Toolangi Church History

Church services were held in the public hall/State School from as early as 1896 with the Pastor, Reverend E.S. Chase, incumbent of St Johns Healesville, hoping for more success in 1897 than the previous summer.[i] Services were held monthly during the summer months, but not year-round, as the Toolangi roads became impassable in winter. In 1900 a Mr Tylee also began conducting services, although not usually at the same time, except for 14 January 1900 when they both tried to conduct a service at the same time.[ii]

The first reference to a Sunday School was in 1900 when about 70 to 80 people enjoyed a picnic and sports day to celebrate the anniversary of the Sunday School. The Head Teacher of the Toolangi State School, Mr Robinson, was attributed with the success of starting the Sunday School. Prizes, as books, were distributed by Rev. Chase to J. Smedley, S. Biggs, J. Lawrence, A. Smith, C. Smith, F. Lawrence, F. Bassett, R. Hargreaves and E. Biggs.[iii] Book prizes continued to be awarded through to the 1960s although the picnics ceased as the population became more mobile. Sunday School was for Primary School aged children and taught by Edith Blackmore, Margaret Biggs and Betty Jeffrey to name a few. Religious education for children was also available at Toolangi Primary School from 1978 when Ngaire Walhout arrived in the district and provided Christian Religious Education (CRE) until 2016 when a change in Government policy stopped CRE in schools.[iv]

The earliest mention of building a church in the community was on 26 May 1900 when great efforts were being made by Rev. Chase and an application for land on which to erect the building had been submitted.[v] By November 1901 the land had been granted and surveyed, and the local community had begun fundraising. £15 pounds had been raised when it was learnt that the Diocese of Melbourne offered a £25 grant if the community could contribute the same amount.[vi] With a £5 donation from Messers Griffiths, tea merchants of Melbourne,[vii] it was decided to continue work and tenders to fell the timber on the site were called for. A committee of Messers J.B. Wilson, E.H. Waters, W. Lawrence, J.F. Smedley, A.J. Bassett, G. Rose, J. Biggs and A. Rose was elected at this time.[viii] Messers McLaine and Wilson were successful in winning the tender[ix] for the erection of a new Church of England and by June 1902 the building was almost completed.[x]

By 1904 the Church was fully paid for except for the seats.[xi] The pulpit in the Church was originally from the old Tarrawarra Church of England and the suspended electric light fittings (installed after power was brought to Toolangi in 1963) came from the old Methodist Church, Healesville.[xii]

Originally built by the local residents as a non-denominational church, the Church continued to be used by the Church of England and the Methodists week about, then fortnightly, until the 1940s when the Methodists purchased the Church from the Church of England. After the amalgamation of churches in 1977, it became a Uniting Church.[xiii] The Biggs family and the Blackmore families have played significant roles in the Church history for many generations. J Biggs was involved in the initial building of the church while other family members contributed to administration, teaching, organising the annual fete in the old hall and Margaret Biggs even sending birthday cards to the Sunday School children.[xiv] Similarly, the Blackmores: Alex Blackmore was the Church Superintendent for 36 years and his wife Edith Blackmore played the organ for many years before their daughter Jean (Pockett) took over the role.[xv]

Two Bibles are now in the custody of the Healesville Historical Society. The first would seem to be the original Church Bible which was presented on Easter Day 1901 by the Reverend E.S. Chase. The second Bible is the McChesney family Bible which was presented to the Toolangi Church by Mr Lindley Wood in memory of his wife Sara (McChesney) Wood who died at Toolangi on 25 August 1945.[xvi]

In 1984 the Church at Toolangi was suspended because of a drop off in attendances. In 1988, a community church led by Jack and Ngaire Walhout saw about 22 local people join together for an Easter service. The Community Church continued to meet once a month in the church building and once a month in each other’s homes for Bible Studies. The church enjoyed the support of Alan Honeycombe and Anne Honey, as well as Jack Walhout in leading the services. Reverend Gordon from Yarra Junction served as an interim minister until Minister Tim Angus, and later Rev. Claire Tanner, were appointed to the Uniting Church in Healesville and helped conduct the services.[xvii]

As well as having Sunday services, the Church was also host to several local weddings, a few funerals and was part of the Toolangi Primary School 100 year celebrations. The closure of the school centenary event took place on Sunday 2 July 1995 at the Toolangi Church.[xviii]

As attendances continued to dwindle and the little old church required more maintenance, a small group of worshippers joined together for a closing service on Sunday 19 November 2000.[xix] The Church building and block of land was sold in June 2002,[xx] ending an important part of Toolangi-Castella’s history.

 

References

[i] Trove: Healesville Guardian (1893-1898), 29 October 1897, page 3, ‘Toolangi’.

[ii] Trove: Healesville Guardian & Yarra Glen Guardian (1898-1900), 19 January 1900, page 3, ‘Toolangi’

[iii] Trove: Healesville & Yarra Glen Guardian (1900-1942), 20 April 1900, page 3, ‘Toolangi’.

[iv] Ngaire Walhout ‘Reflections’, Toolangi History Project 2021.

[v] Trove: Healesville & Yarra Glen Guardian (1900-1942), 26 May 1900, page 3, ‘Toolangi’.

[vi] Trove: Healesville & Yarra Glen Guardian (1900-1942), 15 November 1901, page 3, ‘Toolangi’.

[vii] Trove: Healesville & Yarra Glen Guardian (1900-1942), 22 November 1901, page 5, ‘Toolangi’.

[viii] Trove: Healesville & Yarra Glen Guardian (1900-1942), 29 November 1901, page 5, ‘Toolangi’.

[ix] Trove: Healesville & Yarra Glen Guardian (1900-1942), 25 April 1902, page 5, ‘Toolangi’.

[x] Trove: Healesville & Yarra Glen Guardian (1900-1942), 6 June 1902, page 5, ‘Toolangi’.

[xi] Trove: Healesville & Yarra Glen Guardian (1900-1942), 13 January 1904, page 2.

[xii] R.J. Pockett, Mountain Views, 4 January 1993, page 7.

[xiii] R.J. Pockett, Mountain Views, 4 January 1993, page 7.

[xiv] Biggs Family, Interview for Toolangi History Project, 8 April 2021.

[xv] Email correspondence: David Pockett, 16 August 2021.

[xvi] R.J. Pockett, notes supplied to Joanne Priestley, Editor ‘Talking Toolangi’ newsletter, June 2003.

[xvii] Ngaire Walhout, ‘Reflections’, Toolangi History Project 2021.

[xviii] Joanne Priestley, Toolangi Primary School Centenary Convenor, July 1995.

[xix] Mountain Views Mail, 21 November 2000.

[xx] R.J. Pockett, notes supplied to Joanne Priestley, Editor ‘Talking Toolangi’ newsletter, June 2003.