Gow Newspaper Indexes

Acts of Faith
Early churches of the Manning

Compiled by Rod & Wendy Gow


 

e-mail : rgow@gownewspaperindexes.com.au

Book :  A5,  soft cover, 72 pages, indexed, isbn 0 9577847 6 7

$15 postage free within Australia

To view other books and newspaper indexes
that we have published - click here

Back to Main Page

From articles extracted from four Manning River newspapers this book chronicles the commitment and dedication of the community to establish permanent places of worship, particularly in the outlying areas of the district, with special emphasis on the descriptions of actual church buildings. Parishioners wished to have their own local church in which to worship, and their efforts and their acts of faith in constructing these buildings are all part of the Manning Valley's rich and colourful history.

Extracts :

Opening of New Cundletown Church
(1916)

New St. Thomas' Church of England at Cundletown was opened and dedicated by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Stone-Wigg, on Saturday afternoon last. There was a large attendance at the dedication service, the porch and doorways being crowded and many being unable to obtain admission. The service was conducted by the Bishop assisted by Canon Phillips. Mr. J. A. Winney, of Taree, acted as organist and the Taree Choir led the singing. At the commencement of the service the Churchwardens, viz., Messrs. S. A. Levick, M. Mooney and A. E. Else entered the Church in procession with the Ministers and choir. The Bishop said the service that afternoon meant they had erected a more worthy house of God than that which had done duty there for 50 years, and showed that the people had a feeling to have this township more worthily represented. The Church is located a short distance away from the old building on the same block, and is quite a neat, presentable structure, with a seating capacity of about 120. It is 36 ft. by 20 ft. including a chancel 8 ft by 12 ft. The entrance is 8 ft. by 12 ft. and has two doors. There are vestibules on either side of the chancel - one 8 ft. by 4 ft. and the other 8 ft square. The walls are 12 ft. in height and are constructed of weatherboards, lined with beaverboards. The roof is of iron and the ceiling  of  varnished  tallowood.   The doors are grained and varnished, and the windows are arched lead-light windows, with tinted glass. The arch over the chancel in the interior bears the words "The Lord is my Shepherd." The ground plan for the structure was prepared by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Stretch. Mr. S. A. Levick of Cundle, was the builder, and was the Treasurer of the Building Committee, of which J. Jackson was the energetic Secretary. The total cost was £310, including voluntary labor and donations of material valued at £30. Up to Saturday last £220 had been raised, leaving £90 still to be raised. That amount was reduced by half on Saturday and Sunday, when about £45 was raised. The collections at the dedication service amounted to £18/12/- and £5 was taken at the afternoon tea, also about £18 at the concert at the School of Arts at night. The collections at the service on Sunday afternoon also went to the building fund.
 
 

St. Luke's Coopernook Damaged
(1903)

A heavy thunderstorm broke over Coopernook on Monday evening, during which, at 6:30 p.m., the residents were alarmed by a terrifically vivid flash of lightning accompanied by a fearful clap of thunder. Some little time after, the members of T. Dykes' household came out on their verandah to see if anything in the vicinity was struck, when it was seen that the gable end was knocked out of the Anglican Church, and fearing that some portion thereof might have caught fire from the electric fluid, the male members hurried out, informing Mr. Buckland as they passed, and made a hurried examination. They found that, fortunately, the building had not been ignited, but the eastern gable near the roof, was knocked completely out, the cross torn from the roof and the corner post shattered from top to bottom. The floor of the church was strewn with a large quantity of broken and splintered timber and a considerable quantity was scattered about outside.
 
 

Jones' Island Wesleyan Church - First Wedding
(1899)

On Monday afternoon last at 2 o'clock, at the Wesleyan Thanksgiving Church, Jones' Island, Mr. Eli Latham, of Coopernook, and Miss Violet Cecilia Shoesmith, a daughter of Alf Shoesmith, of Jones' Island, were united in the holy bonds of matrimony by the Rev. G. C. Percival. The ceremony was of an imposing character and a large number of friends attended. At its close the Rev. Percival, on his own behalf,  presented the bride and bridegroom with a handsome Oxford Bible - it being the first marriage celebrated in the new church.
 
