new church has more frequent mentions in newspaper reports in the first half of the 20th century, but few add much to detail to the history of the building, typically describing the churches anniversary celebrations or the annual harvest festival. As an example, in March 1924 the Mercury reported:
“On Sunday afternoon last the anniversary services of the above, church were held, the preacher being Rev.. G. H. Shepherd, who was greeted by a large congregation. During the service Mr. Dryden Thomas sang a solo, “For ever with the Lord”. On Wednesday a social evening, was held in the church in continuation of the celebration, when the church was well filled. A programme of musical and elocutionary items was rendered by Mesdames J. S. Griggs and Thomas, Misses Norris, Hammond and Cupit and Messrs Jhonson, M. Hammond, Thomas, Lyle Walker, Rev. G. H. Shepherd, the Franklin Methodist 'church choir, and a chorus by local girls. The Rev. Shepherd presided and in his remarks mentioned that the trust fund (for which the anniversary was in aid) showed a credit balance of £20. Supper was served at the conclusion”.
A report in 1922 describes damage caused by a storm:
“One of the effects of the heavy gale of wind on the 7th inst. was the total destruction of the three-stall stable at the Methodist church, Castle Forbes Bay. A wattle tree of very large proportions — about 3ft. in diameter and 45ft. high— was standing almost against the wall of the stable and the storm struck it with ‘such force that, it snapped off short near the ground and crashed through the roof and walls of the building completely wrecking it. Fortunately there were no horses in the stable at the time, but the loss to the church is rather a severe one, and the debris will not be cleared away without considerable labour”.
And an accident in 1910:
“On Sunday afternoon a nasty trap accident occurred at Castle Forbes Bay. A horse and trap driven by Mrs. Cupit, of Franklin, but entangled with a notice-board in the Methodist "Church yard; and the animal freed himself from the obstacle by completely smashing the vehicle, and naturally his driver reached the ground in the course of the proceedings. Happily she was not seriously injured…”.
Reports about the church appear in the Mercury through the 1950s but by the 1960s services were only “being conducted infrequently”. The year of the closure of the church is not known and I have yet to come across a photograph of the building. The church is no longer on the site and it is not known if it was demolished or removed.
Sources:
Two churches were built at Castle Forbes Bay, a Methodist church in the 1870s (which was replaced in 1905) and a Catholic church which opened in 1904.
Little is known about the settlements first Wesleyan-Methodist church and the exact year of its establishment cannot be determined. The earliest report of Wesleyan-Methodist preachers active at Castle Forbes Bay dates back to May 1860:
“While paying a visit to the locality [Mr Cope] had preached to a congregation at Castle Forbes Bay two thirds the extent of the congregations they could command of a week night at Hobart Town…”.
An early map of Castle Forbes Bay (1879) shows the location of the “Wesleyan Chapel” close to the settlements first school built in 1860. The church was located alongside the local cemetery, which contains about 200 graves, including that of Samuel Elliot (1802-1863), the earliest known burial at the site. It is probable that the cemetery was established about a decade before the church was built. Elliot had arrived in Hobart from London in 1837. He was engaged in farming and his cause of death is given as “dropsy”.
The first specific reference to the church dates to April 1872 when a visitor to the area describes the building being over Smiths Creek bridge and “about ten minutes walk from Dr. Crowther’s property”.
The church is again briefly mentioned in 1875 in an article published in the Hobart Mercury. This also provides an interesting description of the settlement:
“Castle Forbes Bay” is a small settlement with perhaps sixty inhabitants (the vast majority of whom are children, large families being the rule hereabouts), some two miles south of Franklin. This may almost be described as an agricultural community, all the settlers residing on, and being busily engaged in cultivating their eight or ten-acre holdings. Potatoes, oats, and small quantities of wheat and peas are produced. There are also a few orchards and the usual sprinkling of raspberry beds. But the most remarkable feature at Castle Forbes Bay is a tramway three miles long, belonging to Messrs. Smith and James, running from the river into the forest, without a sawmill at the hither terminus to account for so large an investment of capital. It must, I think, have been constructed during that lamented period when rapid and substantial fortunes were made out of timber splitting. There is a Wesleyan chapel and school here…”.
Earlier in the same year another article in the Mercury concerning the “Wesleyan Bush Mission” states that:
“At Castle Forbes Bay there is a Wesleyan Chapel in which Mr. Cameron preached several times and the people have the opportunity of hearing God’s word preached every Sabbath, and avail themselves of it very generally”.
While there are further references to the church over the next 30 years, they add little to the facts about the building or the Methodist community.
In March 1905 the Mercury reported that a new church had been built:
“The new Methodist Church was opened on Sunday afternoon, March 26, the Rev. F. Delbridge conducting the service. There was a large number present. Miss Gilbert, played a solo with exquisite taste on the violin, which was much appreciated.
