Queen's Methodist Church, Boulder

Statement of Significance

Assessment of Significance: Queen's Methodist Church demonstrates a bold simplicity and a restrained use of religious symbols and decorative motifs combined with a flat two dimensional quality, unusual in church design at the turn-of-the-century;

Despite its present condition, Queen's Methodist Church is an important building in the local streetscape, and is regarded by the community as a Boulder landmark. (Criterion 1.3)

The construction and size of Queen's Methodist Church is closely associated with the rapid population growth in the eastern goldfields, at the turn of the century. The name of the church reflects the respect felt by the community for the British monarchy in Australia at the time. The site has some historic value as a place of continuous religious worship since 1897 to the mid 1970s. (Criterion 2.2)

Queen's Methodist Church is the only known work by Hine in the goldfields, and is a significant example of the several churches he designed in Western Australia, between 1895 and 1915. (Criterion 2.3)

Queen's Methodist Church has some social significance as an important focus for religious and social life in Boulder. For many years the church was renowned as a centre of musical culture in the eastern goldfields. (Criterion 4.1)

The church is held in high regard by the community; being listed in the town planning scheme as a place of heritage value, and being the subject of a petition of some four hundred signatures in 1993. (Criterion 4.1)

Constructed of Coolgardie brick, Queen's Methodist Church was the first brick church in Boulder, and is the only known work undertaken by Hine and Selby in the eastern goldfields. (Criterion 5.1)

Statement of Significance: Queen's Methodist Church has cultural significance for the following reasons:

- Queen's Methodist Church is of unusual design, exhibiting a bold simplicity, weighty assertiveness, and restrained use of religious motifs atypical of gothic revival churches of the 1900s. The modelling of the load bearing brickwork, vertical expression of the semicircular arched openings, and gabled parapet facade are important elements of this bold design;

- built in the midst of the gold boom, the place is large for a Methodist church and is closely identified with the growth of the mining population in Boulder. The naming of the church in honour of Queen Victoria reflects the strong ties of the community to the British monarchy;

- for many years Queen's Methodist Church was an important focus for religious, social and musical culture in the eastern goldfields; and,

- Queen's Methodist Church is held in high regard by the local community for its landmark quality and historical associations.

Physical Description

Queen's Methodist Church is located on Piesse Street, Boulder. 'It rests on 2 000 square metres of land and has no graveyard' (petition addressed to City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, 9 August 1993). The church is a prominent building in an otherwise low scale streetscape: the two storey gabled facade, with projecting religious motif, provides a distinctive skyline feature. Kalgoorlie Miner reported the church as having a 'satisfying harmonious front, rising high up to a cross, strongly buttressed walls with high windows heavily leaded in a chaste and attractive design...' (Kalgoorlie Miner, 16 November 1993: 3).

The building is rectangular in plan, '96 (ft) x 46 (ft) in the clear' and symmetrical along its long axis (Kalgoorlie Miner, 30 September 1903: 4). It has load bearing brick walls, a rendered dado plinth, and a corrugated iron covered roof, concealed from the street by a gabled parapet. The front and side walls are articulated into rectangular vertical bays, while the front wall is divided by horizontal stucco bands, which express window and door openings.

The church is characterised by its eclectic combination of romanesque and gothic elements. While the stepped buttresses and gabled portico's over the two front doors reflect some gothic attributes, the over all design symmetry, structural expression of the load bearing walls, and gabled parapet with semicircular arched motif, reflect a more romanesque flavour.

In 1961, the church interior was severely altered. The sloping floor of the church was levelled, being raised in the back half and lowered at the front, with steps installed between the two levels. A full height stud wall was constructed to divide the community space at the rear of the church from the religious activities at the front. In the community area half height stud partitioning divided the north eastern area into five small rooms. The sill height of windows along this wall was lowered to allow more light into these new rooms. A new exit door was built into the western wall.

The original planning of the interior can still be identified; however ,the alterations have greatly diminished the original character of the interior space. At the time of sale in 1986, the West Australian reported the high curved jarrah ceilings as a feature of the church, even though the full height partition disrupts the space. The article also noted that the church altar and pews were removed after the church was closed (West Australian, 1 September 1986: 70).

The interior has been greatly altered with the adaptive re-use of the place as apartments.

History

The first church at 38 Piesse Street, Boulder, was a corrugated iron structure, built in 1897, and named the Queen's Methodist Church. The name of the church was chosen to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the reign of Queen Victoria (National Trust of Australia (WA), Queen's Methodist Church Boulder, assessment exposition, August 1982). However, within a few years it was recognised that a more substantial church building was required to accommodate the rapidly growing Methodist population in Boulder. In September 1903, the Methodist Church (WA) accepted the tender of £2,939 from Ellis, Pitman and Tottendell for a brick church to seat 750 people (National Trust of Australia (WA), Queen's Methodist Church Boulder, assessment exposition, August 1982). The Kalgoorlie Miner noted that in the new church 'space has been allowed for seating accommodation for 750 people', and the Western Argus described the church as having '..the largest ground floor area of any Methodist Church in the State' (Kalgoorlie Miner, 30 September 1903: 4; Western Argus, 8 March 1904: 15).

