Quetta Memorial Precinct facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Quetta Memorial Precinct |
|
|---|---|
Quetta Memorial Cathedral Church, 2014
|
|
| Location | Douglas Street, Thursday Island, Shire of Torres, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s - 1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1891 (original) 1965 (extended) |
| Official name: Quetta Memorial Precinct, All Souls and St Bartholomews Cathedral Church and Quetta Memorial, Bishops House, St Bartholomews Old Cathedral | |
| Type | state heritage (landscape, built) |
| Designated | 27 July 2001 |
| Reference no. | 602168 |
| Significant period | 1890s-1900s (historical) ongoing (social) |
| Significant components | tower - bell / belfry, memorial - plaque, church, garden/grounds, residential accommodation - rectory, residential accommodation - bishop's house, chapel, church hall/sunday school hall, furniture/fittings, memorial - other, stained glass window/s, objects (movable) - religion/worship, views to, college - ecclesiastical/theological, memorial - church |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
The Quetta Memorial Precinct is a special group of buildings on Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia. It includes the All Souls and St Bartholomew's Cathedral Church, the Bishop's House, and the Church Hall. This important place was built to remember the 134 people who lost their lives when the ship RMS Quetta sank on February 28, 1890. The church was designed by architect John H. Buckeridge between 1892 and 1893. The precinct is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because of its history and importance.
Contents
History of the Quetta Memorial Precinct
The Quetta Memorial Precinct on Thursday Island began in the early 1890s. The main buildings here are:
- The Bishop's House (also called Bishop's College), built in 1891. It was first for the local church leader, then for the first Bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Carpentaria from 1900.
- All Souls and St Bartholomew's Cathedral Church and Quetta Memorial, built in stages from 1893 to 1965.
- The Church Hall, built in 1902–03 as the Parish Institute.
- The Rectory, built in 1904.
Thursday Island's Early Days
Thursday Island, known as Waiben by its original people, is near Cape York Peninsula. The Kaurareg people lived from the sea and moved their camps often.
In the 1860s and 1870s, British ships came to the Torres Strait. People came for fishing, pearl-shelling, and missionary work. In 1877, the main government settlement moved to Thursday Island. This made it an important stop for ships traveling to Asia and England.
The Coming of the Light
Christian missionaries first arrived in the Torres Strait in July 1871. This event is called "the coming of the light" by Torres Strait Islanders. It is a very important day for them, marking a new beginning. By the mid-1880s, most Torres Strait Islanders were Christian.
The Anglican Diocese of North Queensland was formed in 1878. Church services on Thursday Island were held in the Court House. In 1885–1886, land was set aside for a church. However, a terrible shipwreck in 1890 truly started the building of the Anglican church.
The RMS Quetta Shipwreck
.jpg)
On February 28, 1890, the British ship RMS Quetta hit an unknown rock near Albany Island. It sank in just three minutes, and 133 people died. This was one of Australia's worst sea disasters. Many important Queensland families lost loved ones.
Soon after, a church leader suggested building a church on Thursday Island to remember those lost. Everyone agreed that a church and a house for the minister should be built as a memorial.
Building the Memorial Church
In 1891, a house for the minister (the rectory) was built first. It was made of timber and had wide verandahs. After this, Reverend William Maitland Woods became the first minister. People started raising money for the Memorial Church. They collected a lot of money from all over Australia and Britain.
The church committee decided to build the church from concrete, not brick or stone. They asked John H. Buckeridge, the Anglican church architect for Brisbane, to design it. His design was for a Gothic Revival style church with a tall tower. However, like many churches, it was built in stages as money became available. It was never fully completed to the original plan.
The foundation stone was laid on May 24, 1893. Six months later, on November 12, 1893, the first part of the church was finished. It was named All Souls Quetta Memorial Church. By 1895, most of the main part of the church (the nave) was done.
The Church Becomes a Cathedral
By 1901, the side sections (aisles) of the church were added, made of timber. The church could seat about 250 people. It became a place of pilgrimage and a tourist attraction. Many items from the Quetta shipwreck were displayed, along with other memorials.
In 1900, the Anglican Diocese of Carpentaria was created. It covered a huge area, including the Torres Strait and the Northern Territory. Thursday Island was chosen as the main location for the Bishop. The existing rectory became the Bishop's House, and the All Souls' Quetta Memorial Church became the All Souls' Cathedral Church and Quetta Memorial.
The Bishop's House was made larger in 1900-1901 to also house a theological college for students. This college helped train new church leaders.
Improvements and New Buildings
Between 1901 and 1904, many improvements were made. A new church hall (Parish Institute) was built in 1902–03. It was designed by John Hamilton Park and used for meetings and Sunday School. A bell tower was also built with a bell from Townsville.
In 1904, a new timber rectory was built for the local minister. The church grounds were also fenced.
The church became a central place for the diverse community on Thursday Island. It served soldiers, pearl-shellers, visitors, and people from the South Sea Islands and Japan.
Completing the Church
After 1904, the northeast side section of the cathedral was completed as the Douglas Memorial Chapel. It opened on June 29, 1913. It included a beautiful stained glass window. The southwest side section was finished in 1915. These new sections had rows of arched doors, making the church very bright and cool.
Many memorials were placed in the cathedral:
- A plaque for over 300 people lost in a cyclone in 1899.
- A marble font dedicated in 1902 to missionaries Rev. James Chalmers and Rev. Oliver Tomkins, who died in New Guinea.
- A brass tablet for Hugh Milman, a government leader on Thursday Island.
- Stained glass windows for Deaconess Buchanan and for Alexander and Louisa Archer, who drowned in the Quetta.
