Addresses
Type of place
Hall
Period
World War II 1939-1945
Style
Gothic
This is an image of the local heritage place known as Brethren's Meeting Room
Brethrens Meeting Room
Addresses
Type of place
Hall
Period
World War II 1939-1945
Style
Gothic
This church hall was built in 1942 on land donated to the Brethren assembly by a local resident. It is an excellent example of the humble church architecture preferred by the Brethren.
Lot plan
L2_RP57863
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Roof: Terracotta tile;Walls: Timber
People/associations
W. Wright and G. Cooper (Builder)Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (D) Representative; (G) SocialInteractive mapping
Lot plan
L2_RP57863
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Roof: Terracotta tile;Walls: Timber
People/associations
W. Wright and G. Cooper (Builder)Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (D) Representative; (G) SocialInteractive mapping
History
On 15 May 1941, Eveline Eade signed a contract to purchase 17.3 perches of land fronting Balmoral Street, near a major fourways intersection in Hawthorne. Eveline Eade lived in neighbouring Philip Street with her husband Sidney in “Birken Lodge”. It is probable that she purchased the land in a prominent location for the purpose of building a church hall, as two days earlier on 13 May 1941, she applied to the Brisbane City Council to build a “wood church hall” in Balmoral Street. The cost of this unpretentious building was estimated at £750.
Eveline Eade contracted W.Wright of Norman Park to build the church. Anecdotal information suggests that George Cooper, the father of one of the current trustees of the church also assisted with building the Brethren meeting room.
The Brethren movement began in the 1820s in England and Ireland when groups of Christians met to rediscover what they considered to be the central tenants of the Christian faith: bible study, prayer and communion. In 1848 there was a doctrinal split in the Brethren movement between those who believed in the fellowship of all believers and those who held that separation from all things evil, including existing Christian denominations that did not adhere to the true faith, was necessary for following Christ. This lead to the establishment of the Open Brethren and the Closed or Exclusive Brethren Assemblies.
In 1876, the first Open Brethren assembly met in Queensland in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. There are now nine Open Brethren assemblies in Brisbane and about 400 Open Brethren assemblies in Australia. It is difficult to know the number of people who follow the brethren teachings as, due to their non-denominational outlook, some brethren prefer to identify themselves on the census as “Christian” or “born-again Christian”. However, in the 1996 census, 22,063 people or 0.12% of the population identified as Brethren.
Brethrens believe in the ‘priesthood of all believers’ and few groups have paid or appointed ministers or pastors. They acknowledge the unity of all believers, but reject organised ecumenism or church hierarchy as it would compromise the autonomy of local congregations – known as assemblies. Brethren’s aim for biblical simplicity and meet on a weekly basis, sometimes more frequently, in unadorned and modest halls. The Brethren meeting room on Balmoral Road is a good example of a typical interwar meeting room.
Statement of significance
Relevant assessment criteria
This is a place of local heritage significance and meets one or more of the local heritage criteria under the Heritage planning scheme policy of the Brisbane City Plan 2014. It is significant because:
References
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Brisbane City Council Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Detail plan no. 1185, 1957
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Brisbane City Council, Register of New Buildings, 1942
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Department of Natural Resources, Certificates of Title
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Humphreys, Robert, 1995, Religious Bodies in Australia: a comprehensive guide, New Melbourne Press, Victoria
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Gillman, I. 1988, Many Faiths One Nation: A Guide to the Major Faiths and Denominations in Australia, Collins, Sydney
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Queensland Post Office Directories
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“Religion in Australia, 1996 Census”, Adherents.com
Citation prepared by — Brisbane City Council (page revised June 2022)