St Paul's Uniting Church, New Norfolk

Like many Methodist church buildings, St Paul's at New Norfolk is a pretty unassuming structure. This chapel, however, holds a pre-eminent place in Tasmanian Methodist Church history as it is the oldest in the state.

It was built on land donated by a local benefactor, Sir Robert Officer of Hallgreen. The foundation stone was laid on the 8th December, 1836 and followed by the official opening and dedication on the 2nd November 1837, by the Reverend Joseph Orton. St Paul's was originally part of the Hobart circuit until 1838 when the Reverend John Manton was appointed as first resident minister of the new district circuit.

The interior of St Paul's is very plain but none the less of a very charming design. The furnishing are made of cedar and each pew has its own door. The Mission Pew, which was reserved for the minister's family, is up the front under the eyes of the pulpit. The church gallery was installed in 1865 at a cost of 128 pounds and the magnificent stained glass windows replaced the plainer original ones in 1956.

Before the chapel was built, Methodism in New Norfolk had an interesting history. As early as 1821, local preachers such as Benjamin Nokes & Samuel Dowsett were holding irregular services around the town. Later in that year, the Reverend William Norton arrived in Tasmania and began visiting the outlying settlements. The normally staid Methodists used a bit of colonial commonsense and practicality for, on wet days, they would retire to the tap room of Mrs Bridger's Bush Inn and hold their services there. Generally, however, they would worship outdoors and by 1834, services were regularly being conducted under a gum tree where the New Norfolk State Primary School stands. The tree was cut down in in 1972 but it used to have a plaque attached with the following inscription - "Under this tree, first regular Methodist service in New Norfolk was held in 1834"

Methodism as such, ended in the New Norfolk & Glenora area on 19th June 1977 and following the inauguration of the Uniting Church in Australia on 22nd June, 1977, New Norfolk's first Uniting Church service was held four days later and continues to this day.

Main Text & Information Sources - 

"From Black Snake To Bronte" - Book by Audrey Holiday & John Trigg

Richmond Courthouse

The Richmond Courthouse is an adaption of the Regency style of architecture and features an elliptical ceiling. It was built of bricks in 1825 probably to a design by Colonial Architect, David Lambe who had been appointed in June 1824. It was constructed around the same time as the Richmond Gaol.

In December 1826, Tobias Kirkwood, who was the acting engineer, wrote to the colonial secretary stating that the inside of the new courthouse was fit for use by the public service but that there were two windows required for each side of the of the entrance door. However, the only window maker potentially available to complete the work was currently serving time in the chain gang and thus was not available until his time was up. As a substitute, Kirkwood had two plain windows made.

The courthouse was initially used, as a temporary measure, to house soldiers. However, in 1827, these soldiers were soon reported as “reveling in the court house, considered most unseemly behavior. In that year, Lieutenant Governor Arthur sent a dispatch to the Home Secretary in England reporting that the construction had been completed with the work and materials being provided by convict mechanics and laborers. By this means, the public works had been conducted without any heavy expense and without the need to increase the wages of free mechanics and thereby distressing the settlers.

By 1829, the Courts of Quarter Sessions for the Police District of Richmond were underway. By 1834, the building was also being used for church services prior to the construction of the churches in the town. In May 1834, a letter from the Police Office, Hobart recommended that the party stationed in Richmond under Overseer Thompson should be tasked with making repairs to the courthouse roof and to construct a porch on the front of the building. By July 1834, the work had not commenced due to a delay in the delivery of timber from Port Arthur which had been sent to Hobart instead of Richmond direct..

It would appear that work on St Luke’s church was stopped for the courthouse and the incomplete school building was used as a store house until the church was completed. All of this was due to the delay in the arrival of the timber and other assorted stores. Even the fencing timber provided for the courthouse was unsuitable for its intended purpose. Governor Arthur finally organized for 9000 bricks to be supplied for the final completion of the courthouse in late 1834.

When Richmond became a municipality in 1861, the court house also became the Council Chambers. The police watch house which had been constructed in 1838 next to the court house, and is now the kitchen and part of the supper room area of the building. In 1862, permission was granted to use the building for dancing classes “upon the condition that the ordinary rules of propriety and good order were to apply” It was used as Council Chambers from 1861, when the Richmond Municipality was established, until 1993, when Richmond Council amalgamated with Clarence City Council.

A small plan in the Tasmanian State Archives shows the central court room flanked by 4 rooms as it is at present but with three outside doors all facing due north and only the rear two rooms having direct access to the court room. The prisoners did not enter through the porch door.

Main Text & Information Source –

“Richmond, Tasmania – A Crossing Place” – Elizabeth Jones

Jolly Hatters' Inn

Still standing in its original position, the Jolly Hatters' Inn is sited on the north side of Melville Street, just east of Elizabeth Street. The Inn was originally built in 1824 as a hat factory, on a block first granted to Richard Cleburn. It wasn't until 1833 that it became licensed as the Jolly Hatters' Inn. Its publican in the early period was William Champion, an advocate for the working class as well as a brewer who made beer, and ginger beer, in the brewery behind the Inn. It was William who had run the hatters business in the building, hence the first name of the Inn.

