United Welsh Church, Blackstone

United Welsh Church, Blackstone

Ipswich (QLD), 4304, Australia

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Description United Welsh Church is a heritage-listed church at 6 Thomas Street, Blackstone, City of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Samuel Shenton and built in 1886 by Worley & Whitehead. It is also known as Welsh Chapel and Welsh Union Church. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.HistoryThe United Welsh Church was built in 1886; it was designed by Ipswich builder/architect Samuel Shenton and constructed by Ipswich contractors Worley and Whitehead. The land was donated by coal-mine owner Lewis Thomas who also helped finance the church.Lewis Thomas had begun to mine coal at Blackstone in the 1860s. In 1883, a group of Welsh people, formerly slate miners from Blaenau Ffestiniog, arrived in Blackstone to work for Thomas. Shortly after their arrival, they held a Protestant church service under a mulberry tree on the banks of Bundamba Creek. They agreed that Welsh nationality took priority over minor sectarian differences and formed a Welsh Church. The first combined service was held in a church hall in the nearby suburb of Newtown on 19 July 1883. Lewis Thomas then allowed use of a cottage in Blackstone for services. As the number of Welsh immigrants grew, this became too small and Thomas donated land for a church. The church building opened officially on 16 October 1886 with a tea-meeting and concert.