Tag Archives: Tasmania

Mar 14 2013

1875: St John the Baptist Church, Ouse, Tasmania.

The foundation stone of St John the Baptist church at Ouse, was laid in 1842 and opened for services in 1843. No newspaper records of the time have been found to corroborate these dates but a stained glass window, erected in the liturgical south wall of the nave in 1943 commemorates the centenary of the church. The text at the base of the window has the following inscription:

“To the glory of God and in commemoration of the centenary of this church of St. John the Baptist 1843 – 1943 Erected by the parishioners”

(The window was made by the Mathieson & Gibson stained glass company of Melbourne and depicts Jesus being Baptised by St John in the river Jordan)

The oldest and most historical stained glass window in the church is the three light liturgical east window behind the altar. The window was created by the Ferguson & Urie stained glass company of North Melbourne and was erected to the memory of Thomas Lloyd Gellibrand circa 1875.

Photos taken 7th October 2010.

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Each of the three lancets in the window contains the unique Ferguson & Urie scrolling ribbon design with a piece of scripture from the the King James Bible.

Two ribbons either side of the apex of the centre light have the text “Ecce Agnus Dei ” (Behold the Lamb of God), also known as another title for Jesus. It appears in the Gospel of John 1:29, where John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

The three pieces of scripture depicted in each of the three lights of the window are:

“BLESSED ARE THEY THAT MOURN FOR THEY SHALL BE COMFORTED”.
(Matthew 5-4)

“LIKE AS A FATHER PITIETH HIS CHILDREN SO THE LORD PITIETH THEM THAT FEAR HIM”.
(Psalms 103-13)

“DELIGHT THOU IN THE LORD AND HE SHALL GIVE THEE THY HEARTS DESIRE”.
(Psalms 37-4)

The Mercury, Hobart, TAS, Thursday 1st July 1943, page 5

“The centenary of the Church of St John the Baptist, Ouse, was celebrated by a service in the church on Sunday. Miss Bolland was organist. In the unavoidable absence of the rector (Rev L. L. Oldham) the service was taken by the Rev. J. W. Bethune, who preached the sermon and also spoke to the children. The preacher reminded all of their heritage and sacred associations with the church they loved, and urged them to be true to the faith of their fathers. The offerings for a special centenary commemoration exceeded £113. The following extract from “Church News” more than 50 years ago was written by the late Canon Adams, of Hagley, and authenticated by the late Mr. Bethune, of Dunrobin, the late Rev H. W. Adams, and others: “The Ouse Church was built entirely by the parishioners during the incumbency of Dr. Pogson. The land for the church and cemetery, on a gentle rise, in the midst of the township, was given by the late W. A. Bethune, Esq., of Dunrobin. The east window in St. John’s Church, Ouse, is in memory of T. L. Gellibrand, Esq., late of Lleintwardine, Ouse.”

Thomas Lloyd Gellibrand (1820-1874):

Thomas Lloyd Gellibrand, was the eldest son of Joseph Tice Gellibrand (1792-1836), the first Attorney-General of Tasmania (1825) and Isabella Kerby.
(Also see: 22-10-1864: All Saints Anglican Church, South Hobart, Tasmania, Australia).

Thomas was a grazier and landowner around Bothwell and Ouse in Tasmania and a parliamentarian. He married Isabella Brown, on the 1st of December 1860 at All Saints Anglican Church in South Hobart[1]. He was a member of the House of Assembly in 1856-61[2] and appointed as Captain in the ‘Third Rifles” Southern Tasmanian Volunteers in 1861[3]. He died at his house ‘Vaucluse’ in Macquarie street Hobart on the 9th November 1874 aged 53[4]. His funeral took place on the 12th:

“…The remains of the late Mr. T. L. Gellibrand were yesterday morning conveyed on board the steamer Enterprise, which vessel afterwards left for South Arm, where the family vault is situated. The relatives, and a large number of friends of the deceased proceeded by the steamer. Throughout the day the vessels in harbour lowered their flags to half mast, out of respect to the memory of the deceased gentleman.” [5]

His wife Isabella later married Dr. Edward Clayton Ling (1844-1882)[6] in Suffolk in December 1876. She died in Sussex, England, on the 11th March 1907 aged 67[7].

