St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Rockhampton

About

St Andrew's Presbyterian Church is a heritage-listed former Presbyterian church at 280 Bolsover Street, in the central business district of Rockhampton, Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. The former church was designed by Voller & Graham in the Gothic Revival style and built from 1893 to 1926. The former church was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. In October 2002 the former church was closed on the basis of concerns around the structural integrity of the building. The congregation relocated to the site of the former Rockhampton cinema building, and became known as the Rockhampton Presbyterian Church. The former church building was sold and has since been renovated as The Church Events Venue.

The former St Andrew's Presbyterian Church was erected in 1893–94 for the Presbytery of Rockhampton formed in 1865. Architects were invited to submit plans for the church and the design of Brisbane architects Voller & Graham was chosen. Construction of the building was supervised by prominent Rockhampton architect John William Wilson and built by Walter Adam Lawson. The erection of the former church was funded by a donation of £1000 from the William Pattison which was accepted by the Presbytery on 7 June 1893. The former church exemplifies a stage of prestigious development in Rockhampton which was a reflection of the wealth from the Mount Morgan Mine.

Presbyterian worship commenced in Rockhampton shortly after the population explosion caused by the Canoona gold rush of 1858. William John Brown, Sub-collector of Customs, was a member of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland and conducted the first Presbyterian services in Palmer's store, Grant's timber yard and the local Court House. A building for worship was erected by all denominations for common use on ground which was granted to the Church of England. The building was ultimately left to that denomination.

Early in 1861, Rev. Samuel Kelly, formerly of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland, was invited to Rockhampton with a view to taking up a ministry. A public meeting was held on 28 May 1861 where a committee was appointed to establish a Presbyterian Church. Samuel Kelly became the first Presbyterian Minister of Rockhampton on 1 June 1861. The committee obtained a grant of one acre (zero point four zero hectares) of land from the Government on which a timber church was erected on the site of the present church. In 1864 a manse was erected on the southeast side of the church for Rev. Alexander Campbell Smith corresponding with the rapid growth of the congregation.

In March 1876, Rev. Alexander Hay, formerly of South Brisbane, entered the Rockhampton Ministry and in 1878 a second manse was erected. In 1882, to accommodate the increasing congregation, a transept was added and enlarged the first church original timber structure.

In 1888, a separate Presbyterian congregation was established in Rockhampton but the original congregation continued to prosper.

On 2 October 1890, Hay announced a promise of a donation of £1000 from Mount Morgan Gold Mine shareholder William Pattison MLA, towards the erection of a new church. In 1894 the Parish of St Andrew's acquired an additional loan of £800 from the Bank of New South Wales which was granted to the Trustees of St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, namely William Burns, William Pattison, and Alexander Meikle. The St Andrew's Presbyterian Act of 1891 had changed the nominated trustees from the original three who had all died. Up until its 2002 closure and subsequent sale, the former church was one of only two Presbyterian Churches (the other being the Ann Street Presbyterian Church in Brisbane) that were owned by the trustees of the church and not the Presbyterian Church of Queensland.

The foundation stone was laid on 7 June 1893 by Mrs Peter McIntosh, the daughter of William J. Brown, the founder of Presbyterianism in Rockhampton. At the laying of the foundation stone, William McIlwraith, editor and joint owner of the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin, read a brief history of events in Rockhampton and this was laid with copies of sermons by Dr Hay and his address to the General Assembly in 1891 in a bottle under the foundation stone. The former church was opened on 15 April 1894 by Rev. Dr McSwaine of St Paul's Church in Brisbane.

The building was originally constructed in tuck-pointed face brickwork with either stone or rendered facings. The original design of the former church had included a tower facing Bolsover Street but at an additional cost of £560 it was omitted. With the tower, the former St Andrew's Church would have borne marked similarity to the timber St Pauls Presbyterian Church in Mackay designed by Walter Carey Voller in 1898. The two stand as remarkably similar designs attributed to Voller for the Presbyterian Church of Queensland.

The interior walls of the former St Andrew's Church were originally painted a dark "French" grey and the channel arch and window facings were "pure" white and the pews were of Queensland Pine. The former church was lit by two "sunlights" and twelve gas brackets. The interior remained incomplete until the pipe organ was installed and officially opened on 29 June 1900. The organ was built by Sydney firm Charles Richardson & Co to the specifications of the St Andrew's organist, Frank Kavanagh, and to the design of L. S. Robertson. In 1897, a bell was donated to the church by John R. Palmer of Brisbane, possibly the son of John Palmer, the first Mayor of Rockhampton. The bell, cast in London, commemorates Queen Victoria 's Diamond Jubilee (1837–97) and sits exposed at the south-west corner of the former church.

