Uniting Church (fmr)

Statement of Significance

Uniting Church (fmr) has aesthetic value for the remaining form and detail of its original construction in 1901 in the Federation Gothic style.

The place has aesthetic value as a landmark in the streetscape since 1901.

The place has historic value for its association with the Methodist Church and later the Uniting Church in the developing residential areas of Perth throughout the 20th century.

The place has social value for the members of the community who attended the place as the Methodist and Uniting Church throughout the 20th century for social or religious occasions.

Physical Description

A former church now converted into a residence. Although the place has been converted for residential use, the ecclesiastical character still prevails. The place is of brick construction, rendered to the main body of the building with face brick gables. The steeply pitched roof has been reclad in long sheet zincalume cladding.
The hall has been demolished.
The arched openings around the house remain extant and now contain clear glazing. The porch entrance with arched timber board door also remains extant.

History

Two foundation stones were laid for the former church on Thursday 13 December 1900. One by Mr W G Brookman Mayor of Perth and the other by Mrs Veryard the Mayoress of Leederville. At this ceremony Reverend Bird stated that it had been found necessary to build a church owing to the increase in membership of the denomination in Leederville. The trustees of the church had secured the excellent site overlooking the greater part of the suburb and were in the process of erecting the church of the dimensions
25ft x 35ft. The architect and builder of the church have not been determined in this research.

The church was built in 1900 and opened on 24 January 1901 by the Rev Bird. The opening ceremony coincided with a memorial service for Queen Victoria on 22 January 1901. The Church provided the foundation of the former Methodist circuit that spread throughout the adjacent suburbs as far as Wembley Downs.

Until the 1970's the church attracted large congregations and ran a Sunday School for up to 200 children. In 1977, three Australian churches came together, Presbyterian, Methodist and Congregational churches as the Uniting Church in Australia. In the following years there was rationalisation of the property held by the three separate organisations. In Leederville, it was resolved to dispose of this property due to the diminishing size of the congregation and the building was subsequently used for various community activities until the late 1990s.

In c1997, a proposal to convert the church to an office and residence, and demolish the hall was considered by the Town of Cambridge and approved subject to conditions.

In 1999, a strata plan was approved for the site and the property was developed for residential occupancy. The hall was demolished and two additional lots were created addressing Woolwich Street which have subsequently been developed with the addition of new two storey residences.

The former church was divided into three separate premises with the most obvious external change the insertion of three gables on the western elevation and changing the roof cladding from asbestos to corrugated zincalume. Since the
creation of the residences there has been minimal changes in the form of the former church.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Low
Authenticity: Moderate

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.