 

Unique Work
(1902)

We were afforded an opportunity yesterday of inspecting the altar, designed and constructed for the Little Dingo Roman Catholic Church, by Frank Craven, of Wingham. That gentleman's ability in his particular trade, has been favourably as well as amply demonstrated since his advent to our town, but the piece of workmanship displayed to our view classes him at once as an artist of no mean order. The star is of polished cedar, and is 6 ft. by 6 ft overall, the basement is 6 ft. by 3 ft., the black board extending 3 ft. higher. The front of the sacred sculpture contains six Gothic panels. The people of Little Dingo are to be complimented on the attainment of such a beautiful structure for their church.
 
 

Taree Convent & School
(1921)

At last weekend, Mr. T. W. Silk, architect, of West Maitland, met the building committee which is charged with the duty of having erected a convent and school at Taree, and submitted the plans which were accepted. The buildings will be of brick. The convent will be a two-storied structure, with basement. The school will also be of brick, and will have accommodation space for 250 pupils. Tenders for the construction of the buildings will be called at once, and it is expected that the work will be completed in the first half of 1922. On Saturday the architect inspected the bricks at Mr. Beeton's kiln, and was satisfied with them. The church has a splendid site for the erection of these buildings - a high spot between the Presbytery and Wynter Street, from which a fine view of the town is obtainable. A portion of the site was secured many years ago by the late Fr. Foley, which was added to by a ground gift by Dr. Gormley, and now the
church will have the benefit of that gentleman's foresight. The buildings will add to the architecture of the town.


 
 

The following is the  INDEX  from the book  " Acts of Faith - early churches of thr Manning " ........

To locate a particular name either scroll down the page or use the EDIT - FIND function on your computer
 
 

