I was driving around Elsternwick recently with a friend, and we went down Gordon Street (which as I found out runs at the back of Ripponlea mansion) and across the way, saw an interesting looking building with an unusual tower. When I got home, I typed 'Elsternwick Church' into the State Library of Victoria website to try to identify it, and this photo of the building came up. The building was the Third Church of Christ Scientist, Melbourne and it is in Ripon Grove. The name comes from the fact that this was the third Christian Science Congregation in Melbourne. This post looks at the first three Christian Science Church buildings in Melbourne (1).
Third Church of Christ, Scientist, Melbourne in Elsternwick.
Commercial Photographic Company photographer.
Harold Paynting Collection, State Library of Victoria Image H2009.177/18
In 1922, The Herald published a short history of the denomination in Melbourne -
The first record of Christian Science in Melbourne is the following advertisement which appeared in the local papers of June 4, 1898:- "Christian Science (as taught by Mrs Eddy) Meeting, Sunday afternoon, June 5, at three o'clock, Victoria Buildings, 80 Swanston street." A few persons attended the meeting, and this was the beginning of Christian Science in this State. After holding several meetings in Victoria Buildings, the small band moved to Oxford Chambers, Bourke street, where the first regular Sunday service was held July 20, 1898. The society thus formed eventually disbanded, and on February 28, 1903, thirteen members of the Mother Church met at Oxford Chambers and organised the First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Melbourne. (2).
First Church of Christ, Scientist, in St Kilda Road, Melbourne, c. 1920s.
Photographer: Ruth Hollick.
State Library of Victoria Image H93.500/10
The First Church of Christ, Scientist congregation held services at the Athenaeum Hall in Collins Street, until their new Church was built on St Kilda Road, on the corner of Dorcas Street (3). The Argus reported on this new building which was officially opened May 7, 1922 -
The design was prepared by Messrs. Bates, Peebles, and Smart, and the contract price was £25,000 to which must be added £5,000 for the land. The treatment is in the free classic style, with the classic feeling specially emphasised by a columned portico of the Ionic order. To relieve severity of line, the large semi-circular windows have curved pediments. An additional relief is afforded by a dome roofed with copper plating specially treated so as to give it a metallic green surface. The building is in two storeys, the upper being used for the church services. Here then will be accommodation for 600 persons. The lower story, which it slightly smaller, will serve as a Sunday school.... An unusual feature for a church is the lift. This, it is explained, is provided for the benefit of those infirm members of the communium [sic] who attend the faith healing services. (4).
On October 11, 1925, the Dedication services of this Church were conducted as Christian Science churches are not dedicated until the churches are free from debt. (5). The Church was extended in 1934, with the work complete in the March, and The Argus had this report -
Although not included in the original design of the church, the additional block has been designed in the same free classical style as the main building and the Sunday school block. Complete conformity of style between the main building and the new block has been the object of the architects, Messrs. Bates, Smart, and McCutcheon, who designed the original building in 1920 (6). The building is still in use by the Christian Scientists.
First Church of Christ, Scientist, in St Kilda Road, Melbourne, 1970.
Photographer: Mark Strizic
State Library of Victoria Image H2011.55/1433
The Second Church of Christ, Scientist in Melbourne was established by only 19 members in the middle of 1924, to relieve the overflowing congregations of First Church, Melbourne. (7). The congregation held services at the Masonic Hall in Launder Street, in Hawthorn and later erected a substantial church in Cookson Street, Camberwell, which was opened November 22, 1936. This building was designed by the firm of Bates, Smart and McCutcheon. The building won the firm the Street Architecture Medal for 1938. The award, presented by the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects, was to encourage excellence of design in street architecture. (8).
The Age reported -
In recommending the award of the medal the jury reported that the building illustrates the architectural dignity which may be achieved with simplicity of massing, well proportioned voids and the judicious placing of appropriate enrichment. Elimination rather than decoration tends to characterise accepted standards of good architecture to-day, and this building reveals a particularly happy balance between these two considerations. It represents a satisfactory solution to the architectural problem of a modern church without resort to traditional ecclesiastical motifs. The chief interest in the front elevation centres in three large vertical openings which feature glazed decorative wrought iron screens, superbly designed and executed. Unity of design has been produced with cream toned bricks used throughout the exterior, even to the cornices and ornamental features over the doorways, the large plain surfaces being relieved with horizontal, recessed bands at regular intervals. (9).
Second Church of Christ, Scientist, at Camberwell.
Image: Building : the magazine for the architect, builder, property owner and merchant.
Vol. 60 No. 355 (12 March, 1937) From Trove.
The Church could seat 450 people and included features such as double glazing, theatre-style seating, automatically controlled heating and ventilation and a lift. On September 2, 1945 the Dedication services were held as the Church, erected at a cost of more than £16,000, was debt free (10). The building is still in use by the Christian Scientists.
This brings us to the Third Church of Christ, Scientist, at 12 Ripon Grove, Elsternwick. This church
was formed on account of the crowding, for the second time, of First Church of Christ, Scientist, Melbourne (corner St. Kilda Road and Dorcas Street). To relieve the congestion somewhat, 30 members of that church living southwards from Balaclava withdrew and organised Third Church, and began holding their services in the Masonic Hall, St. George's Road, Elsternwick, in February, 1927 (11).
