Protestant Hall Tambaroora

Data was last added to this page on the 08 May 2023

THE PROTESTANT HALL
(Information to be added when found)

In 1871 the school teacher John Price Morgan applied for Lot 1 Section 19 under Clause 8 of the Crown Lands Alienation Act of 1861, the land was surveyed on the 4^th Apr 1871⁽³³⁶⁾, he was given a "Grant Upon Improved Land Purchase" for Lot 1 of Section 19 on the 24^th Feb 1874, the purchase price being eight pounds seventeen shillings and twopence sterling ⁽²⁹⁾. The only improvements made to the land at that time was a boundary fence.

The Protestant Political Association's connection with Lot 1 Section 19
Sometime in early 1870 a meeting of Protestants was held with the idea of forming a Protestant Political Association. A newspaper article briefly describes the announcement of the first meeting. This was followed by another newspaper article describing the outcome of that meeting.

On the 12 Jul 1871 the foundation stone for the new Orange Lodge was laid on Lot 1 Section 19 by Mr. John Hurley a Magistrate of Tambaroora. The newspaper article reporting on the foundation stone laying ceremony smelt of religious overtones.

What the connection Mr. John Price Morgan had with the Orange Lodge is unknown but he must have had an interest in that Institution as the Lodge was built on the land he had applied for in 1871 and was later granted in 1874.

A brief description of the building appeared in a newspaper written by a correspondent on a visit to the area.

12 Jul 1872
Protestant Hall Formally Opened

One of the Holtermann Collection photo's (below) shows a building with what appears to be a new roof just to the left of and in the distance behind the Railway Stores building at the location of where the public school was eventually to be. This site can be verified by the existence of the original Hargraves Hotel across the road.

View looking south along Mudgee Road from outside the Royal Hotel,
the roof of the Protestant Hall can be seen in the background.
Source: ⁽²⁵²⁾

The Protestant Political Association appears to have changed its name at some time as it was later referred to as the Protestant Alliance Society.

21 Jul 1877 - Concert to raise funds to purchase the Protestant Hall For use as the Public School House

In 1877 The Council of Education purchased from Mr. J.P. Morgan Lot 1 Section 19 on which was the Protestant Hall. The Hall had a very brief existence for its intended purpose. See the Narrative on the National/Public School