On the 11th of March 1855 Ipswich’s first Congregational Church was opened in Brisbane Street, facing adjacent to Wharf Street. The Congregational Church in Ipswich played a large part in the daily lives of many devoted Ipswich families, including the Cribbs and the Wrights, who regularly showed support for the Church within the town. The first Congregational Church was a small but quaint building and after several years and a burgeoning population, it was decided that a larger Church be built. So, in 1871 the original church was transformed into a Sunday School and a new Chapel was built in its place.
A sketch of the first Congregational Church of Ipswich – Image courtesy of Picture Ipswich
The Church and Sunday School were both built on a block of land close to Gordon Street, which was infamous for the landmark known as “Devils Gully”, a spot that was notorious for flooding. During the Great Flood of 1893, the Sunday School was totally destroyed and the new Chapel was badly damaged. The Central Congregational Church decided that it would be unwise to rebuild on this land, so they purchased a new site within an allotment on East Street, a site which had been previously reserved for the new Ipswich Town Hall. In December 1894 the plans for the new Congregational Church and Sunday School were completed by architect George Brockwell Gill and finalised by the Sunday School Superintendent Mr James Cribb, who was a prominent figure within the Congregational Church and Ipswich.
After much debate about the financial burden this new building would put on the Congregational Church, the first foundation stone was laid at the new site on the 26th of April 1895, and the new Sunday School was opened before the close of the year. The total cost of the building was close to 4000 pounds, a price the Church could not afford to pay. However, due to the unwavering support of the congregation they were able to start a collection and received donations that in turn would pay for the production of one of the largest and most magnificent Sunday Schools in Queensland.
Congregational Church Sunday School on East Street – Image courtesy of Picture Ipswich