Albert Street Uniting Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Albert Street Uniting Church |
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Albert Street Uniting Church, 2020
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| 27°28′04″S 153°01′26″E / 27.4678°S 153.0238°E | |
| Country | Australia |
| Denomination | Uniting (since 1977) |
| Previous denomination | Methodist (1888–1977) |
| History | |
| Former name(s) |
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| Status | Church |
| Founded | 18 August 1888 |
| Dedicated | 8 November 1889 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | George Henry Male Addison |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1888–1889 |
| Construction cost | £10,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Red brick; limestone; slate |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Albert Street, Brisbane |
| Presbytery | Bremer Brisbane |
| Synod | Queensland |
The Albert Street Uniting Church is a beautiful old church in Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia. It's located on the corner of Albert Street and Ann Street. This church is very special because it's listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, which means it's an important historical building.
It was designed by an architect named George Henry Male Addison. The church was built between 1888 and 1889 by a company called Thomas Pearson & Sons. When it first opened, it was known as the Albert Street Methodist Church. Later, it was also called the Central Methodist Mission. In 1977, it became part of the Uniting Church.
Contents
History of the Church
The First Methodist Church
The very first Methodist church in Brisbane was a small brick building. It was built in 1849 on the corner of Albert Street and Burnett Lane.
The Second Methodist Church
In 1856, the first church was replaced with a bigger one. More and more people joined the church. By the early 1880s, the church needed even more space. So, in 1884, they bought land on the corner of Albert and Ann Streets. They held a competition to find the best design for a new church, and G. H. M. Addison won.
The Third and Current Church
The third church, which is the one you see today, cost about £10,000 to build. Thomas Pearson & Sons were the main builders. Other companies helped too, like Petrie & Son for the woodwork and Exton and Gough for the stained glass windows.
Music was very important in the Methodist church. So, a large pipe organ was installed. It was built by George Benson from Manchester and cost £1,000.
Five special foundation stones were laid by important church members on August 18, 1888. The church officially opened its doors on November 8, 1889.
In the 1920s, a special marble board was put up in the church entrance. It remembers the church members who served in World War I. More stained glass windows were added in 1944 and 1947 to honor people. The church has been repaired many times over the years, including a new slate roof in 1974-75.
In 1907, the church changed its name to the Central Methodist Mission. This showed that it was the main Methodist church in the city and had bigger responsibilities. The church has always helped people in need. It has created many services, especially for older people.
On March 1, 1928, a special memorial tablet was unveiled for a minister named Henry Youngman. This was done by John Gladwell Wheen, who was the head of the Methodist Church in Australia at the time.
This church was like the main hub for Methodism in Queensland. Important meetings and celebrations for Methodists often happened here. In 1977, the Methodist Church joined with other churches to form the Uniting Church. That's when the church was renamed the Albert Street Uniting Church.
What the Church Looks Like
The Albert Street Uniting Church is made of red bricks with white Oamaru limestone decorations. The roof is made of slate. It's built in a style called Victorian Gothic Revival. This means it has a cross shape when you look at it from above. It also has a steep roof, a tall spire next to the entrance, and strong buttresses (supports) on its walls.
You enter the church through an open porch with three pointed arches. Similar arches run along the sides of the church. Above the entrance porch, there's a large Gothic-style window with beautiful patterns. To the right of the entrance, there's a tall tower that leads up to the octagonal (eight-sided) spire. The spire has tall windows and four pointed decorations at its base. A fancy wrought iron decoration sits at the very top of the spire.
The roof over the main part of the church also has small windows that help with air flow. There's a side entrance to the right of the tower. It has a wide, pointed arch and a steep wall top with a Christian cross. Each side wing of the church has a round rose window at the top. Below these are two tall, pointed windows, and then smaller windows underneath them.
Inside, the floor of the main seating area slopes down towards the pulpit. The walls are smooth, and the lower part has wooden panels. There are balconies with rows of seats, supported by cast iron columns with fancy tops. The main ceiling and the undersides of the balconies have wooden boards arranged in a diagonal pattern. You can also see finely carved wood on the balcony railings, the roof structure, and the church furniture.
The most important parts inside are the pulpit and the organ. The pulpit is raised high above the floor. This shows how important preaching was in the Methodist tradition. Behind and above the pulpit is a large, beautifully painted pipe organ. This highlights how much Methodists valued music and singing in their worship.
Why It's a Heritage Site
The Albert Street Uniting Church was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 21, 1992. This means it's officially recognized as an important historical and cultural place. Here's why:
- A Great Example of Architecture: It's a wonderful example of a Victorian Gothic Revival church. It was also designed to suit Queensland's climate with its side walkways and front porch. Inside, it shows the main features of the Methodist tradition.
- Important to History: It played a big role in the history of the Methodist Church in Queensland.
- Stands Out in the City: The church is a very noticeable building on the corner of Albert and Ann Streets. It adds a lot to the look of the area around King George Square.
- Work of a Famous Architect: It's considered one of the most important works by the architect G. H. M. Addison.
See Also
- Albert Hall
Images for kids
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First Methodist church, 1849-1856
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Second Methodist Church, 1856-1889
