Christ Church Beechworth

Christ Church Beechworth A pipe organ, built by the Melbourne organ builder, William Anderson, was installed in the church in 1887, believed to have been originally installed in St. George Roman Catholic Church in Carlton in 1882. It is a single manual organ of eight speaking stops, which retains its original action, console, pipework and case containing dummy wooden pipes. In recent years this organ has undergone significant restorations.

Christ Church, Beechworth is of historical significance due to its association with the early development of Beechworth. As an early church in the town, it is representative of the development which resulted from the gold rush of the early 1850s.

The first Rector was The Reverend Cooper Searle and a rectory was built for him in 1855. At the time the present church hall was the first church building. The second rector does not seem to have had a very good experience in Beechworth as he is recorded as having remarked on “the chilling indifference that has pretty generally prevailed among the members of our church.” In fact had it not been for the generosity of the Victorian Government at the time who provided two-thirds of the building costs of the church, it would never have been built. The third rector, W R L Bennet, arrived in 1860 and promptly wrote to his bishop complaining that Beechworth was “the most unattractive parish in the colony”. He lasted three years. The fourth rector, W Corbet Howard, arrived in 1863 but matters were no better for him: there was a vote of no confidence in him in January 1865 at the Annual General meeting – fortunately it failed to be passed.

Christ Church Beechworth

From the early 1860’s the parish priest had also acted as chaplain to Beechworth gaol and this helped top up the stipend due to him. Soon he also became chaplain to the Mental Hospital. In 1868 this was firmly established and so the parish only had to find £250 of the £350 due to the Rector. The numbers of people appearing in the congregation never seemed to be very great and 10 and 20 at each service was the average

After Corbet Howard there were three more Rectors before the arrival of Archdeacon R H Potter. Numbers at services rose to between 30 and 40 and the tone of them reflected the new Anglo Catholic movement that had started in England several decades before. He stayed over 20 years and was greatly loved. He died in May 1931 and was buried in Beechworth. During his time the diocese of Wangaratta had been established as separate from the Diocese of Melbourne and it is said that there was serious consideration about basing the new diocese in Beechworth with the bishop living here. Since Archdeacon Potter’s time there have been a dozen or more rectors following him. The churches of St Paul’s Milawa and St Jude’s Eldorado are now part of the combined parish of Beechworth and part time Rectors at Beechworth could only ensure services take place with the assistance of retired priests and lay workers.