Church of the Good Shepherd, Hadspen
A Very Victorian Scandal
There is quite a story involving Thomas Reibey III of Entally House and this historic church in Hadspen. As I pointed out yesterday, in the early days of Hadspen, Christian townsfolk met at the Entally House chapel for worship. In order to build the church, Reibey who held the lay position of Archdeacon, provided a good deal of money and the foundation stone was laid in 1868. Incredibly it took over 100 years to complete the building.
Clearly, something went terribly wrong, as Duncan Grant tells us:
"When the structure was only partly complete a scandal erupted around Reibey. He was alleged to have indecently dealt with a married woman. In 1868 he was accused openly in the synod with attempts to seduce Margaret Blomfield with whose husband he previously had a property dispute. Bishop Charles Bromby refused to accept Reibey's ‘tainted’ money for the building of the church. Reibey subsequently took legal action but his complaint was dismissed and the jury largely held that the allegations against him were true. As a consequence of the scandal all work on the church had ceased by 1870. At this time the walls were unfinished and it was without a roof; a condition which remained unchanged for nearly 100 years. However Reibey’s career was far from ruined and he went on to become Premier of Tasmania in 1876. Reibey died in 1912 and is remembered with a relatively modest grave stone in the cemetery of the Church of the Good Shepherd.
The church remained in a 'ruined' state and became an attraction resembling a Gothic folly. Anglican services were held in St Stephens, a timber church next to the spectacle of Reibey’s church. In 1957 interest in completing the church was rekindled due to the approaching centenary of the start of its construction. The original architects' plans had been preserved and were closely followed in completing the project. The church was finally finished on 20 May 1961, with the first service held the following day. Some furnishings in the church came from the private chapel at Reibey’s home, Entally House. These included the altar and coverings, a wooden cross, paintings, a stained glass window and a bell that hangs in the church's porch. The Church of the Good Shepherd was consecrated in February 1973 and continues to serve the people of Hadspen."
www.churchesoftasmania.com/2018/03/hadspen-church-of-good...
Thanks to Duncan Grant for this valuable historic record.
Church of the Good Shepherd, Hadspen
A Very Victorian Scandal
There is quite a story involving Thomas Reibey III of Entally House and this historic church in Hadspen. As I pointed out yesterday, in the early days of Hadspen, Christian townsfolk met at the Entally House chapel for worship. In order to build the church, Reibey who held the lay position of Archdeacon, provided a good deal of money and the foundation stone was laid in 1868. Incredibly it took over 100 years to complete the building.
Clearly, something went terribly wrong, as Duncan Grant tells us:
"When the structure was only partly complete a scandal erupted around Reibey. He was alleged to have indecently dealt with a married woman. In 1868 he was accused openly in the synod with attempts to seduce Margaret Blomfield with whose husband he previously had a property dispute. Bishop Charles Bromby refused to accept Reibey's ‘tainted’ money for the building of the church. Reibey subsequently took legal action but his complaint was dismissed and the jury largely held that the allegations against him were true. As a consequence of the scandal all work on the church had ceased by 1870. At this time the walls were unfinished and it was without a roof; a condition which remained unchanged for nearly 100 years. However Reibey’s career was far from ruined and he went on to become Premier of Tasmania in 1876. Reibey died in 1912 and is remembered with a relatively modest grave stone in the cemetery of the Church of the Good Shepherd.
The church remained in a 'ruined' state and became an attraction resembling a Gothic folly. Anglican services were held in St Stephens, a timber church next to the spectacle of Reibey’s church. In 1957 interest in completing the church was rekindled due to the approaching centenary of the start of its construction. The original architects' plans had been preserved and were closely followed in completing the project. The church was finally finished on 20 May 1961, with the first service held the following day. Some furnishings in the church came from the private chapel at Reibey’s home, Entally House. These included the altar and coverings, a wooden cross, paintings, a stained glass window and a bell that hangs in the church's porch. The Church of the Good Shepherd was consecrated in February 1973 and continues to serve the people of Hadspen."
www.churchesoftasmania.com/2018/03/hadspen-church-of-good...
Thanks to Duncan Grant for this valuable historic record.