Abbott J
Addison J F
Ahronson Mr
Albury William
Alcorn H W
Algie T
Allan H
Allan T
Allan T Mrs
Alway Miss
Alway Mrs
Andrews G
Andrews John
Anglican Church Oxley Island
Ashlea Choir
Ashton John
Athletic Hall Harrington
Atkins brothers
Atkins Effie Miss
Atkins George
Atkins Melville
Atkins Mr
Atkins William
Aylward Miss
Ayscough L Rev
Baines Mr
Baines Mr Jnr
Baines Mrs
Baines William
Baker A
Barwick Max
Basham E
Basham W
Batty Bishop
Beal A C Mrs
Beattie George
Beeman Rev
Beeton Mr
Belbourie
Belford Mr
Bell D
Bell David
Benhard L
Bennett H
Betts C
Betts E
Blanch C
Blanch D V
Bloomfield Miss
Bo Bo Union Church
Bobin
Bobin Flat Presbyterian Church
Bobin St Stephen's Church
Bohnock
Bokes Rev
Booth Agnes Miss
Booth H W
Booth H W Mrs
Booth L W
Booth S Miss
Border R L Rev
Bostock W
Boy Scouts
Boyce C
Boyce Charles
Boyce T B
Bradley G
Bradley George
Brewer C
Brewer G S
Brewer S
Brewer Silas
Bridge James
Brigidine Nuns
Brimstone J
Brimstone T Miss
British Pianoforte Co
Brooks Lieut
Brown G M Rev
Brown J
Brown Mr
Bruce Rev
Buchanan Mrs
Buckland C E R
Buckland Mr
Burghmann E H Rev
Burless Mrs
Burrill Creek Methodist Church
Cadigan W H
Cameron A
Campwell W A M R Rev
Cannon Mr
Cappell A Rev
Carey A
Carey J
Carey R
Carle Mr
Carle P Snr
Carrett H E
Catholic Chapel Taree
Catholic Church Coopernook
Catholic Church Laurieton
Catholic Church Little Dingo
Catholic Church Stewart's River
Catholic Church Taree
Catholic Church Upper Lansdowne
Catholic Church Wingham
Cato Dr
Cedar Party
Cedar Party Methodist Church
Cedar Party St Alban's Church
Chapman J E
Chapman Ted
Chatham
Christian Isrealite Church
Church of Christ Taree
Church of England Killabakh
Church of England Killawarra
Church of England Sidebottom
Church of England Stewart's River
Church of England Tinonee
Church of England Wingham
Church of England Wingham Parish
Church of Holy Angels Coopernook
Church of St Saviour Killabakh
Cicolini Horace
Cicolini Mrs
Cleaver Mr
Clune D
Clune Eileen Miss
Clune John J Jnr
Clune John Mrs
Clune Leo
Clune P
Cluss Clara Miss
Cluss Sarah Miss
Collins Captain
Collins J
Collins K Miss
Collins Miss
Colwell F Rev
Comboyne
Connell M
Conolly A A W Rev
Cook W
Cook W Mrs
Coopernook
Coopernook Catholic Church
Coopernook Choir
Coopernook Church of Holy Angels
Coopernook Methodist Church
Coopernook School
Coopernook School of Arts
Coopernook St Luke's Church
Cowan D
Cowan J
Cowan James
Cowan Jane
Cowan Miss
Cowan T
Cowan T L
Cowan T Mrs
Cowan William Mrs
Craig G Snr
Craven Frank
Crittenden James Mrs
Crittenden R
Crittenden T
Crittenden T Mrs
Croki
Cross John Rev
Cross William
Crossingham John
Crossingham T
Crotty Rev
Crouch B
Cumdle
Cummins Nurse
Cundle
Cundle Convent
Cundle Methodist Church
Cundle St Brigid's Catholic Church
Cundletown School of Arts
Cundletown St Thomas' Church
Cunningham J
Currie Olive Miss
Cyclone
Dalton S
Davey J
Davis G
Davis J
De Saxe G
de Witt-Batty F Rev
Deer W
Delves H
Delves Mr
Dimond Miss
Donkin Mrs
Donnelly J
Donovan Captain
Dorward D J
Douglas George
Douglas George Jnr
Downton T
drogher "Pyrmont"
Druce Rev
Drury E
Drury W
Dry Captain
Dungog
Dwyer Bishop
Dwyer Rev
Dyball B
Dykes T
Dykes Thomas