The Mercury, Hobart, TAS, Wednesday 11th November 1874, page 2.

“Thomas Lloyd Gellibrand, son of Joseph Tice Gellibrand, Attorney-General of Tasmania, in 1856,(sic:1825[8]) who was removed from office by Governor Arthur on charges made against him by persons who have been since convicted of swindling, robbery of the Government, and murder. Mr. Thomas Gellibrand was born in 1821 and educated at Thompsons Academy in Melville-street. In 1848 Sir H. Dennison placed the young colonist who had commenced farming on his own account in the Hamilton district, in the Commission of the Peace, and here on the banks of the Dee, Mr. Gellibrand formed an extensive sheep farm. In Sept. 1856 he was elected a Member of the first House of Assembly for the district of Cumberland, in which he resided and sat in the House an useful active member till the dissolution of the House in 1861. In I860 Session he saw the necessity of protecting the game of his native country, and brought in the first Bill which became law on the subject and which is still in force. He married a daughter of Mr. Thomas Brown the well-known merchant of the New Wharf, and has several children, the youngest being only a few weeks old. His wife’s brother’s death by accident occurred on tho 5th inst[9]., and whilst mourning the death of a favourite brother, Mrs. Gellibrand has now to mourn the death of a husband. To Mr. Thos. Gellibrand the inhabitants of the Bothwell and Hamilton Districts are indebted for the security of the water supply of the Clyde River, which it is well-known rises in the Lakes Crescent and Sorell and which in l856-7, he took great pains to legislate for. Useful colonists of this type, educated, active, zealous men, always eager to push on the latent resources of the colony are fast fading away. Day after day has the record of the loss of one after another; whilst their places, which should be filled by their sons or relatives, are either vacant, by the emigration of those who should fill them, to other lands, where they are more highly appreciated, and much more highly remunerated. An active magistrate – a good master – a kind father and husband – Mr. Thomas Gellibrand has gone to the fullness of repose.”

One of his sons was Sir John Gellibrand (1872-1945) (Major General Sir John Gellibrand, K.C.B., D.S.O) He was was highly decorated in WW1, promoted to Major General circa 1918, appointed as Chief Commissioner of Police in Victoria in 1920 to 1922, elected to the House of Representatives in 1925 and was a founding member of the organisation now known as ‘Legacy’. He died at his property at Murrindindi in 1945 and is buried in the Yea cemetery in Victoria.

Footnotes:

Apr 22 2012

24-06-1879: St Peter’s Church of England, Hamilton, Tasmania.

The three light chancel window at St Peter’s Church of England at Hamilton in Tasmania was created by the Ferguson & Urie stained glass company of North Melbourne circa 1880 and is a memorial to Ann Jane Wright (c.1835-1879). The original sketches for this window were done by Ferguson & Uries senior glass painter David Relph Drape and are held in the State Library of Victoria’s manuscripts collection. Photos of Drapes sketches and the window are included in the slideshow of images below.

St Peters is one of the oldest existing churches in Australia and even pre-dates the founding of Melbourne in Victoria. The church was designed by Edward Winch, Chief Clerk of the Colonial Architect’s Department, with some modifications by architect John Lee Archer (1791-1852). The cost was stated at £700 minus the tower and the first committee for the construction of the church was appointed with Mr.D.Burn as Secretary. The Government agreed to pay half the cost of the church and construction began in 1834 with J.J.Turnbull as builder. Apparently the walls had to be rebuilt in 1835, just after the laying of the foundation stone by Lieut. Governor Arthur in June, 1834 and the new builder contracted to complete it was W. Sibley. The church was consecrated on May 8th, 1838, by the first and only Bishop of Australia, the Rev Dr. W. G. Broughton, who also consecrated the burial ground. The first confirmation service was held on the same day at 10:30.

