Historical information
Situated at 810 Main Road on the corner of John Street. The Church was surrounded by a picket fence and tall pine trees. The Church was built by George Stebbings in the 1850s and is an example of fine craftmanship.
Formerly Wesleyan, Methodist then Uniting church; the foundations of the church building were constructed with stone from the walls of the first Eltham State Primary School (No. 209) building which collapsed in 1874 and were purchased by Robert David Taylor.
The Reynolds/Prior Photograph Collection, Presented to the Eltham District Historical Society, 14 June 2006 by Ross McDonald. A second copy was also presented to the Andrew Ross Museum, Kangaroo Ground
Significance
The Reynolds family were early settlers in Research. Reynolds Road is named after this family.
RERVISED STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE, CONTEXT, 2010
What is significant?
The 1880 bichromatic brick church and the surrounding site to the title boundaries.
The church is architecturally, historically, socially and spiritually significant to the Shire of Nillumbik.
Why is it significant?
The church is architecturally significant as a finely detailed example of a brick 19th century rural community church, one of only four in the Shire (Criteria E & B). The church is historically significant as an important link with the time when Eltham was a small, insular country settlement. Also for the historical evolution visible in the complex, with the modest 1880s church and larger red brick rear hall from the early 20th century as a reflection of population growth in the area (Criterion A). The church is historically, spiritually and socially significant because it has played, and continues to play, an important part in the spiritual and social life of the community (Criterion G). - Victorian Heritage Database
The Reynolds family were early settlers in Research.
The Reynolds/ Prior collection of photographs were taken by Tom Prior, the maternal uncle of Ivy Reynolds, around 1900 and the 60 photos in the album give a fine overview of many of the landmarks of Research and Eltham over 100 years ago.
lvy lived in the family home for many years at 106 Thompson Cres Research. Ivy's father, Ernst Richard Reynolds and grandfather, Richard Reynolds, lived at the same address. Ivy's father Richard worked for Mr. Trail on his property in Research. Reynolds Road is named after the family.
Mr Tom Prior (wife Eva) worked at the Melbourne zoo. He was very innovative and made his own camera, using the black cloth hood to exclude the light.
The photographs are a reminder of the rural nature of Research and Eltham and its rich heritage.
Physical description
Black and white photograph mounted in an album, the Reynolds/Prior Photograph Collection, this being one of 53 reproduced black and white images of early Eltham.
Inscriptions & markings
"Methodist Church"
