PhotographerRex Hazlewood 1886-1968DetailsThe first known Wesleyan Methodist service in Beecroft was conducted by the Rev James Carruthers in the home of members of the Church of England, James and Jemima Hull on the northern corner of Kirkham Street and Beecroft Road in 1889. However when a Church of England was being formed in Beecroft the Hulls asked if the Wesleyans could move elsewhere. Accordingly, shortly thereafter services moved to the home of Frederick and Eliza Mason in Copeland Road (or street as it was then called) where services continued between 1892-1895.
A meeting was held in the home of Mr & Mrs Frederick Mason on 6 June 1894 was presided over by the Rev J G Moore and “the desirability of erecting a Wesleyan Church was unanimously declared on the motion of Mr Mason and seconded by Mr Williams”.
A timber church building was built on the site of the present church on Beecroft Road in 1895 with the then Minister of the relevant circuit being Rev John Moore. The church building was largely financed with assistance from the Mason family with support from Thomas Thompson Jnr of Thompson’s corner who was a benefactor of a number of local Wesleyan churches however the debt continued until 1909.
Church numbers were small but it had a strong Sunday School and a young people’s group that encouraged total abstinence.
In 1902 the Methodist Church in Sydney was formed after combining the Wesleyan Methodist Church with other Methodists congregations.
Encouraged that the church would continue to grow, the congregation decided in 1909 to build a new and larger church building. Due to financial pressures this did not occur until 1915 when a church, built on the same design as Epping Methodist by architect Alfred Newman, was opened. In 1926 a new church hall was opened with the old one being transported to the Glenorie Methodist Church where it stands on the corner of Old Northern Road and Munro’s Lane, Glenorie.
In 1938 the home of parishioner George Pettit became available at 20 Chapman Avenue Beecroft. It was purchased as the parsonage – and continued to serve that role until 1970 when it was sold to again become a private home. The parsonage moved to a home purchased in 52 Bambara Crescent Beecroft.
In 1955 the church property was extensively modified with a new sanctuary and extended hall space being added. A memorial stained glass window was designed by Mr Redeski of John Aswin & Co and was installed in memory of Clarence Fisher Newman a member and Trustee of the church who had died in 1954. The front of the church was then extended and another stained glass window added in 1965-6.
Source: Beecroft-Cheltenham History GroupDate takencirca 1911LocationBeecroftKeywordsBeecroftChurches
