Taplan,South Australia.

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The Methodists were the first Christian denomination to hold church services in Broken Hill. This is not unusual for mining towns as many miners were from Cornwall or Wales, where Methodism was a dominant social and religious force. The Methodist practice of encouraging lay preaching also allowed the church to establish easily in new areas under the leadership of enthusiastic laity. The Methodist preaching tradition also led to many Methodists becoming dynamic public orators and early leaders of the union movement. The early strength of the Methodists in Broken Hill is clearly demonstrated by the Wesleyan Methodist Church constructed in Sulphide Street in 1888. This building ‘was the grandest church in Broken Hill for nearly 20 years’. By 1901 32.3% of Broken Hill’s population identified as Methodists. Despite a decline in the number of adherents the percentage of people in Broken Hill identifying as being members of the Uniting Church remains well above the national average.

According to R.J. Solomon the first Methodist service in Broken Hill was held in a mine manager’s hut by the Methodist Bible Christian group in 1885. The ‘quickly opened churches in Railwaytown, South and North Broken Hill and by 1908 had seven churches in various parts of the city’.

The iron and timber building on Thomas Street was opened around 1892 and situated on the corner of Kaolin and Cummins Streets. A cottage had been used for services on the same site before the church was built. When it was moved to this site in 1911 - 1912 it became the Thomas Street Methodist Church.

The adjacent church hall was also moved to the site, from Blende Street Methodist Church when that church closed in 1926, its congregation joining the now Wesley Uniting Church.

Thomas Street Uniting Church closed for worship after 78 years in December 1989.

Source: New South Wales Heritage Register & Visit Broken Hill (www.visitbrokenhill.com/Trails/Silver-Trail/31.-Thomas-St...)

Tags:   church chapel worship worshippers methodism methodist uniting christ christianity hall building architecture mine mines miner miners mining mineral minerals union unions unionist unionists unionism aboriginal indigenous wilyakali european europeans wales welsh welshmen cornwall cornish people peoples culture cultural history historic heritage outback broken hill far west new south wales australia

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Central Australia is a land of contrasts. Near Alice Springs.

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This early row of cottages were originally built as low-cost housing for BHP miners and their families. The two-room cottages were built of timber and corrugated iron. The rooms were small: a living room on one side and a bedroom on the other. There was originally no bathroom or kitchen, so residents shared a communal facility.

This part of Broken Hill has been redeveloped, but its heritage buildings, like these cottages, have been preserved.

Source: Visit Broken Hill (www.visitbrokenhill.com/Discover/Silver-Trail/54.-Iodide-...)

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This early row of cottages were originally built as low-cost housing for BHP miners and their families. The two-room cottages were built of timber and corrugated iron. The rooms were small; a living room on one side and a bedroom on the other. There was originally no bathroom or kitchen, so residents shared a communal facility.

This part of Broken Hill has been redeveloped, but its heritage buildings, like these cottages, have been preserved.

Source: Visit Broken Hill (www.visitbrokenhill.com/Discover/Silver-Trail/54.-Iodide-...)

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