In August 1928, they purchased land in Ripon Grove and by February 1929 the congregation had paid off the debt; the building of the grand Romanesque-style edifice commenced in August 1930 and it was officially opened on June 28, 1931. The Church and furnishings were designed by architect, Louis R. Williams of Little Collins Street and the completed cost was £12,000. (12). Louis Williams was a noted Church Architect - other examples of his work are Anglican Churches in Flemington (1925), Albert Park (1925); Frankston (1933), Alexandra (1937), Harrietville (1938), Caulfield (1939), Mansfield (1940) and Box Hill (1952) and Presbyterian Churches at Murrumbeena (1933) and Ormond (1937). Louis Reginald Williams died March 1980, aged 89 (13).
The Herald described the Third Church of Christ, Scientist at Elsternwick thusly -
In tone, the whole of the church is mellow, the walls being of clinker brick, with roofing tiles of chocolate to harmonise. Violent contrast in colors has been avoided. The outline of the main front, facing Rippon [sic] Grove, although not symmetrical, yet presents a sympathetic building up in
varying heights leading up to and culminating in the corner tower, a distinguishing feature from many viewpoints. In plan the edifice is two storied, the church being built over the Sunday school. The ground floor foyer, paved with carefully selected tones of Terazzo, leads to a double flight of concrete stairs taking one to the upper foyer and so to the church auditorium. The nave of the church will accommodate about 450 persons.
The whole of the walling is panelled, the design being arranged so as to link up with and form part of the seating construction. The roof is of the open timbered variety, heavy semi-circular trusses sweeping overhead from floor to roof: these, together with the large arches of the transept and crossing, create an impressive interior, severe and dignified. Pressed cement tracery windows give due accentuation to the church. Leaded glass of interesting formation is provided, while the mellow toned glass diffuses a soft light over the whole, harmonising with the softly textured plaster of the walls. The accommodation of this upper floor also provides for a board room, committee room, clerk's room, ushers' room, and rooms for the readers, organist and soloist, and organ chamber and staircase hall leading to the gallery.
On the ground door, besides the Sunday school, which is equal in size to that of the church, there are provided three committee rooms, cloak room, reading room and retiring rooms. Provision has been made throughout the building for heating by electricity, and sound proofing. (14).
On April 15, 1945 the Dedication services were held at the Elsternwick Church, as it was debt free. (15).
Third Church of Christ, Scientist, Melbourne in Elsternwick.
Image: Third Church of Christ, Scientist as published in From sand, swamp and heath...a history of Caulfield (16).
The building is no longer used by the Christian Scientists. I don't have an exact date as to when they ceased using the building, but as the advertisement below shows, they were still active in November 1986, as a free lecture was held in the building, but after that I cannot find any advertised Christian Science activities held in Ripon Grove. By July 1988 the building was occupied by the Australian College of Metaphysical Studies.
Christian Science lecture held at Third Church of Christ, Scientist, in November 1986
The Age November 6, 1986. p. 52, from newspapers.ocm
July 1988 - Third Church of Christ, Scientist, now occupied by
Australian College of Metaphysical Studies
The Age, July 9, 1988 p. 160, from newspapers.com
I love Church architecture and I have an interest in the social history of churches and the much larger role Churches used to play in the social life (as well as the Spiritual life) of the community, so this has been an fascinating piece of research for me. The other thing to note is just how much Church news appeared in the newspapers in the past - reports of sermons, photographs and information on new Church buildings; information about the Ministers and Priests; service times - it was all reported.
Trove list - I have created a list of articles on Trove connected to the building of the first three Church of Christ, Scientist churches in Melbourne, access it here.
Footnotes
(1) For more on Christian Science https://christiansciencevictoria.com.au/
(2) The Herald, May 6, 1922, see here.
(3) Ibid
(4) The Argus, May 4, 1922, see here.
(5) The Argus, October 14, 1925, see here.
(6) The Argus, March 15, 1934, see here.
(7) The Age, September 4, 1945, see here.
(8) Box Hill Reporter, September 10, 1926, see here; The Age, November 21, 1936, see here; Street Medal criteria - The Herald, January 18, 1928, see here
(9) The Age, March 25, 1939, see here.
(11) The Herald, May 13, 1931, see here.
(12) The Herald, May 13, 1931, see here; The Argus, June 29, 1931, see here; grand romanesque quote from City of Glen Eira Thematic Environmental History (Refresh) 2020, p. 100. https://www.gleneira.vic.gov.au/media/7583/glen-eira-c214glen-city-of-glen-eira-thematic-environmentla-history-refresh-2020.pdf
(13) Various references on Trove; Louis Reginald Williams - Melbourne University - https://minerva-access.unimelb.edu.au/items/e97e135c-b251-50a1-a553-d4e8a18eaa4a/full
(14) The Herald, May 13, 1931, see here.
(15) The Age, April 16, 1945, see here.
(16) Murray, John R and Wells, John C From sand, swamp and heath...a history of Caulfield (City of Caulfield, 1980), p. 222.
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