Easton Agnes Miss
Easton G
Easton J
Easton R
Eather Scoutmaster
Edwards H
Edwards Mr
Edwrads Bro
Ellenborough
Else A E
Evans I
Evans J Mrs
Evans Jim
Evenden James
Everingham H
Fairbrother R Rev
Fitzpatrick F A
Flett K G
Flett P Mrs
Flood 1866
Foley J Rev
Foley Rev Fr
Forster
Foster E F Rev
Foster E Mrs
Foster E Rev
Fotheringham G Mrs
Fotheringham W
Free Presbyterian Church Wingham       55
Gallagher H
Garlick W
Gates A
Gibbs C
Gibbs Clarice Miss
Gibbs Doris Miss
Gibbs Evelyn Miss
Gibson Miss
Gill Albert A
Gill Andrew
Glenora
Goodwin Mr
Gordon H G
Gormley Dr
Gormley Mrs
Grafton
Graham J
Graham Mr Snr
Gray H R
Green Alfred
Green Alfred Mrs
Green G
Green R
Green S
Greenaway Clarence
Greenaway Clarence Mrs
Greenaway Evelyn June
Greenaway J
Greenaway W
Gregson G Miss
Gregson Miss
Hadley Denzil Milton
Hadley James
Hadley Mr
Haines Ensign
Haire W F Rev
Halford Mr
Hall C
Hammond H J
Hammond J B
Hammond J E
Hammond J E
Hammond J Mrs
Hammond Robert Rev
Hanna R
Hanney James
Hanney Nellie
Hardiman J L
Harrington Athletic Hall
Harrington Presbyterian Church
Hawke L
Hawkins Hannah Maria Miss
Hawkins S
Hawkins W C Rev
Hayes D J
Hayward Claudia Miss
Hayward H C
Hayward H C Mrs
Hayward Vida Miss
Healy Pat
Hedley Mr
Henry A
Hibernian Lodge
Hibernian Society
Hill Miss
Hill Mrs
Hill O
Hill O E Rev
Hogan P J
Hogan Sgt
Hogg Annie Miss
Hogg John
Holden W
Hole F G
Holland A
Hordern Anthony & Son
Hornabrook Rev
Howard W T
Hynes F W Rev
Hynes Mr
Jackson J
Jackson John
Jarrett Mr
Jewish rites
Jobson L Miss
Jobson Mr
Jones Finley Mrs
Jones Mr
Jones' Island
Jones' Island Good Templars Hall
Jones' Island Wesleyan Church
Karaki
Kellehear Neita Miss
Kellener P J
Kelly A J
Kelly Rev Fr
Kempsey
Kendall
Kidd Robert
Kidd Thomas Jnr
Kidd Thomas Mrs
Killabakh
Killabakh Church of England
Killabakh Church of St Saviour
Killabakh Creek
Killabakh Hall
Killabakh School of Arts
Killararra St James' Church
Killawarra
Killawarra Church of England
Killawarra St James' Church
Kitley Canon
Kitley H Rev
Kitley Herbert Rev
Knight C
Knight D
Koppin Yarratt
Koppin Yarratt Methodist Church
Koppin Yarratt Salvation Army
Koppin Yarratt Wesleyan Church
Krambach Presbyterian Church
Krambach School of Arts
Kundibakh
Kundibakh Methodist Church
Kundibakh Wesleyan Church
Landrigan D
Lansdowne
Latham Eli
Latham Walter Rev
Lattimore Sydney
Laurieton Catholic Church
Laylor J
Lean S T
Lee A Miss
Levick G
Levick J
Levick S
Levick S A
Lewis John
Lewis Owen G
Leys Mrs
Little Dingo Catholic Church
Lochinvar
Logan Miss
Long Bishop
Lusby J
Lynch Dean
Lyndon J
Lyon Mr
Macartney A
Macartney V
Macgraw G
Machin H
Machin M
Machin W
Maloney A A
Mambo Island
Marlee
Marlee St Mark's Church
Marshall Mr
Martin E Miss
Martin L O
Martin Miss
Martin S
Martin W
Masters Ada Miss
Mathers A W
Mathers A W Mrs
Mathers C J
Mathers J T
Mayer John
McCaffrey H
McCaffrey H Mrs
McCarthy M
McDonald Hugh
McDonald W Rev
McDonell A Snr
McDonell Bede
McDonell C D
McDonell Charles
McDonell Charley
McDonell D
McDonell J J
McDonell Marjory
McDonell Miss
McDonell Mrs
McDonell Pauline
McFadyen Mr
McGrath F
McGuire G Mrs
McIntyre Rev
McKenzie A
McKinnon Hugh
McKinnon Neil
