St John the Baptist Anglican Church, Richmond facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John the Baptist Anglican Church, Richmond |
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St John the Baptist Anglican Church, 2014
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| Location | Crawford Street, Richmond, Shire of Richmond, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1900–1914 (early 20th century) |
| Built | 1909–1988 |
| Official name: St John the Baptist Anglican Church Complex | |
| Type | state heritage (landscape, built) |
| Designated | 25 February 2000 |
| Reference no. | 601714 |
| Significant period | 1900s–1910s (historical) ongoing (social) |
| Significant components | church, stained glass window/s, memorial – plaque, church hall/sunday school hall, formation – tramway, furniture/fittings |
| Builders | Mr Moore of Hughenden |
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The St John the Baptist Anglican Church is a special old church located on Crawford Street in Richmond, Queensland, Australia. It was built a long time ago in 1909 by a builder named Mr Moore from Hughenden. This church is so important that it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on February 25, 2000. This means it's protected because of its history and special features.
History of the Church
The St John the Baptist Church in Richmond was built in 1909. Mr Moore from Hughenden was the builder.
How Richmond Town Grew
Richmond grew into a town in the late 1800s. It was built next to a waterhole on the Flinders River. The town became a helpful center for the many merino sheep and cattle farms in the area.
The Anglican Church in North Queensland
By 1878, the Anglican Church was already active in North Queensland. George Frodsham, who was the Bishop (a church leader) for the area, led the church.
To help people in the faraway northern and western parts, the Anglican Church leaders suggested creating the Bush Brotherhood of St James. This was a group of priests who would travel to serve isolated communities. In 1903, the first Bush Brother was sent to Herberton. By 1909, Edward Travers Crozier became the head of the North Queensland Bush Brotherhood. Another group, the Brotherhood of St Barnabas, also worked in the Richmond area.
Even without a church building, Bishop Frodsham held services in Richmond. He used a dance hall and later the Richmond Court House. He even used the judge's bench as his pulpit (a raised stand for preaching).
Building the Church
In 1904, Bishop Frodsham advised the Richmond church community about building a church. By 1906, the community had saved £105 for the building fund and wanted to double it. In 1907, plans were approved for the new Anglican church. It was to be named after St John the Baptist. The land for the church was given by Thomas Cox of Hughenden.
In 1908, a group called the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge gave £30 for the church. Reverend Canon Walter Williams brought a silver chalice (cup) and paten (plate) for the new church from England. When Bishop Frodsham visited Richmond in July 1909, he officially opened the newly built church.
At first, services were held once a month. The priest traveled from Hughenden to Richmond. By 1911, the church was still paying off its building debt. The community also planned to paint and fence the church. A belfry (bell tower) was built, and a bell was installed. The church even had a small organ by 1911.
In 1909, Hughenden had only one priest and one deacon to serve a huge area of 80,000 square miles. To solve this shortage, the Anglican Church looked for young, unmarried priests from other areas to work in North Queensland. By 1913, a Bush Brother was assigned to Richmond. A large room and a verandah were added to the church's vestry (a room for robes) for him to live in.
The Church Through the Years
Richmond continued to rely on sheep and cattle farming. However, the town got a boost during World War II when an airstrip was built nearby. In the 1950s, during a time when wool prices were very high, many shearers and station workers came to Richmond. This made the local economy very busy. New homes were also built during this time. The railway line was extended from Hughenden to Richmond and Mt Isa in the 1960s, which also helped the local economy.
The Anglican Church remained important to the Richmond community. In 1951, a new front fence and steel entrance gates were added. A steel-framed bell tower was dedicated in 1981. In 1988, the church building was covered with metal sheeting. Two stained glass windows were added to the front of the church. Around 1997, two more stained glass windows were put into the side walls of the sanctuary (the holy part of the church).
What the Church Looks Like
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The St John the Baptist Anglican Church in Richmond is a small, rectangular building. It has one story and is made of timber. The roof is gabled and covered with corrugated iron. At the back, there's an extension with a sloping roof that holds several rooms. There's also an open verandah with a sloping roof at the front.
The church is located on a flat, grassy block on Crawford Street. This street is one block away from Goldring Street, which is the main street of Richmond. The area around the church mostly has homes, though it backs onto some shops.
Outside the Church
You reach the church through decorative wrought steel gates. A pathway leads to the church, with two trees on either side. To the north-west of the church, there is a steel bell tower.
The outside walls of the church were originally made of chamferboard (a type of timber siding). These have since been covered with aluminium sheeting that looks similar. The building sits on low concrete stumps.
The front entry door has two parts. It has decorative early iron hinges and wooden boards with a special "tongue-and-groove" pattern.
Inside the Church
The main part of the church, called the nave, and the holy area, called the sanctuary, together measure about 7 by 9 meters. Most of the inside is made of beautiful silky oak wood. This includes the shiny wooden boards on the walls and the angled ceiling. The wooden roof supports, called trusses, can be seen inside. The arch leading to the sanctuary and the altar rails are also made of silky oak.
The nave has eight silky oak pews (church benches) with pegged joints. The table used as the altar is also made of silky oak. On the wall of the nave, there is a memorial board. It has plaques remembering when the altar rails were dedicated in 1906, the gates and fence in 1951, and the bell tower in 1981.
Next to the entry doors are two tall stained glass windows. They were made by Oliver Cowley in 1988. One window shows John the Baptist, and the other shows the baptism of Christ. On the side walls near the sanctuary, there are two more stained glass windows. These were put in during the 1990s to remember the pioneering men and women of the area.
The extension at the back of the church is divided into two parts. Bathroom facilities were added in one corner. This extension has walls and a sloping ceiling covered with fibrous cement sheets. Inside this area, you can find wardrobes, a lectern (a stand for reading), a bellows organ, and an iron bed.
Why the Church is Important
The St John the Baptist Anglican Church in Richmond was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on February 25, 2000. This means it is recognized as a very important historical place.
Showing Queensland's History
This church, built in 1909, helps us understand how the Anglican Church grew in small towns in western Queensland in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It especially shows the important work of the Bush Brotherhood. This group helped set up churches and parishes (church communities) in faraway towns.
Its Beautiful Design
The inside of the church is still very much like it was when it was built. It has a strong and beautiful look because of the shiny silky oak wood on the walls, the wooden details, the furniture, and the memorials. This interior shows how simple timber churches from that time could still be very beautiful.
Connection to Special Groups
The church has a special link to the Bush Brotherhood movement in western Queensland. This group played a big part in the church's history and its role in the community.