A tea meeting was held on Tuesday afternoon, and a concert in the evening. The attendance was fairly good. Abundance of nice things was provided by the ladies of the congregation, and were much enjoyed. Most of those present afterwards examined the building, and all were of opinion that it was a neat and substantial building, reflecting credit on the contractor, Mr. Alfred Smith, and the architect. It will seat about 150 people.
Rev. Delbridge presided at the after meeting, which was opened by all singing the "Old Hundredth." The Rev. J. Cain, from Hobart, was present, and offered up earnest prayer. The following ladies and gentlemen took part in the concert: -
Misses Carrick, Griggs, E. and B. Inches; Messrs. H. Weymouth and Sampson. The secretary read his report, showing how the money was obtained, viz., by subscriptions, concerts, bazaars, and harvest thanksgiving, stating the amounts received under each head, making a total of £105. The contract price of the building was £100, and cost of foundation for labour, £5. The, trustees carted timber, stone, etc., free, and Mr. Cato gave four nice Gothic head windows. The building as it now stands is worth £150, and is free from debt.
There are to be new seats, new fence in front, and several other small items, which no doubt will be done in due course. Mr. Cain said it was wonderful what a few people could do when they made up their minds to do it; and he is quite right, for it is only about 18 months ago that the congregation decided to build a new church, the old church being too small, and very much out of repair”.
The new church has more frequent mentions in newspaper reports in the first half of the 20th century, but few add much to detail to the history of the building, typically describing the churches anniversary celebrations or the annual harvest festival. As an example, in March 1924 the Mercury reported:
“On Sunday afternoon last the anniversary services of the above, church were held, the preacher being Rev.. G. H. Shepherd, who was greeted by a large congregation. During the service Mr. Dryden Thomas sang a solo, “For ever with the Lord”. On Wednesday a social evening, was held in the church in continuation of the celebration, when the church was well filled. A programme of musical and elocutionary items was rendered by Mesdames J. S. Griggs and Thomas, Misses Norris, Hammond and Cupit and Messrs Jhonson, M. Hammond, Thomas, Lyle Walker, Rev. G. H. Shepherd, the Franklin Methodist 'church choir, and a chorus by local girls. The Rev. Shepherd presided and in his remarks mentioned that the trust fund (for which the anniversary was in aid) showed a credit balance of £20. Supper was served at the conclusion”.
A report in 1922 describes damage caused by a storm:
“One of the effects of the heavy gale of wind on the 7th inst. was the total destruction of the three-stall stable at the Methodist church, Castle Forbes Bay. A wattle tree of very large proportions — about 3ft. in diameter and 45ft. high— was standing almost against the wall of the stable and the storm struck it with ‘such force that, it snapped off short near the ground and crashed through the roof and walls of the building completely wrecking it. Fortunately there were no horses in the stable at the time, but the loss to the church is rather a severe one, and the debris will not be cleared away without considerable labour”.
And an accident in 1910:
“On Sunday afternoon a nasty trap accident occurred at Castle Forbes Bay. A horse and trap driven by Mrs. Cupit, of Franklin, but entangled with a notice-board in the Methodist "Church yard; and the animal freed himself from the obstacle by completely smashing the vehicle, and naturally his driver reached the ground in the course of the proceedings. Happily she was not seriously injured…”.
Reports about the church appear in the Mercury through the 1950s but by the 1960s services were only “being conducted infrequently”. The year of the closure of the church is not known and I have yet to come across a photograph of the building. The church is no longer on the site and it is not known if it was demolished or removed.
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| Castle Forbes Bay Cemetery next to which the Methodist church stood. Photograph: Paul H. findagrave |
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| A detail of a map of Castle Forbes Bay (1879) showing the location of the Wesleyan chapel - Libraries Tasmania - Country Roads Maps AF398/500 |
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| Huon Times, March 1915 |
Sources:
The Hobart Town Advertiser, Wednesday 2 May 1860, page 2
The Mercury, Saturday 27 April 1872, page 3
The Mercury, Wednesday 22 April 1875, page 2
The Mercury, Thursday 15 July 1875, page 3
Tribune, Wednesday 8 August 1877, page 3
The Mercury, Friday 31 March 1905, page 7
The Mercury, Friday 8 April 1910, page 2
Daily Post, Saturday 9 April 1910, page 8
Huon Times, Saturday 13 March 1915, page 2
Huon Times, Tuesday 17 October 1922, page 2
Huon Times, Friday 27 April 1928, page 2
Huon and Derwent Times, Thursday 28 February 1935, page 2
Stansall, M. E. J and Methodist Church of Australasia Tasmanian Methodism, 1820-1975 : compiled at the time of last Meeting of Methodism prior to union. Methodist Church of Australasia, Launceston, Tas, 1975.
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Elliott-15080
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