Fortitude Valley Primitive Methodist Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fortitude Valley Primitive Methodist Church |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Location | 483 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s - 1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1876 - 1900 |
| Architect | Richard Gailey |
| Architectural style(s) | Gothic |
| Official name: Potters Gallery, Brunswick Street Methodist Church, Brunswick Street Uniting Church, Fortitude Valley Primitive Methodist Church | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600206 |
| Significant period | 1876, 1900 (fabric) 1876-1982, 1898, 1977 (historical) |
| Significant components | wall/s - retaining |
| Builders | John Smith & Sons |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
The Fortitude Valley Primitive Methodist Church is an old church building in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Australia. It was built a long time ago, in 1876, and was designed by a famous architect named Richard Gailey. Today, this special building is no longer a church. Instead, it's used as an art gallery where people can see and buy beautiful artworks. It's also known by other names like Brunswick Street Methodist Church and Potters Gallery. This building is so important that it's listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, which means it's protected because of its history and beauty.
A Look Back: The Church's Story
This brick building was finished in 1876 for a group of Christians called the Primitive Methodists in Brisbane. They bought the land on Brunswick Street in 1875.
Early Days of Methodism
This was actually the third Primitive Methodist Church built in Brisbane. Primitive Methodist services, led by regular church members, started in Brisbane in 1859. The first official minister arrived the next year. A small church was built in Windmell (now McLachlan) Street in 1861. Soon after, another church was built in Adelaide Street. By the mid-1870s, the Fortitude Valley area was growing. This meant a new, bigger church was needed.
Building the Church
The plans for the new church were drawn by Richard Gailey. He was a well-known Brisbane architect. He designed many Protestant churches in Queensland during the late 1800s and early 1900s. One of his other famous designs is the Baptist City Tabernacle, which opened in 1890.
Builders were asked to submit bids for the Brunswick Street church in February 1876. The job was given to John Smith & Sons. Several special foundation stones were laid on March 1, 1876. The building was finished in about five and a half months. It cost around £1,100, which included all the fittings inside. The first church service was held on September 24, 1876. The Brunswick Street church quickly became the main center for Primitive Methodism in Brisbane.
The Penny Savings Bank
One of the church's most successful activities was starting the Fortitude Valley Penny Savings Bank. This bank operated from the church building from 1886 until 1982. It then moved to a private home until it closed in 1993.
Penny Savings Banks had been around in Brisbane since at least the 1870s. They were usually run by churches, workers' groups, or clubs. These weren't like regular banks. Their main goal was to help people save money who couldn't afford the minimum deposit required by bigger banks. The Fortitude Valley Penny Savings Bank was started by Mr. H. Bennett. His family mostly ran it for over 100 years. It started with the Primitive Methodist Sunday School. Later, it even offered loans for people to buy homes. The bank was separate from the church's daily activities. However, any money it made was given to the church for upkeep and special projects.
Changes Over Time
In 1898, different Methodist groups in Queensland joined together. These included the Wesleyans, Primitive Methodists, Bible Christians, and United Free Methodists. After this, the Fortitude Valley Primitive Methodist Church became known as the Brunswick Street Methodist Church.
The building was made bigger in 1900. A vestry (a room for clergy) and a classroom were added to the back. These additions were planned to celebrate the start of the 20th century.
Later, in 1935-36, a timber hall was built behind the church. Plans were drawn by Rev Frederick Arthur Malcolm. The building was put up by volunteers, costing £375. A special ceremony was held on August 17, 1935, and the hall opened on April 5, 1936. This building has been changed a lot since then.
New Beginnings: From Church to Gallery
In 1977, the church members joined the Uniting Church. They combined with the Fortitude Valley Presbyterian Church. This meant the Brunswick Street church building was no longer needed. It was sold to the Queensland Potters Association in 1982.
The Association fixed up the building. They added a new steel floor inside, called a mezzanine. In 1983, they opened the Potters Gallery there. This gallery was a place to show and sell artworks made by their members.
In 2005, a big project started to build a new gallery building at street level, with the old church building above it. The new gallery opened in October 2008, after facing many challenges. However, it closed in September 2010. For a while, the gallery building was a French restaurant called Lady Lamington. It was then sold in early 2014. Since then, it has reopened as a private art gallery, called the Brisbane Modern Art Gallery.
What the Church Looks Like
The Fortitude Valley Primitive Methodist Church is a single-story building. It's made of masonry (like brick or stone) covered in a smooth finish. It sits on a stone base. The building is on a raised corner, looking over Brunswick Street. You can reach it by two sets of stairs built into a neat brick wall.
Outside Features
The roof is very steep and covered with corrugated iron. The building's design clearly shows a strong Gothic style.
The church has a rectangular shape. It has five sections, each with strong support walls called buttresses. At the back, there's a storeroom with a sloped corrugated iron roof. Each section has a tall, narrow window. These windows have special sandblasted glass.
The front of the church, facing north, is very fancy and balanced. It has two pointed arch doorways with small porches. Above these, there's a single narrow window and a round "rose window." You get to the doors by two sets of stone stairs. The front is framed by two tall, pointed spires. The building also has decorative timber work under the roof edges and along the gables. There are also fancy moldings around the windows.
The south side of the church has a rose window above where the original pulpit (speaker's stand) used to be. The storeroom is attached below it. These rose windows have colorful red, blue, and yellow glass.
Inside the Building
Inside, you can see the open timber trusses (support beams) that line up with the outside buttresses. The ceiling is made of wooden boards. The inside walls are smooth. A new steel mezzanine floor has been added. It's held up by twelve columns and attached to the side walls in four places. You can get to this new floor by stairs from the original raised pulpit area. The original pulpit and its railing are still there.
The storeroom has small fan-shaped windows above its regular windows and doors. It has also been partly divided into smaller areas. A newer office building is located behind the main church building.
Why It's a Heritage Site
The Fortitude Valley Primitive Methodist Church was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 21, 1992. This means it's considered very important for a few reasons:
Showing Queensland's History
It helps us understand how Primitive Methodism started and grew in Queensland in the second half of the 1800s.
Its Beautiful Design
People value its beautiful look. Its size, shape, and materials make Brunswick Street and Fortitude Valley look special. The highly decorated front of the church is especially admired.
Special Connections
The building is strongly linked to the work of Brisbane architect Richard Gailey. It's a great example of his church designs. It also has a special connection to the Fortitude Valley Penny Savings Bank, which helped people save money for almost a century.