A public ceremony to unveil the memorial tablets (in lieu of the usual foundation stone laying), took place on 28 October 1903 (Kalgoorlie Miner, 30 September 1903: 4). The tablets can be seen high up on the frontage of the church, facing Piesse Street. Mr I. W. Goss and Cr Fred Mitchell, two of the oldest members of the Boulder Church, were entrusted with the duty of unveiling the tablets. The Mayor of Kalgoorlie (Mr N. Keenan) and the Mayor of Boulder (Mr W. T. Rabbish) were among the guests and speakers at the unveiling (Kalgoorlie Miner, 29 October 1903: 4).

The official opening of the Queen's Methodist Church took place on 6 March 1904. As described in the Western Argus:

"the opening commenced with a morning service and was followed by celebrations and services throughout the day. "Special features of the service were the splendid choral music and orchestral accompaniments. There were about 100 well trained singers on the platform... " (Western Argus, 8 March 1904: 15).

Queen's Methodist Church was designed by James Hine, a partner in the Perth architectural firm Hine and Selby. Hine and Selby designed a range of domestic and commercial buildings in Perth, as well as several non-conformist churches, including Congregational Church, Subiaco (1905), additions to Methodist Church, Maylands (1905), and St Andrews (Presbyterian) Church (1906), St George's Terrace, Perth (Considine and Griffiths, 1995). However, Queen's Methodist Church is their only known work in the goldfields.

Built of Coolgardie bricks, Queen's Methodist Church was the first brick church in Boulder (National Trust of Australia (WA), Queen's Methodist Church Boulder, assessment exposition, August 1982). The appearance of Queen's Methodist Church is unusual by comparison to the more traditional form of parish churches at the time. While most churches were built in a Gothic Revival style, characterised by vigorous three-dimensional modelling of forms and details, the massing and form, and in particular the facade of Queen's Methodist Church is strikingly different in its two dimensional bold simplicity. The overall image was more like a local hall than a church. This design was not typical of the church designs of Hine and Selby, although some of this bold simplicity is also evident in the unusual proportions of St Andrew's Church, Perth.

For many years Queen's Methodist Church was noted as the centre of music culture in the Eastern Goldfields. An article in the Kalgoorlie Miner recording the celebrations of the diamond jubilee of Queen's Methodist Church in 1963, described the church as, 'a centre of great activity, ...known for its hymn - singing congregations' (Kalgoorlie Miner, 16 November 1963: 3). The article noted 'the significant contribution this church has made to the life of the goldfields' and commented on its renowned musical past. The diamond jubilee festivities were reported to be 'a worthy tribute to Queen's renowned musical past' (Kalgoorlie Miner, 16 November 1963: 11).

In 1961, the interior layout of the Queen's Methodist Church was severely altered. Rather than use one large open space, the congregation requires separate spaces to accommodate church services, a hall, small class rooms and a kitchen. These interior alterations were designed by Perth architect K. Broadhurst and a quote of £4,500 from builder T. D. Scott was accepted. When the alterations were completed, the old 'tin church' which had been used as a hall and Sunday School was dismantled (National Trust of Australia (WA), Queen's Methodist Church Boulder, assessment exposition, August 1982).

Queen's Methodist Church was closed in December 1975, as a part of the rationalisation of church properties following the amalgamation of the non-Conformist Churches to form the Uniting Church. In December 1978, the property was bought by a local politician, Mr Graeme Campbell (Labour MHR for Kalgoorlie), to save the church from demolition. Eight years later (1986), the building was advertised for sale at the price of $30 000, and eventually sold to Ms N Hall (West Australian, 1 September 1986: 70). Due to a number of factors, little work was done on the place to maintain it. In 1991, an article in the Kalgoorlie Miner stated '…the building's oregon pine ceiling was being destroyed by rain and pigeon droppings and its interior walls were covered in graffiti' (Kalgoorlie Miner, 24 July 1991: 2. The reference to the oregon pine ceiling is incorrect; the ceiling is lined with jarrah boarding).

In 1993, a petition of some 400 signatures was presented to City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, and a copy forwarded to the Minister for Heritage, requesting that the place be repaired and upgraded 'for the protection of the residents and the beautification of our city ...' (petition addressed to City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, 9 August 1993).

In 1994, Queen's Methodist Church was sold to M. D. Glendinning and Tanvier Pty Ltd for $80,000, who proposed to convert the place for residential use. The scheme involved the restoration of the church, the restoration of its fabric and conversion to eight residential units within the church, with an additional six units at the rear. This work has been completed.

The Insurance Plans for Boulder c. 1900 illustrate the brick Queen's Methodist Church with Lot 35 occupying a Hall made of iron, and Lot 36 having a shed, a dwelling, and several outbuildings, all made of iron. Also on Lot 36 facing Piesse Street were two iron sheds one being for Mann Bootmaker and the other for Goss Undertaker, both with verandahs over the footpath.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Low
Authenticity: Low

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.