Biography

St. Alban's Church, Pipers River
Pipers River, about 40 km north of Launceston, was settled for farming by the mid-19^th century, and was gazetted as a township in 1865.  From as early as the 1870s, Anglican services were being held in the Pipers River school, led by the schoolteacher. Clergy visits were rare but from 1897, fortnightly services were led by the clergyman from George Town. During the 1880s and 90s, the mining town of Lefroy, less than 10km west, had boomed to a population of 5000, becoming the 4^th largest town in Tasmania at the time, and its church opened in 1891.  Early baptisms were held in Lefroy, then later at Pipers River. 7 weddings were recorded at Pipers River in the early parish register up to 1898.

As Lefroy began to decline, there were moves to build a church at Pipers River. The foundation stone was laid in 1906, on a site opposite the school, but the building was only completed in 1912 and opened by Archdeacon Beresford. Pipers River became one of four worship centres in the parish, and was dedicated just over a decade later in 1923.  After the opening of the church, fortnightly services continued, alternating with Low Head, one service being Holy Communion. At times, services had to be cancelled due to weather – gales and floods, or transport issues. In the early 20th century, the minister still had to travel by horse and cart. St Alban’s was consecrated by Bishop Robert Snowdon Hay in 1923. Bishop Hay returned in 1928 for a confirmation service.

Duncan Grant’s short history of the church (linked below) records that, “During the Great War, the small Pipers River community suffered the loss of several of its sons and memorial services at the church are recorded. The Venn family lost two of its sons and had another two sons serving. The headstone of another casualty, Walter Baxter, is prominent in the cemetery. He is reported as the ‘first to go from Piper's River, and the first to fall’. It is in this context that we can understand reports such at that of Canon Kelly who “preached a striking sermon on the barbarism and cruelty of the Germans” at a ‘patriotic service’ held at St Alban’s in August 1918. War took an especially cruel toll on these small communities.”

The Baxter family were prominent in the Pipers River church throughout its existence as a centre of worship. William Baxter, grandfather of Brian, who at the time of writing was still a part of All Saints Network Council, was involved in the building of the church. He was part of the local church vestry in the early period, and a representative at diocesan synod. Each of the worship centres of the George Town parish had its own vestry. It was only in 1981 that the parish established a parish council encompassing all of the centres. Brian Baxter was part of that parish council, continuing when the parish was merged into the Riverlinks parish in 2011, and staying on as Riverlinks too merged into the All Saints Anglican Network in 2019.

During the 1930s and 40s, Pipers River was ministered from Scottsdale, not George Town. This shift was due to clergy shortages and regional reassignments. Services became less frequent — typically once every two months. In the 1930s, Laurence Dando and others led non-communion services. Despite reduced frequency, attendance gradually increased, especially during holiday periods. In 1939 there were two missions at Pipers River led by the Church Army with lantern services (slide shows) proving very popular. Between January 1942 and Sept 1944 Revd Lionel Beaver Browning led services, travelling from Scottsdale, and in 1945 there was a confirmation service for one male and seven females with Bishop Geoffrey Franceys Cranswick as confirming bishop.

Once again part of the George Town parish from 1954, services in the 1950s were again held twice a month, increasing to three per month for a period in the late 1950s. Transport challenges persisted; drivers were paid to assist clergy travel to Hillwood and Pipers River.

In 1956, Pipers River’s financial contribution to parish funds rose to £75 — a sign of growing engagement. In this era, three services were being held monthly at Pipers River, with an average attendance of 15. No doubt, better roads and the availability of motor cars made this feasible. By the 1960s, attendances had slumped, and there were several occasions with “no service held” in the register.

In 1981, it was deemed that urgent repairs were needed at St. Alban’s, with an estimate of $17000 put forward. When this was put to the newly formed Parish Council, the rector, Revd Ken Box, proposed demolishing St. Alban’s and instead using the local hall for services. A proposal to sell a 5 acre block of land between the hall and Bridport Rd presumably went ahead.

In the 1990s, retired clergy Revd Kay Webster and Revd Brian Mattingley led services. In the mid-1990s, diocesan discussions took place regarding the closure of out centres and small churches. St. Alban’s survived, and in 2011, became part of the Riverlinks parish.

Baptisms, weddings and funerals for the local population usually took place at St. Alban’s, but the Baxter family have no recollection of later confirmations at the church. These usually took place at George Town, but eventually, confirmation preparation and services were combined with St. John’s in Launceston.

The Harvest Festival and dance was a big occasion in the early years, and then just the Harvest Auction was a community event held on the Monday night after the Sunday Harvest Service.

The cemetery adjoining the church building was transferred to the local council about 1954, and is not just an Anglican cemetery. Anglican burials took place on one side, Catholics on the other and Chinese burials further down the slope towards the river.

By 2018, the Anglican diocese was preparing to fund redress for survivors of child sexual abuse, and began to identify churches that were financially unviable or whose congregation was too small to justify the cost of ongoing provision of ministry. St. Alban’s was not on the original list, but it was soon apparent that the diocese would not continue ministry there.  A final service of thanksgiving and Holy Communion was held on 3^rd March, 2019, attended by 70 people, including members of local families, leaders from George Town, and Revd Roger Hesketh of All Saints Anglican Network, who preached the final sermon. After the service, morning tea was shared in the grounds opposite, under the trees.

St. Alban’s Church was sold to private buyers who intended to turn it into  an AirBnB  but at the time of writing, that project had not progressed further than the development application due to a number of circumstances.

Source