Holy Trinity, Hobart.

[Richard Offen]

--- In bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com, "philholtsdgr" 
<pippolucas23 at ...> wrote:
>
> 
> Holy Trinity, Hobart needs help. The historical ring of 8 bells,
> Australia's oldest, are in danger of being lost. Although not rare 
(C &
> G Mears, 1846) they are an important part of Tasmania's and 
Australia's
> heritage. Please contact  John Smith at jasmad at ...
> <mailto:jasmad at ...>  for further details and to offer support
> in the campaign to save the bells, tower archives and 
optimistically the
> church as well.
> 
> Maybe this is not strictly Bell History but I can't think of another
> group with such an interest in preserving ringing heritage. I'm sure
> Richard Offen will endorse this plea.
> 
> Phil Lucas
>

I certainly will endorse this plea for help.

This is an absolutely classic case of a very special town church with 
a dwindling congregation becoming redundant.   I the UK, once 
declared redundant, the church would probably have been automatically 
vested with the Churches Conservation Trust, but no such organisation 
exists in this country.   As a result, this heritage listed church is 
likely to be deconsecrated (I've often wondered if this ceremony 
involved the Bishop knocking on the inside of the church door and 
being let out!) and an alternative use found for the building.

John Smith will be able to give those interested more detail, but it 
sounds as if the bells will have to be relocated in order to save 
them.  I think this is a very great shame as the ring is contemporary 
with the building and therefore a major part of its historic 
significance (apart from being the oldest peal in the Southern 
Hemisphere) is the association with the entire history of the 
building.

Further details will soon be found on the following web site (which 
still seems to be under construction!):

http://www.savetrinitychurch.com/

Richard