Photos were taken 7th October 2010.

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The Reverend George Wright arrived in Van Diemen’s Land on the ‘Fortune’ on the 21st March 1838, and became the third incumbent of St Peter’s circa 1844. He remained there for 30 years until failing eyesight forced him to retire from active work in 1875, but he still took an active role in many ceremonies alongside the new incumbent, the Rev Charles Andrews, from 1875 until mid 1878. The Rev George Wright’s wife, Anne Jane, died on the 24th of July 1879 and a minor reference to the triple light east window was mentioned in the Mercury in 1934, “The east window is a handsome “In memoriam” window erected by the parishioners and friends in memory of the wife of the Rev. Geo. Wright”. The memorial text on the window states:

“IN MEMORIAM | ANN JANE WRIGHT | DIED JULY 24th 1879”.

The three scenes depicted in the windows with accompanying chapter and verse are are:

MARK 10-14: (Suffer Little Children to come unto me).
LUKE 22-6: (Judas betrays Jesus).
MATT 26-7:  (The woman with the Alabaster box of precious ointment).

The Rev George Wright died on the 23rd of August 1893 and he and his wife Anne are buried in St Peter’s graveyard which surrounds the church.

An original sketch of this  windows design, by Ferguson & Urie’s senior stained glass artist, David Relph Drape, was found in the manuscripts collection at the State Library of Victoria. The style and colours are very typical of Ferguson & Urie’s work from the mid 1870’s to 1880’s. The glass painting also exhibits some signs of degradation of the brown medium used in facial features on the glass which at that time was a typical failing seen in other similar examples of Ferguson & Urie work of the same period. A copy of the original sketch and the window are depicted in the slideshow of photos.

The Mercury, Hobart, Monday 14th June 1937, page 9.

“ST. PETER’S, HAMILTON. Established 100 Years”.

“The 100th anniversary occurs this month of the completion of St. Peter’s Church of England, Hamilton, one of the oldest country churches in Tasmania. According to available records, it was reported in August, 1836, that the church would be completed in two months. This must have referred to the stonework, for a later report stated that the church was completed and inspected in June, 1837, a bill for the interior fittings having been dated June 14. In 1831 a movement was inaugurated with a view to the erection of an Anglican Church at Hamilton. The prime movers appear to have been Messrs. W. A. Bethune, of Dunrobin, William Roadnight, of Hamilton, David Burn, of Rotherwood, and Thomas Marzetti, of Cawood. A building committee was appointed, and in 1833 this included Messrs. W. S. Sharland, and Edward Lord jun., of Lawrenny, and other well-known pioneers. The foundation stone of the building was placed in position on June 26, 1834, by the then Lieutenant-Governor of Tasmania (Col. George Arthur), and the church was completed in 1837. The first rector was the Rev. M. J. Mayers, who came out from England with the first Archdeacon, the Venerable William Hutchins, in the Fairlie, which arrived at Hobart on January 6, 1837. Another passenger on the ship was Sir John Franklin, the new Lieutenant-Governor of Tasmania. St Peter’s Church was consecrated on May 8, 1838, by the Rt. Rev. Dr. W. G. Broughton, the first Bishop of Australia.

The Mercury, Hobart, Tasmania, Friday 29th June 1934, page 6.

“[…] The east window is a handsome “In memoriam” window erected by the parishioners and friends in memory of the wife of the Rev. Geo. Wright […]

The Mercury, Hobart, Tasmania, Wednesday 31st March 1875, page 2.

[In reference to Bishop Davies address to the Synod]:

“… I have ordained deacon, Mr. C. Andrew, who had previously worked in that diocese as a lay reader. He has undertaken the temporary charge of Hamilton, in order to relieve the Rev. George Wright, who, after many years of valuable service, has been compelled, I regret to say, through a physical infirmity, to abandon his duties for a season entirely…”

The Mercury, Hobart, Tasmania, Saturday 26th July 1879, page 1.