By 1925, it was noted that the former church required underpinning due to foundation movement. In 1926, new communion furniture was installed and dedicated in the former church. In 1939 the congregation approved a plan to render the exterior of the former church, and an appeal was launched in 1940 to pay for it. In 1947 the fixtures and fittings were changed to allow for a new position for the pulpit, communion furniture and choir seats. A choir room was also built at this time. Between 1947 and 1971, the stained glass windows were installed. In 1981, a structural survey of the building was conducted, in response to which a substantial program of works was undertaken in 1984. The former church was closed for several months, and these works included laying a concrete apron around the exterior of the building; constructing a new roof and floor; inserting additional tie rods ; repainting the exterior, and demolishing the bell tower.

A tender of £1,860 by P. C. Hook for the construction of a concrete building (the adjacent St Andrew's Hall) was accepted, and the Sunday School was officially opened on 18 July 1936 as part of the 75th celebrations. The old manse, which was located on the site of the new hall, was sold for removal for £210.

Presbyterian worship commenced in Rockhampton shortly after the population explosion caused by the Canoona gold rush of 1858. William John Brown, Sub-collector of Customs, was a member of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland and conducted the first Presbyterian services in Palmer's store, Grant's timber yard and the local Court House. A building for worship was erected by all denominations for common use on ground which was granted to the Church of England. The building was ultimately left to that denomination.

Early in 1861, Rev. Samuel Kelly, formerly of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland, was invited to Rockhampton with a view to taking up a ministry. A public meeting was held on 28 May 1861 where a committee was appointed to establish a Presbyterian Church. Samuel Kelly became the first Presbyterian Minister of Rockhampton on 1 June 1861. The committee obtained a grant of one acre (zero point four zero hectares) of land from the Government on which a timber church was erected on the site of the present church. In 1864 a manse was erected on the southeast side of the church for Rev. Alexander Campbell Smith corresponding with the rapid growth of the congregation.

In March 1876, Rev. Alexander Hay, formerly of South Brisbane, entered the Rockhampton Ministry and in 1878 a second manse was erected. In 1882, to accommodate the increasing congregation, a transept was added and enlarged the first church original timber structure.

In 1888, a separate Presbyterian congregation was established in Rockhampton but the original congregation continued to prosper.

On 2 October 1890, Hay announced a promise of a donation of £1000 from Mount Morgan Gold Mine shareholder William Pattison MLA, towards the erection of a new church. In 1894 the Parish of St Andrew's acquired an additional loan of £800 from the Bank of New South Wales which was granted to the Trustees of St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, namely William Burns, William Pattison, and Alexander Meikle. The St Andrew's Presbyterian Act of 1891 had changed the nominated trustees from the original three who had all died. Up until its 2002 closure and subsequent sale, the former church was one of only two Presbyterian Churches (the other being the Ann Street Presbyterian Church in Brisbane) that were owned by the trustees of the church and not the Presbyterian Church of Queensland.

The foundation stone was laid on 7 June 1893 by Mrs Peter McIntosh, the daughter of William J. Brown, the founder of Presbyterianism in Rockhampton. At the laying of the foundation stone, William McIlwraith, editor and joint owner of the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin, read a brief history of events in Rockhampton and this was laid with copies of sermons by Dr Hay and his address to the General Assembly in 1891 in a bottle under the foundation stone. The former church was opened on 15 April 1894 by Rev. Dr McSwaine of St Paul's Church in Brisbane.

The building was originally constructed in tuck-pointed face brickwork with either stone or rendered facings. The original design of the former church had included a tower facing Bolsover Street but at an additional cost of £560 it was omitted. With the tower, the former St Andrew's Church would have borne marked similarity to the timber St Pauls Presbyterian Church in Mackay designed by Walter Carey Voller in 1898. The two stand as remarkably similar designs attributed to Voller for the Presbyterian Church of Queensland.

The interior walls of the former St Andrew's Church were originally painted a dark "French" grey and the channel arch and window facings were "pure" white and the pews were of Queensland Pine. The former church was lit by two "sunlights" and twelve gas brackets. The interior remained incomplete until the pipe organ was installed and officially opened on 29 June 1900. The organ was built by Sydney firm Charles Richardson & Co to the specifications of the St Andrew's organist, Frank Kavanagh, and to the design of L. S. Robertson. In 1897, a bell was donated to the church by John R. Palmer of Brisbane, possibly the son of John Palmer, the first Mayor of Rockhampton. The bell, cast in London, commemorates Queen Victoria 's Diamond Jubilee (1837–97) and sits exposed at the south-west corner of the former church.