In 1915, the Anglican Diocese took over the Torres Strait Mission. The All Souls' Cathedral Church became even more important for religious life in the Torres Strait.
Modern Changes
During Second World War, Thursday Island became a military base. Services continued at the cathedral. In the 1960s, the front of the cathedral was extended. In 1965, St Bartholomew became a patron saint, and the church was renamed The Cathedral Church of All Souls and St Bartholomew (Quetta Memorial).
In 1989, a beautiful timber screen carved by Abia Ingui from Boigu Island was added. Colorful stained glass windows designed by Oliver Cowley were also installed in the 1980s.
In 1996, the Diocese of Carpentaria rejoined the Diocese of North Queensland. The Bishop's House was no longer used as a residence. Today, the cathedral is still a vital center for Anglican churches across the Torres Strait.
The cathedral is important for Christian worship and for Torres Strait Islander identity. On July 1, 1994, the Torres Strait Regional Agreement was signed here, on the same day as the "Coming of the Light" celebration.
What the Precinct Looks Like
The Anglican precinct on Thursday Island is in the oldest part of town, near the waterfront. It is bordered by Douglas, Jardine, and Chester Streets. The land slopes down towards Douglas Street.
The main buildings are:
- The Bishop's House (1891)
- All Souls' and St Bartholomew's Cathedral Church (1893–1965)
- The Church Hall (1902–03)
- The Rectory (1904)
The grounds also have memorials, a bell tower, old trees, and garden paths.
The Church Building
The Quetta Memorial Church is a Gothic Revival style building. It is made of concrete, shaped to look like stone. The front part was added in the 1960s, made of concrete and fiber cement.
The older parts of the church have steep, gabled roofs. The main entrance faces Douglas Street. The nave (main seating area) has a high ceiling with exposed timber beams. The side sections (aisles) have pairs of arched timber doors. Windows throughout the church are lancet-shaped and have stained-glass panels.
The 1960s addition has a lower, less steep roof. Its walls are concrete, and the front is timber-framed with glass doors. Inside, the older part of the nave has an open, unpainted timber ceiling. The walls look like stone. The floor is concrete. The altars are made of local granite.
The church holds many items from the Quetta shipwreck and other memorials. These include a lifebelt, a porthole covered in coral, and the ship's stern light. Some church furniture is made from the Quetta's timber. There are also plaques and stained glass windows remembering those lost.
Outside the church, a steel frame holds a ship's bell with "QUETTA" and "1881" on it. There is also a concrete memorial from 1961, shaped like a small boat, celebrating the arrival of missionaries in 1871.
The Church Hall
The Church Hall is near Douglas Street. It is a large timber building with verandahs on the front and sides. It has a high gabled roof. The front verandah has a small gabled section. The front and side walls are made of timber. The front has double doors and windows with painted glass.
Bishop's House
The Bishop's House is on higher ground behind the church hall. It is a timber house on concrete stumps. The original building had verandahs, but these have been enclosed over time with different materials. The front entrance still has a small porch.
Inside, the house has been changed a lot. What was once a front verandah and rooms is now a large living space. The back verandah is now a dining room. The house has several bedrooms and a kitchen area. Most inside walls are covered with fiber cement.
Next to the house is the former Bishop's Chapel, a small building with corrugated iron walls and roof.
The Rectory
The Rectory is a timber building on high stumps. It has been covered with fiber cement and has a modern roof. It used to be a small house with a front verandah, but this has been enclosed.
Why the Precinct is Important
The Quetta Memorial Precinct is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register for several reasons:
A Look into Queensland's Past
This precinct shows how Christianity came to the Torres Strait and how Thursday Island grew. The cathedral, as a memorial to the Quetta shipwreck, reminds us of the dangers of sea travel long ago. The Bishop's House was home to the Bishop of Carpentaria for 96 years. It also housed the first Anglican college in the far north from 1901 to 1907.
Unique History
The cathedral is special because it holds relics and memorials from the Quetta and other shipwrecks. It is the only known memorial church in Queensland linked to sea disasters.
A Great Example of Its Kind
The Anglican Cathedral Precinct is a well-preserved church complex. It includes the Bishop's House (1891), Cathedral (1893–1964), Parish Institute (1902–03), and Rectory (1904). The cathedral shows how 19th-century Gothic Revival style churches were built in tropical places. It used concrete instead of stone and was built in stages. The inside of the cathedral is very original and has many memorials. The older parts of the cathedral show the work of architect John Hingeston Buckeridge.
Beautiful and Impressive
The Quetta Memorial Precinct is a key part of Thursday Island's look. The cathedral and church hall stand out on Douglas Street. Inside the cathedral, the high ceilings, arched aisles, timber roof, and stained glass windows create a powerful feeling.
Important to the Community
The cathedral, church hall, and Bishop's House are very important to the people of the Torres Strait, especially the Anglican community. The cathedral has always been a central place for worship for Thursday Islanders. It is seen as the "mother church" for Anglicans in the Torres Strait. It holds many items related to shipwrecks and the sea, which are deeply connected to Torres Strait culture. Many Islanders see this precinct as a sacred place.
The precinct is also important to all Queenslanders as a memorial to the Quetta shipwreck. It has been a place of pilgrimage and a tourist attraction, known throughout Queensland.
Linked to Important Work
The precinct is strongly linked to the missionary work of the Church of England in Australia. It started as a memorial but quickly became the heart of Christian life in the Torres Strait. It helped spread Christianity through the islands. Many Torres Strait Islander Anglican ministers were ordained here. The precinct shows the important leadership role the Church has played in the Torres Strait.
