Westbury, TAS - St Andrews Anglican
Denomination: Anglican
Address: 11 Lonsdale Promenade, Westbury, Tasmania, 7303
Architect: Henry Hunter
Traditional Owners: Palawa people
Last Updated: 24/04/2023
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History and Architecture:
St. Andrew's was (Hagley/Westbury parish), was part of the parish of Norfolk Plains in early days), The first services were held in the watch house, holding twenty to fifty people. The foundation stone of the church was laid in 8136 and the church opened in 1842. It was consecrated in March 1851. The chancel and tower were added in 1859-60. The church was built of badly made bricks from nearby and it has had to undergo re-building and extensive repairs a number of times. In 1877 three pinnacles of the tower fell through the roof making restoration necessary. The architect for this work was Henry Hunter.
A pamphlet from the church reads in part
It is not known when the services of the Church of England were first held in Westbury. In Ellison's 'Hobart Town Almanac" for 1837 it is stated that "in March, 1836, the first stone of a new church was laid at Westbury by His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor" (Colonel George Arthur). This probably refers to St. Andrew's Church. If so, the building took some six to seven years to complete. For some years services were held in the Police Office, which stood on the site of the present Post Office. In the absence of a clergyman, these services were conducted by a layman, Mr. Thomas Cole, who was Police Clerk in those far-away days.
The Parish Registers date from 1837. The first burial recorded took place on April 5th, 1837; the first baptism on March 17th, 1839; and the first marriage on June 28th, 1839. During the first two years from th.‘ commencement of these records Mt. Thomas Cole officiated at several funerals, which he duly entered in the Register, and described himself as "Parocbial Clerk and "Catechist."
At an early date, various sections of land were granted to the Church of England by the Government. In an old survey plan of Westbury, dated 1837, in the Lands and Titles Office at Hobart, these lands are marked as having been granted to Thomas Reibey, E. S. P. Bedford, and T. S. Sharland for the Church of England.
The Church was consecrated in 1851.
Clergy:
These names are now in the Database and can be searched individually.
| Years | Name | Annotation | D.o.B | D.o.D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1839 - | Rev John Bishton | |||
| 1843 - 1853 | Rev John Bishton | 1802 | 1857 | |
| 1854 - 1878 | Rev Montagu Williams | 1821 | 1902 | |
| 1881 - 1884 | Rev Frederick Burnett Sharland | 1846 | 1934 | |
| 1898 - 1919 | Dean Leigh Trafford Tarleton | 1859 | 1926 | |
| 1900 - 1907 | Rev Basil Tudor Craig | 1833 | 1907 | |
| 1908 - 1913 | Rev Richard Weld Thomas | 1869 | 1927 | |
| 1932 - 1933 | Rev John Robert Diash | 1903 | 1990 | |
| 1933 - 1934 | Rev Harry Shepherd | 1903 | 1969 | |
| 1934 - 1936 | Rev Charles James Randell | 1876 | 1956 | |
| 1953 - 1958 | Rev Walter Herbert Terry | 1903 | 1960 | |
| 2020 ? - | Rev J. M Pyecroft |
Organ:
The Organ was built in 1867 by J.W. Walker of London. It has 1m., 7 sp.st., 1c., tr. Man: 8.8.8.4.4.2. Ped: 16.
Source:
1. St Andrew's Church Westbury Tasmania 1837 - 1917 Pamphlet
2. The Anglican Church in Tasmania, A Diocesan history to mark the Sesquicentenary 1992 by Geoffrey Stephens
3. Cable Clerical Index
4. Organ Historical Trust of Australia with permission.