*History of Eltham Wesleyan Methodist Church
The Eltham Wesleyan Methodist began meeting in the home of Mr. Taylor in Mt. Pleasant Road in 1850 and in other houses including the postmaster’s slab hut in Henry St. in 1860 the first church was built in the same street and then 1880 the present church was built on the corner of John St and Main Rd, then called Maria Street. This building remained unaltered for 50 years although electricity was connected in the late 1920s.
In 1930 the Sunday School hall was built, linked to the church by a kinder room. Sometime later a weatherboard extension was added to the south end of the hall. A detached pan closet toilet block was constructed to the rear. There was a major upgrade of facilities in 1986.
*Information supplied by Colin Jones with thanks.
**History of St Andrews Presbyterian Church, Montmorency
In 1914 a small group of Presbyterians living on “The Montmorency Estate”, which had been established when the railway was extended to Eltham several years before, began meeting for worship in the Rattray Rd home of Robert Sharpe. Two years later a small weatherboard church, administered from Scots Church, Heidelberg, was built on land donated by Mr. Sharpe.
In 1931 thi sbuilding was moved to the corner of Rattray Road and Mountain View Roads. In the next few years local elders were elected and the congregation adopted the name “St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Montmorency”.
Montmorency grew rapidly after World War 2 and in 1955 a brick building designed by Alistair Knox was opened. A manse was purchased in 1960 and soon after St Andrew’s became a full Presbyterian charge.
The old wooden building was used as the Sunday School until it was demolished in 1977 when a new brick “Education Centre” comprising kindergarten, Sunday School and hall, was built. About this time St Andrews became a Uniting Church.
In June 1996 Montmorency amalgamated with Eltham Uniting Church. The last service was held at Montmorency in October 2016 and the kindergarten was closed. Many items from Montmorency are now in use at Eltham including the communion table, chairs, baptismal font and banners. Other items such as the leadlight window and memorial plaques are in storage until being incorporated into a planned renovation.
**Information supplied by Margaret Buckland with thanks.