Narembeen Museum

Statement of Significance

The place is significant as the first church built and consecrated in Narembeen and the only church in the district for twenty five years. The former church demonstrates the interaction of the interdenominational churches during their developing periods in Narembeen. It is significant as a place of religious worship and celebration and displays a range of customs and religious philosophies, and an association with the hierarchy of the Anglican Church. The former St Paul's Anglican Church represents a way of life that is no longer practised. It is representative of its type, and is the only example in Narembeen. It makes a significant contribution to the townscape and character of Narembeen.

Physical Description

The building is a simple building rectangular in shape with a protruding entry porch on the west side of the front. A steeple on the roof has been removed and is in storage. The weatherboard walls are entirely unpainted and have previously been oiled. The church windows are mauve coloured obscure patterned glass in panels. Each casement window has an angled timber detail forming the top of the frame. The roof is a combination of gable ends and hips. The entire roof is painted corrugated iron sheets The porch has a gable infill. The Entry doors are ledge and braced doors with the same angled top frame detail as the windows. The doors have been painted on the outside, and the frame of the inside has been painted, retaining the stained jarrah finish of the boards. The entire perimeter of the inside of the hall has a 1500mm high dado wall of vertical tongue and groove stained jarrah boards. Above the dado wall is white painted plaster sheets with stained jarrah battens over the vertical sheet joins. The pulpit walls continue along the same dado line even though the floor is at a higher level. The vestry walls are the same as the remainder of the internal walls. The church hall ceiling is a plasterboard lined cathedral ceiling. The stained jarrah batten sheet joins form a geometric pattern. Steel structural tie rods are exposed across the span of the ceiling. The vestry and pulpit ceilings are flat and lined in a similar manner. The entire floor is tongue and groove 80mm jarrah floorboards. The pulpit has a raised floor on two separate levels. The building is raised on jarrah stumps, which have subsided to a level where the church hall floor is at ground level and slopes down towards the entry of the hall.

History

The first Anglican Minister to conduct services in Narembeen was Mr Jodrell who rode a horse from Kondinin. Later Reverend Griffin Smith from Bruce Rock, visited for monthly services in Narembeen Hall. Sunday School was held at Mrs Pippett's House. The Anglican church services were held in the Narembeen Hall from when it was first built until the St Paul's Anglican Church was built in 1928. The Methodist congregation conducted their services in the Anglican Church twice a month until they built their own church in 1955.
Plans for a parish and a church building had been developing for some time when the diocese of Perth granted £750 for a church building (despite the fact that Narembeen was in the Kalgoorlie diocese) Connelly and Hale donated the land for the church. In 1924 a Ladies Guild was formed with the Stationmasters wife, Mrs Wales .elected the President. Many balls, fetes and cake stalls were organised to raise money for the church. The maypole dance was the main attraction at the fete in the garden of the Stationmaster's House.
In November 1928 tenders were called for the church building. The building cost £300 for labour plus the cost of materials, a total of about £900. The building was dedicated on the 6th February 1929 by the Archdeacon Moore (later Dean), from Northam. He was assisted by the visiting priest from Bruce Rock, Rector P Griffin Smith. In 1929 two lay readers conducted the evening services. A full choir from St Peter's were present for the occasion.
When an offer of financial support was made to the parish during the depression, it was accepted gratefully. "The Society for the propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts", an English Organisation, donated substantial monies to the Narembeen parish. The Society sent Reverend Thomas Bushby out from England in 1930. Reverend Bushby was the first resident Minister in Narembeen. An anonymous Englishwoman benefactor provided monies for maintenance and the Minister's stipend, although there was a shortfall amount that the congregation contributed.
The church was the place where all the weddings were celebrated, the babies christened and the memorials read for the bereaved. For over 25 years in the town of Narembeen St Paul's Church was the only consecrated place of religious worship.
A rectory was built next to the Church some years before Mr Bushby returned to England in 1937. Reverend Allen Cutts succeeded Bushby, and the parish was known as the Narembeen-Coriigin Parish in the Bunbury Diocese. The next minister, Mr Harfield chose to reside in the larger town of Corrigin, and only visited for two services a month. The subsequent minister, the Reverend Eric Currie, also lived in Corrigin, but it was difficult to service the parish with the rationing during World War Two. For some time Narembeen was without a permanent Rector. During that time Archbishop Moline visited for Christmas, Easter and feast days. Mr Bazley from Merredin visited occasionally. An English Missionary, David Hoey visited regularly from Bruce Rock. A number of other temporary and visiting arrangements were made during the war years.
It was not until after the war that Reverend Norman Apthorpe was invited by the Perth Diocese to come to Western Australia, he accepted the Narembeen Parish, and settled with his family. He established the pattern of resident ministers again. The inadequacies of the rectory accommodation became obvious with Mr Apthorp's family of three children. Apthorp was succeeded by Mr Cecil Hodgson who made a move to build a new rectory and church. The rectory had been sold during the war years (for £1500 to WJ Nichols) The new rectory was completed in 1958 on one of four blocks which had been purchased some years previously by the Vestry. During Apthorps time the church prospered. Hodgson and the church secretary Ralph Fardon encouraged the vestry to raise funds for a new church. There was some dissent among the parishioners, but the new St Paul's Church was constructed and opened in 1965. The Shire of Narembeen purchased the property and in 1969 the church became the Narembeen Historical Museum. Tom Savage officially opened the Church Museum In 1994, the historical items which were housed in the church were relocated to the old RSL Hall in Savage Street. The Church Museum still has some items in store. It is not used for any other purpose at this time.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Intact
Authenticity: High degree

Condition

Fair - 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.