23 June 2024
Very nice church at the south end of Chapel Street, St Kilda that I’d never noticed before. It was built in 1877 for the local Wesleyan Methodist congregation, who didn’t want to trek to the older one in Fitzroy Street. Only 7 years later it was expanded with the addition of transepts and an ‘orchestra’, namely space for a nice big organ- lots of hymn singing in those days ! It was designed by Crouch & Wilson, who did lots of churches and took to polychrome brick with gusto from the 1870s. Thomas Crouch lived nearby and was a congregant. Quite plain inside, with some nice timber arches, and now occupied by an op shop, with store room or similar out back so you can’t really see the organ; the pic of it is from the Organ Historical Trust of Australia, who say it’s particularly intact, but presumably not played much now.
Storey of Melbourne 