Historical information

The copy of a letter written by Harry H. Simmonds of Huon notes that "the church existed in 1905. It was built by Hill and McCormack with timber donated by Mr Ned Dunstan on ground donated by Mr James Thomas probably in the late 1800s. It was possibly called a Methodist Church because the donor of the land was a Methodist. It was used by the three Protestant Groups and maintenance was paid for by an annual area collection.The house on the west side was a Presbyterian Manse for many years and the block of ground on the north side was known as the Manse paddock in which the minister grazed his cow and horse." In 1936 there was a fence between the Kiewa Methodist Church was the Presbyterian Church in Kiewa. Its Certificate of Title is Volume 5134 Folio 1026783 (Sept. 1942.) In 1952, the church was made of wood with an iron roof. In 1954. Request to Yackandandah Shire re a fence from Kiewa Consolidated School entrance to the unused hedge adjacent to the Church. In 1958 there was correspondence re 'the strip of land on each side of the Church.'

Significance

Churches were an important part of life during the late 19th century and early to mid 20th century and were built in the centre of town as was this one. These papers give an understanding of the work involved in maintaining a church. The letters and 'book' give a lot of names of local families involved with the Methodist Church at Kiewa.

Physical description

Yellow plastic spiral folder with 18 pages enclosed in clear plastic sleeves.Papers enclosed include accounts, payments, tenders and other correspondence relating to the Methodist Church at Kiewa dating from 1932 to 1962. Of particular interest is a black cardboard cover book dated 1917 re collection of donations from listed people. The latest date in the book is 1942.

Inscriptions & markings

Enclosed in first plastic sleeve is a letter from the donor, Kathie Vines dated 15th July 2013