Rosebery Methodist Church
On arrival at Rosebery in 1963, I soon joined in with the Methodist Church. It was a small group of some 16-20 attending services of which only six had Methodist membership with the remainder coming from a variety of other denominations, apart from Anglicans and Catholics who had their own churches.
The Methodist Church had a resident minister, the Rev. Graeme Gregory (wife Eve) while the Anglicans and Catholics were serviced by a visiting minister/priest.
The Methodist Church had been built in 1930, and opened on Sunday, 4 May 1930. It was situated on the corner of Read and Murchison Streets, constructed of weatherboard and iron roof, with the interior having a three-ply hoop pine ceiling and interior walls, with a hardwood dado.
A Sunday School was built in 1954 followed by a parsonage in 1956. Prior accommodation for the minister was a living area attached to the rear of the Church.
The Church people were very welcoming, and some friendships soon established. Particularly remembered being the Mansfield family, Mrs. Myrtle Mansfield and her son Bryan, with contact between Bryan and I continuing. Many baked meals were enjoyed at their home and evenings spent watching television.
Myrtle Mansfield was very active in the town and a well-known identity, and in church circles was noted as the mainstay of the Rosebery congregation for over 40 years, also was much involved with the Country Women’s Association and on the Board of the town Medical Association. In recognition of her community service was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire).
Also remembered were Lawry Rhodes and his wife Dawn. Lawry was a metallurgist at the mine. On occasion, he conducted worship services at the church. He had a good singing voice and, in later years, sang in a choir with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. On several occasions, I babysat their first three children.
Joining the congregation during the year was George Pun who came to the mine to complete a year’s practical experience to qualify for his engineering degree. George had been born in China, but the family had moved to British North Borneo when the Communists took control in China. Besides being trained in mining engineering, was also a qualified geologist.
George and I became good friends and spent much time exploring old mine sites and searching for minerals.
EARLY METHODISTS AT ROSEBERY
By 1897, soon after the start of mining, a Methodist Service was held in Mr. Eckberg’s Rosebery carpenter’s shop with a church being built in 1898. Its locality and fate is now unknown.
There was limited growth in the town till the 1920s and in 1928 the Methodist cause was resurrected with one service a week being held in the Rosebery Public Hall. By the next year plans were being drawn up to build a church with the church opened in 1930 as previously stated.
The Church has since closed and the property was sold in October 2009. It is now a private residence.
Written by Ivan Badcock – 7 May 2024