Baptist Church (former) including interior

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

The Aberdeen Street Baptist Church was erected in 1876 to the design of architect Thomas Watts of Melbourne, and replaced the original adjacent church of 1853. This elaborately detailed polychromatic brick church, eclectically derived for Romanesque and Gothic source is a distinguished work of architect Watts and an important structure in a complex of church buildings which include the original church and later manse. The church is one of the first polychromatic designs in Victoria.

REFERENCES:

Geelong Advertiser, 27th January 1876, tender notice. Plans and specifications available at Mr Matthews Surveyor, Gheringhap Street, Mr Matthew possibly supervised the construction for Mr T Watts.

20th November 1876, opening ceremony, description of church given.

4th December, 1883, mention debt of 1,000 (pounds) pf the 5,000 (pounds) it cost to build the church.

Sutherland, a - Victoria and It's Metropolis, Past and Present, 2 Volumes, McCarron, Bird and Co. Melbourne, 1888, Vol 2 p. 536 biographical sketch of Thomas Watts, architect.

Smith J (ED), The cyclopaedia of Victoria, 3 Volumes, The cyclopedia Co., Melbourne, 1903, Vol 1 pp 383-84 biography of Thomas Watts.

Tayloe, MJ 'Thomas Watts, Architect" - History Research Essay. Department of Architecture, University of Melbourne, 1971, includes illustrations of the works of Thomas Watts but little text and no illustrations of Aberdeen Street Baptist Church.

Group

Religion

Category

Church