McLaughlin's Timber Mill
McLean Nurse
McLeod John Rev
McNeil A
McNeil Allan
McPhellamy P F
McPherson W
McWhirter Mr
Meldrum R
Meldrum Robert
Merewether
Methodist Church Burrill Creek
Methodist Church Cedar Party
Methodist Church Coopernook
Methodist Church Cundle
Methodist Church Koppin Yarratt
Methodist Church Kundibakh
Methodist Church Moto
Methodist Church Taree
Michel Ensign
Minett George
Minett H
Minotti P
Minter Mrs
Mitchell's Island
Mitchell's Island St Mark's Church
Mooney Hugh
Mooney J P
Mooney M
Moore Amos
Moore Archie
Moore F
Moore George
Moore Mr
Moore T
Moore Thomas
Moore W
Moore W A
Moorland
Morpeth St James' Church
Morris George Rev
Moscatt Miss
Moscatt Mr
Moto Methodist Church
Mount George Presbyterian Church
Moy F
Moy H
Moy James
Moy S
Moy T
Moylan B
Moylan John
Moylan W
Mudford Miss
Mudford W
Muir Henry
Mulconda
Muldoon Miss
Muldoon T
Mullens C W Rev
Murdoch George Mrs
Murray A
Murray Bishop
Murray D
Murray H W
Murray J
Musgrove P de Laure Rev
Muswellbrook
Nabiac
Neal George Mrs
Needs James
Needs Mrs
Nelson H
Nesbitt Mr
Newton Baillie Sarah Miss
Newton E A Miss
Newton family
Newton Mrs
Nicholls C W Rev
Nicholson Jack
Nolan J
Northcott T Rev
Norton John
Nowlan Essie Miss
Nowlan Frances Miss
O'Brien D
O'Brien James
O'Brien Mrs
O'Connor P
O'Reilly Rev Fr
O'Reilly T Rev
Ogden E J
Ogden E J Mrs
Ogden Teddy
Old Bar
Olver C S Rev
Olver Mrs
Oxley Island
Oxley Island Anglican Church
Oxley Island Orchestra
Oxley Island school
Oxley Island School of Arts
Oxley Island St Barnabas'
Oxley Island Union Church
Parker M
Parker M Mrs
Parker Murdock William
Parker R
Paterson T
Paterson Thomas
Payne Alex
Payne J
Payne J Mrs
Payne John
Payne John Mrs
Payne Miss
Payne Silvia Miss
Pearson Bishop
Pearson Harold
Pelley Mrs
Penberthy Captain
Percival G C Rev
Perrett A
Perrin Elizabeth Miss
Phillips Arthur Rev
Phillips R H Canon
Port Macquarie
Presbyterian Church Bobin Flat
Presbyterian Church Harrington
Presbyterian Church Krambach
Presbyterian Church Mount George
Presbyterian Church Taree
Presbyterian Church Tinonee
Presbyterian Church Wingham
Presbyterian Church Woodside
Purtell P J
Quinlivan John
Quinn Mr
Ralph J
Redbank
Richard Mrs
Richards Arlie Miss
Richards Jabez
Richards Jabez Mrs
Richards Miss
Richardson J B
Richardson William
Ricketts Captain
Riley Canon
Riley Henry
Riley J
Riley S
Ritchie Canon
Ritchie Harold
Ritchie John
Ritchie Mr
Ritchie W J Rev
Roberts Rev
Roberts S C Rev
Robson W Jnr
Rose Mr
Ruprecht W
Ruprecht W Mrs
Russell H C Rev
Rutledge Rev
Ryan John
Ryan Stephen
Ryan W
Rye A
Rye Arthur
Rye Miss
s.s. "Fire King"
Salvation Army Koppin Yarratt
Salvation Army Taree
Saunders Brigadier
Saunders Cecil Rev
Saxby J
Schmitzer Charles
Schmitzer Jos Mrs
Schmitzer Joseph
Schmitzer Joseph Mrs
Schmitzer Mr
Schmitzer R
Schmitzer R Rev
Schmitzer Tottie Miss
Scrivner W
Sharp W
Shaw Miss
Sheather B
Sheather Mr
Shoesmith Alf
Shoesmith Violet Cecilia
Siddal Mr
Sidebottom Church of England
Silk T W
Singleton A M
Siretch Bishop
Sisters of St Joseph
Sloman Lionel
Sloman Mr
Sloman Mrs
Slyney D
Smith A E
Smith A E Mrs
Smith A G
Smith Deardrie Helen
Smith G P
Smith J S Rev
Smith L B Mrs
Smith L B Rev