“WRIGHT- On July 24, at Hamilton, in her 44th year, Anne Jane, wife of Rev. George Wright, for thirty years incumbent of the parish. Friends are informed that the burial will take place on MONDAY NEXT, at 2 o’clock p.m.”

Launceston Examiner, Tasmania, Thursday 24th August 1893.

“DEATH OF THE REV. GEORGE WRIGHT. (BY TELEGRAPH)

WESTBURY, Wednesday, The Rev. George Wright, colonial chaplain, and former incumbent of Hamilton for many years, a very old and highly esteemed and Christian minister of the Anglican Church, passed away peacefully at his lodgings, Westbury, about midnight last night. His remains will be removed to Hamilton for interment, where he laboured so long in the service of his Master.”

External links:

Biography: Archer, John Lee (1791–1852)

The history of St. Peter’s Church, Hamilton, Tas., 1834 to 1934. by William George Brown.

Feb 22 2012

16-07-1868: Cook’s Tailoring Establishment, Elizabeth Street, Hobart, Tasmania.

Henry Cook’s new Tailoring establishment in Elizabeth Street Hobart, near “Lord’s Buildings”, was opened 1868 and contained a Ferguson & Urie stained glass window in the show room.

The Mercury Hobart, Tasmania, Thursday 16th July 1868, page 3.

“… Mr Cook’s new tailoring establishment in Elizabeth-street, near Lord’s Buildings, has also been opened; two large houses and shops are converted into one place of business, and a pile of buildings at the rear has been razed, and a mansion erected on the site. Mr. Wiggins was the contractor for the new building, and Messrs. Jackson, Nicol, Martin, and Roberts were employed for the joinering work, cabinet making, and embellishment of the new business premises. A stained glass window in the show room is from the warehouse of Messrs. Ferguson, Urie, and Co, Melbourne. The premises are lighted with forty gas burners”

Henry Cook was elected as Mayor of Hobart in 1860-61. In 1868 he was appointed as Tailor[1] to H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh. On the 13th August 1869 he was in the position of acting Mayor of Hobart and was on that day elected as Mayor[2] until the end of the year. He was as also a Justice of the Peace, Churchwarden of St David’s, and the first president of The Benevolent Society of Hobart. There is also a monument dedicated to him at the Fern Tree Pipeline development.

Henry Cooks Tailoring shop was advertised as at 45 Elizabeth Street Hobart in the late 1850’s. The Hobart Post office is now on the site formerly known as “Lord’s Buildings”.

Nothing further is known about what was depicted in the stained glass window or whether it still exists anywhere.

The Mercury, Hobart, TAS, Monday 26th May 1890, page 3.

“DEATH OF MR. HY. COOK, J.P”

“…A few years after his arrival in Hobart, he commenced business as a tailor and woollen merchant, which line he has since followed with marked success. His first premises were at the corner of Collins and Elizabeth streets, the spot now occupied by the A.M.P. Society’s offices. Afterwards he removed higher up Elizabeth-street, between Liverpool and Bathurst streets, returning some 20 years ago to the premises in Elizabeth-street, now occupied by his firm.”

Henry Cook died on the 25th May 1890. His son, Henry Jnr, carried on the business “…in a shop which at one time stood on the present site of the Commonwealth Bank, and in 1912 the business was removed to 136 Collins-street, where it is presently conducted.” Henry Cook Jnr died aged 70 on the 17th July 1925.

External links:

Recollections of Old Hobart – The Post Office Block (The Mercury 28th July 1910)

Footnotes:

Short link to this page: https://wp.me/p28nLD-aP

© Copyright

Feb 14 2012

23-10-1863: St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Evansdale, Tasmania, Australia.

The Mercury, Hobart, Friday 23rd October 1863, page 3.

“Two very handsome stained glass windows have recently been placed in the Evandale, Presbyterian church, one on either side of the pulpit. They cost £125 and are a great ornament to the interior of the building.”

The two windows mentioned here are certainly to be by Ferguson & Urie but not yet officially attributed. Images exist in some copyright publications by Professor Miles Lewis.