Shepparton’s churches: Presbyterian Church and School Hall Fryers St.
W.S. James’s book the History of Shepparton 1838-1938 provides an extensive history of Shepparton’s early churches and its people of faith. Here are some excerpts up to the early 1900s.
Presbyterian Church
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
The Presbyterian Church stands on a block of land originally reserved by the Government of the Colony for a post office and law courts [corner Fryers and Corio Sts.], in the earlier times of the town’s progress. Prior to 1876, occasional services were held by visiting clergymen. The earliest records now in possession of the Rev. G. Paul show that on December 5, 1876, the Rev. Wm. Thomson, minister at Mooroopna, was “appointed to take oversight over Shepparton district.” On November 12, 1878, “Rev. Thomson was authorised to conduct a fortnightly service in Shepparton.” These services were held in the Shire Hall. On March 11, 1884, Shepparton and adjoining districts east of the Goulburn River were “formed into a separate charge,” and on August 18, 1885, in the Shire Hall, “the Rev. Robinson Johnston was ordained and inducted into the charge of Shepparton.” At the end of 1885 or early in 1886, the site on which the church stands was bought by public auction from the Government at a Crown Lands Sale by the church authorities. Tenders were accepted on August 31, 1887, for the erection of the front portion of the present church. The successful tender was let to Messrs. Kettle and Morris, and the church was opened by the Rev, A. Connan, of Benalla, on March 25, 1888.
Wesleyan Church
In 1878 the Rev. John Brown was appointed to Shepparton by the Wesleyan denomination to pioneer a church. He held his first service in the Kialla United Free Methodist Church, crossed the Broken River on horseback and came to Shepparton, where he conducted a service at Mr. John Furphy’s home on the same day. The following Sunday he preached in a hut at Tallygaroopna on Mr. Sandiland’s property. The Wesleyans being the more virile body of Methodists made a forward move in the Rev. Brown’s first year of his ministry in Shepparton, and built a brick church in Stewart Street. This building still stands, and after having been used for many purposes since 1878 is now the Scout Hall for the Boy Scout movement.
Mr. Caleb Roe (no relation to the Roe family of the United Free Methodist Church), a well-respected citizen of Shepparton today states that he well remembers the opening of the church during his boyhood. He relates that on the Saturday, the day before the first service to be conducted in the new church, he spent the greater part of the day cleaning the windows of the church, that it might be ready for the service on the morrow.
The new church drew many of the Wesleyan folk who up to this time had been adherents of the United Free Methodist persuasion. Nevertheless, there was always a good fraternal feeling existent between both denominations, which so little differed in their teachings. Unfortunately, the United Free Methodists’ ranks were depleted, but both churches held many adherents. [The United Methodist Free Church and the Wesleyan Church became one in 1900, two years before these denominations were united throughout Australia. Union was due to the efforts of John Furphy (UMF) and Ralph Longstaff (W).]
Early days: Methodist churches.
Primitive Methodist Church
The Primitive Methodist faith had been established in Benalla, and an effort was made to establish that denomination in Shepparton district. The Rev. Snooks (whose name was later changed to Harris), after visitation to Caniambo in 1877, found the following families interested in the establishment of a church: Messrs. J. Frederick, W. Cole, D. Broater, G. Bradshaw, J. Thomas and L. and W. Dans. It seems that on his first visit, services had beep held for some time in the home of Mr. Walter Dans, where conveniences were in use by those attending. Slabs had been split, holes bored in the ends and legs inserted, which served for seats.
The congregation grew and it was decided to build a church. A group of farmers started one morning, with drays and wagons, for Strathbogie, 30 miles away, and returned with timber for a church, which was erected about the end of 1878. The congregation, prior to those days, comprised all denominations, being the only church in the locality. The minister came quarterly, the rest of the services being supplied by local preachers.
Caniambo eventually became a branch circuit and had the following ministers stationed there from 18.80: D. Provan, D. Brown, A. Hartlett, J. Beck, E. Parsons. Services were held at Goomalbie, Earlstone and Upotipotpon, and churches built there.
Other services were held at Pine Lodge, Cosgrove, Tamleugh and the church at this period grew in the country district, North Caniambo, in schools, halls and private homes. Eventually Caniambo threw in their lot with the other churches in Shepparton and Benalla on the union of Methodist churches. [On 1 January 1902, five Methodist denominations in Australia — the Wesleyan Methodist Church, the Primitive Methodists, the Bible Christian Church, the United Methodist Free and the Methodist New Connexion Churches came together to found a new church.]