Smith Mrs
Smith R T
Smith W G E
Smitzer Tim
Soldiers Memorial
St Alban's Church Cedar Party
St Barnabas' Church Grimsby England
St Barnabas' Church Oxley Island
St Brigid's Catholic Church Cundle
St James' Church Killawarra
St James' Church Morpeth
St John's Boys' Club
St John's C of E Choir
St John's Church Taree
St John's College Oxford
St John's Girls' Club
St John's Girls' Guild
St John's Memorial Hall Taree
St John's Rectory Taree
St Luke's Church Coopernook
St Luke's Church Tinonee
St Mark's Church Marlee
St Mark's Church Mitchell's Island
St Mathews Choir Wingham
St Matthew's Church Wingham
St Stephen's Church Bobin
St Thomas' Church Cundletown
Stanton Bishop
Steinmetz L
Steinmetz Percy
Stephen Bishop
Stephenson George
Stephenson Godfrey
Stewart J H
Stewart Mr
Stewart S P Rev
Stewart's River Catholic Church
Stewart's River Church of England
Stitt Mr
Stone Miss
Stone Mrs
Stone-Wigg Bishop
Stoney Creek
Storer L
Storm E J
Stretch Bishop
Summer Hill Sawmill
Sweeney F C
Sweeney Mr
Swindlehurst W Rev
Taree
Taree & Timber Trading Co
Taree Catholic Chapel
Taree Choir
Taree Church Choir
Taree Church of Christ
Taree Convent
Taree Convent School
Taree Estate
Taree Free Presbyterian Church
Taree Methodist Church
Taree Salvation Army
Taree School of Arts
Taree St John's Church
Taree St John's Memorial Hall
Taree St John's Rectory
Taree Wesleyan Chapel
Tassie W Rev
Taylor H H Mrs
Terras J H Rev
Terras Miss
Theobald W Rev
Theresa Mary Sister
Thomas A C Rev
Thomas Mrs
Thomas R W Rev
Thomson J Rev
Thomson John
Thomson's Ltd
Thornton Mr
Tinonee
Tinonee Church of England
Tinonee Presbyterian Church
Tinonee School of Arts
Tinonee St Luke's Church
Tinonee Temperance Hall
Tinonee Wesleyan Church
Tiri
Trotter Kate Miss
Tyrrell Bishop
Unger C
Unger L
Unger S J
Unicomb George
Unicomb Mr
Unicomb W
Unicomb Will H
Union Church Bo Bo
Union Church Oxley Island
Union Church Woodside
Upper Lansdowne
Upper Lansdowne Catholic Church
Upper Manning
Vince Brigadier
Walker W F Harris Rev
Wall P
Wallace John
Wallamba
Wallis G
Wallis Mr
Walpole T
Walsh J
Walsh T
Walters G
Ward P
Warr W Rev
Watson P
Webster H Wilfred
Weiley G
Weiley Mrs
Wesleyan Chapel Taree
Wesleyan Church Jones' Island
Wesleyan Church Koppin Yarratt
Wesleyan Church Kundibakh
Wesleyan Church Tinonee
Whatson & Sons
Whatson A H
Whatson Alice Miss
Whatson Florrie Miss
Whatson Percy Mrs
Wherrol Flat
Whitbread Mrs
Whitbread S
Whitbread Stephen
White Frank
White John
White Mary Miss
White Michael
White Thomas Jnr
White Thomas Snr
White Vincent
Wilson Mr
Wilson W Rev
Wingham
Wingham Catholic Church
Wingham Choir
Wingham Church of England
Wingham Free Presbyterian Church
Wingham Parish Church of England
Wingham Presbyterian Church
Wingham St Mathews Choir
Wingham St Matthew's Church             26,57
Wingham Town Band
Winney J A
Wolonski A D Rabbi
Woodd Archdeacon
Woodger F A Rev
Woodside Presbyterian Church
Woodside Union Church
Woola
Woolcott Warwick
Woolfe J
Woollard J
Wootton Phillip
World War 1
Wright E
Wright E H Rev
Wright Miss
Wright Mrs
Wrigley W
Wrigley W Rev
Wynter Miss
Wynter R O
Yarnold A
Yarnold C
Yarnold G
Yarnold James Jnr
Yarnold O
Yarnold W