Local identities Henry Reed and John Ward Gleadow helped build the
Wesleyan Church although little information is available on its history and as
such it was later used as a Druid Hall, Scouts Hall and then by the Returned
Services League of Australia (R.S.L.A.) as their Evandale Club Room.
The chapel which is located in Russell Street Evandale was offered for sale in 1975 and was later converted in 2000 into Heritage Accommodation of which it still remains.
Built in 1840, this Chapel located at Deddington, Tasmania is on land
gifted from Robert Pitcairn. Brothers Robert and Thomas Pitcairn arrived in
Hobart, Van Diemen’s Land on the ship “Portland” on 10th September
1824 holding letters of Recommendation.
Thomas received a “Grant of Land” of 640 acres at Mills
Plains, now Deddington, where he took up occupancy in 1826.
Robert received a “Grant of Land” of 800 acres at Grassy Hut,
Bothwell and he took up occupancy of the land, also in late 1824. In late
November/December of that year he apparently arranged for an exchange of this
Bothwell Land Grant for land the River Nile, adjacent to the land granted to
his brother.
Robert subsequently received another Grant of Land of 800 acres in 1829
adjoining and it is from this subsequent Grant that he gave an “Allotment
upon which was erected the Chapel. It is understood that this “Gift of
Land for this Chapel purpose was made following a request/suggestion from Rev.
Robert Russell of the Presbyterian Church of Evandale.
The Chapel was built by Public Subscription on this “Gifted
Land” with Land Ownership being transferred to “The Residents of
Deddington”, in 1849. From 1865 the Chapel began use as the Local School
and continued for this purpose until 1885. It was again used for the same
purpose in 1912.
Major restoration work on the building was undertaken by the National
Trust of Tasmania in the 1960’s with assistance from local residents and
further maintenance was completed by the Chapel Trustees in 1999.Ongoing
maintenance is always needed and this has included Grave restoration, fencing,
landscaping and Chapel signage.
The graves present include Colonial Artist John Glover and his wife
Sarah (nee Young) and their sons Henry & John Richardson Glover.