Around this time, the Inn had become the hub of working class political activity. The Inn was a house of call (or labour exchange) where employers would call of a morning to select workers from the assembled unemployed, something of an ancestral "Commonwealth Employment Scheme'. It was also the formative place of a number of unions which were set up in the 1830s and 1840s. There is historic material accounting for union meetings at the Inn to help improve working mens wages and conditions. Licencee William Champion was elected as one of their spokesmen.

The Inn was also the set-off point for the workers' brigade marching to the first big popular meeting aimed at abolishing transportation of convicts to Tasmania. This meeting, in the early 1840s was to be followed by a decade or more of campaigning which led to the end of transportation - Tasmania being the last Australian colony receiving convicts. The Inn was a centre for such agitation as 'free' workers who were competing with the cheaper convict labor.

The Jolly Hatters Inn is a two story sandstone building with a galvanized-iron pitched roof. Its northern 'wing' fronts directly on to Melville Street. The three-story brewery is of sandstone block construction. The buildings are now occupied by Tabor College Tasmania,  an educational organisation.

I haven't been able to find much more information about the Jolly Hatters' Inn so if anyone can help with anything else from its history I would really appreciate it. Please feel free to leave any info in the comments, or you can send it to me via email.

Main Text & Information Sources - 

"Pubs in Hobart from 1807" - David.J.Bryce

Australian Heritage Database

Prospect House, Hamilton

Located on the Hamilton Plains Road, Prospect House has a perfect view overlooking the historic township of Hamilton. It is a most attractive sandstone building consisting of some twenty one rooms with a long, narrow flagstone cellar. It was built on land originally granted to James Triffett in 1824 and the house and ten acres of land was bought in the 1830's by Dr John Frederick Sharland. Originally known as Acacia Cottage, it was enlarged in the 1840's and renamed Prospect House.

Dr Sharland originally arrived in Van Diemen's Land in 1823 on the ship, Elizabeth, accompanied by his father, John (who would take the property Rotherwood) and his brother, William Stanley. William was a surveyor and explorer of great note and in 1832, ranged as far as the Gordon river, Lake St Clair & Frenchman's Gap.

On the 3rd of march 1829, Dr Sharland was appointed the Hamilton Medical District Assistant Surgeon with a princely salary of 54 pounds, 15 shillings a year. His coffers would receive a slight boost after may 1842 when he received a further appointment as medical officer to the local convict probation party. To cater for all his patients, Dr Sharland had a three storey sandstone surgery built across the road from his house. Unfortunately this building has subsequently been demolished at a later date.

When the Hamilton Municipal Council was formed in 1863, Dr Sharland was elected the first warden. he had long been very active in local community affairs. For example, he was the trustee of the Roads Act Trust which was responsible from 1850 onwards for the upkeep and ongoing maintenance of roads in the Hamilton District. To help pay for the works, numerous toll bars were erected around the district.

After Dr Sharland passed away in 1870, Prospect House was subsequently owned by various owners, including Madden Brothers and later by George Sonners. In 1980, the property was purchased by John & Helen Poynder who began to restore the house and its stone outbuildings as faithfully as possible. Many fittings in the house are constructed in cedar and the Poynders have put countless hours of work into restoring them, especially the window shutters.

The rear courtyard is a main feature of the outbuildings area and used to be surrounded by a high stone wall. Local girls used to be employed to scrub the paving stones every day and that was no small job, especially when the frosts were severe. A big square sandstone drain, which ran from the bathroom through the courtyard was considered high technology for its day.

Perhaps the most appealing feature is the stunning, world renowned gardens. The romantic English garden comprises a number of themed "rooms" sheltered by manicured hedges. The richly planted gardens are a riot of colour and boast a huge range of specimens. Secret gardens are enhanced with water features, urn gardens, obelisks and spectacular lattice structures.

The northern garden is themed as a Tuscan / Italian renaissance delight, with the focal point being an elegant “temple”; the perfect spot to enjoy a wine and to entertain guests. The symmetric layout is complimented by perfect hedges, citrus trees in huge terracotta pots, statues and a beautiful fountain.The gardens have featured both internationally and Australia wide in gardening magazines and press articles.

The impression created is one of peace and tranquility. It gives the sense of a much larger oasis in Hamilton’s comparatively dry Mediterranean climate. These gardens are truly magnificent and have obviously been a labour of love for Helen Poynder.

The property has just recently been put on the market and one can only hope that the new owners will continue to give the property the love, care and attention to detail that the Poynders have. A truly beautiful property to visit and one that I highly recommend.

Main Text & Information Sources - 

"From Black Snake To Bronte" - Book by Audrey Holiday & John Trigg

Australian Dictionary of Biography - William Stanley Sharland