St Thomas

The first Church of England Services at Northdown were held in the North Down House the residence of Mr. Thomas.

The land for St Thomas' church was a gift from Mr. Samuel Henry Thomas, it was situated on the Thomas' family property about two miles (3.21km) from the 1878 church. Labour and materials were donated by local residents, it was a small wooden building with a shingle roof. Mr. Wright of Moorlands donated £54 pounds worth of beef.

Saint Thomas’s Church, Port Sorell

- License

Fitzherbert Adams Marriott, Clerk master

of arts the Vicar General and Commissary -

lawfully constituted of the Right Reverend -

Father in God Francis Russell by divine

Permission the Lord Bishop of Tasmania To

The Reverend Montague Williams Clerk the

minister and chaplain at Port Sorell within the

Diocese of Tasmania and others the Residents and

inhabitants in and about the same place Greeting

: Whereas it hath been lately represented unto me

by a Petition under your Hands that a certain

Building or Edifice lately erected and built at

Port Sorell in the parish of Port Sorell in the

county of Devon within the said Diocese and intended for a Church or place of Divine worship

at Port Sorell aforesaid and when consecrated

to be called by the name of Saint Thomas's Church

hath not been legally consecrated and that the

said edifice is furnished at present with all thing necessary for the performance of Divine Service

and is placed under the care of the said Montague

Williams and praying a license to perform Divine Service therein. Now, I the said Fitzherbert Adams Marriott Vicar General and Commissary as aforesaid

having taken the premises into consideration and being

desirous of complying with the prayer of the said

Petition. Do by these presents (as far as by Law I may

or can) grant my License and authority to you

the said Montague Williams and any other Clerk in

Holy Orders thereunto duly licensed by the said Right

Reverend Father in God or his Successors or his or their

Vicar General and Commissary for the time being to

perform and celebrate Divine Service preach the

word of God administer the Holy Sacraments of

Baptism and the Lords Supper publish banns of marriage

celebrate marriage and perform all other

Ecclesiastical duties whatsoever in the said Building

or Edifice at Port Sorell in the Parish of Port

Sorell in the County of Devon within the said

Diocese of Tasmania according to the doctrine

worship discipline and government of the United

Church of England and Ireland. Reserving or

Nevertheless to the said Francis Russell the

L ord Bishop of Tasmania and his Successors and

his and their Vicar General and Commissary for the

time being full power and authority of revoking

these presents and all things herein contained

whenever he or they shall see just cause for the

same IN TESTIMONY whereof I have set my Hand

and caused the Episcopal Seal of the See of

Tasmania to be affixed to these presents this

thirteenth day of February in the year of our

Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty seven.

Fitzherbert A Marriott

Vicar General & Commissary

Registered at Hobart Town this. }

twentieth day of April one }

thousand eight hundred and }

forty seven. By me }

John Harrison

Registrar of the Diocese

Bishop Rt. Rev. Francis Nixon opened the church on the 30th April 1845. Services were held the first Sunday of each month in this little church, it was also used as a place for the muster of convicts. The little church became run down by 1876 and it was decided to relocate and build a new church on the road between Port Sorell and Torquay.