08/08/2025
PORTLAND METHODIST CHURCH
1902-1920
The stained-glass window in the foyer of the Portland Uniting Church was donated by Rev David and Mrs Helen Sackett on the centenary of the Church. David and Helen were in ministry in Portland in 1953.
The first Wesleyan activity in Portland was possibly the Sunday School conducted by James Steedman in Mrs Stevenson’s cottage opposite the Portland Railway Sation in 1884.
Mr Stanley H Gannon, a Methodist lay preacher from Lithgow, assisted by local preachers commenced services in the C.P.C Hall, which was used by the Town Band, and friendly Societies, and was for man years the public hall of Portland.
In 1901 steps were taken by Wesleyans in Sunny Corner to amalgamated with Portland d in order to retain a married minister. The same year there was a recommendation from Bathurst Synod for a new church to be built at Portland, Lithgow Circuit. Land was acquired for £25 and the church was built in 1902 for £146, of which £130 paid by a loan. The original Trustees were Geroge Toyer, W H Vidler, W Wade, Barnes, J E Metcalf, C M Wettig, S H Gannon, G Lane and Rev J T Branch, the first minister.
In the days before the automobile the Portland church owned its own horse which allowed the minister to visit the other churches in his circuit as well as his parishioners. The circuit horse was sold in 1908. In 1912 that a horse and sulky was purchased as it was ‘the duty of the circuit to provide everything necessary for efficient working’ of the minister.
Mr Gross, Mr Wenham, George Toyer, Mr B Thomas, Nr N Barnes, Mr D Kates, Mr W Wade and Peter Dennis were members of the committee who organised a picnic and a concert on 29 March 1902 for the children in aid of the Wesleyan Sunday School. The ground selected for the picnic was the corner near Mr Cavanagh’s Store. £4 worth or mixed pastries were ordered from Abel & Co at 8 pence a dozen (this is 120 dozen!)
Following the concert a presentation was made by Mr C H Gross, works mamager, to first, second and third in each Sunday School class. First class girls _ Rose Denis 1, Nellie Taverner 2, Florie Tavener 2. Second class girls: Annie Denis 1, Florrie Walker 2, Emily Kates 3. Boys Glass: Oswald Walker 1, Searl kates 2,
The 1903 Sunday School picnic was held in the Commonwealth Cement Company paddock, and open to all denominations. 90 dozen pastries, a ham, 2 tongues, 1 dozen loaves of bread, 4 lbs butter, 1 lb tea and a quarter pound of mustard were purchased and £1 was spend on toys for race prizes. A profit of £10.13.07 was raised of which £3.5.0, being 2 quarters instalments on the Church loan. was passed to Mr Metcalf, Minister at the Lithgow church.
The 1904 picnic, again open to all denominations, was held in Mr Haigh’s paddock. The list included 18 loaves of bread, 25 lbs of corned roll and 2 tongues, £3.10.0 worth of confectionery. Cash instead of toys was given for the children’s races.
Other activities held in the church included a Concert and Maye Fayre and the Harvest Festival, which is still held to this day.
George Toyer was appointed church caretaker in 1904, the same year as Portland was transferred to Wallerawang-Sunny Corner Circuit. A quote of £77 from Short and Leslie, builders from Lithgow, to extend the church building by fifteen feet was accepted.
Over the years the church building was used by the Presbyterians for a Mission (1904), Orangemans Lodge, Portland Red Cross.
The church parsonage was built in Church Street in 1907 and in 1909 the Circuit Parsonage Trust members were Henry Ensor, George Toyer, William Henry Vidler, Frank Cook, Chrles Lewis Toyer, Charles Matthew Wettig and Mr Green. (This parsonage was sold in 1957 for £900 and another one purchased in Wallerawang for £2,200. Trevor Perceval volunteered to build the extension of a new study and garage at no cost. The church only paid £250 for the materials.
In 1911 Mrs McManus was engaged to clean the church for 3 months for 15/-
The hall attached to the church was erected in 1913, the same year as the tennis court was erected in the church grounds. The sale of the long vacant Sunny Corner Church in 1914 allowed the Portland church to clear all but £25 of the church loans which had financed the building activities. In 1919 Rev John Welsey Booth led a general discussion about the financial position of the Wesleyan Church as a whole, and the Portland church opened a subscription list with a view to clear the debt. £25.8.7 was raised.
In 1918 £5.5.0 was received from the Commonwealth Portland Cement Co, being their yearly donation to the church.
In 1919 it was noted in the minute book that Mr Herbert Garrard, who had just returned from the Front (WWI) was given a hearty welcome. (This was the only reference to either World Wars in the all of the Minute Books of the Parish.)
In January 1920 Mr Garrard reported that the Commonwealth Cement Company was to receive a petition to install electric lights in the Town Business houses. It was resolved that the Church sign the petition and apply for installation of lights when this work was to be carried out. This was a vast improvement as in the past the church was lit by a Ross & Aiken lamp, suspended on chains (1904). In June 1907 an acetylene gas plant had been purchased. In 1911 the ‘usual casks of carbide were ordered’.
List of ministers: 1902-1920
1902 James Penman
1904 Francis J Branch
1905 W T Stuart-wright
1908 Benjamin Hobson
1911 Daniel Gilsenan
1912 Thomas Northcott
1913 Charles E Williams
1915 Walls W Danks
1916 Frederick Dickson
1919 J Wesley Booth.
Sources: based on extracts from the minute books to 1920 as published in Centenary of Portland Uniting Church (formerly Methodist) 2nd & 3rd November 2002. This booklet includes a list of ministers, lay preachers and helpers, and some of the Trustees, 1902-200. ; and “Early Methodism in Portland” - The Lithgow Mercury 13 November 1947.
