General News
12 January, 2025
Saving history ... weatherboards, windows and graffiti
By CHRIS EARL GLEN Ballginer made an on-the-spot purchase three years ago. The dilapidated former St Augustine’s Church Sunday School in Inglewood became his restoration project. The weatherboard building that had welcomed hundreds of youngsters...
By CHRIS EARL
GLEN Ballginer made an on-the-spot purchase three years ago.
The dilapidated former St Augustine’s Church Sunday School in Inglewood became his restoration project.
The weatherboard building that had welcomed hundreds of youngsters for religious instruction since 1895 and hosted countless dances and party was in pretty poor shape.
The front windows were boarded up, stumps and boards rotting and paint peeling.
“But there was the ceiling ... red pine, still in beautiful condition. That was the sale clincher,” said Glen who has set about saving a piece of Inglewood history.
“I was looking for a project and came for a browse after being priced out of the market in Maldon and Mount Alexander Shire,
“There was this big space and that presented many options. We just needed to a lot of work although the great thing was that the old Sunday school is timber and that’s easier to work with than bricks and masonry that have multi-layers.”
Glen’s external restoration of the heritage building is nearing completion.
He has done much work himself. “Probably been working on this for two or three days a week for about 12 months.
“We re-stumped the building. There was the last stump, deciding whether to give it one last turn. I did and there was a loud crack ... the corners had been put back together,” he said.
Glen also enlisted the aid of Kurting builder Richard Jeney for stumping and the finer restoration work that has seen the side porchway replaced and one of the doors replicated.
“Along the way I’ve found old cigarette cases, bottles and lots of animal bones under the building,” Glen said.
The Maldon man, who also repairs bicycles, says there have been many residents popping their head in the door as renovation work continued.
“A few members of the local Men’s Shed have called in and almost everyone has some connection whether going to Sunday school, dances ...,” he said.
“And when I was replacing the fence I discovered graffiti from the 1970s.
“One bloke had a look and said one of the names was his auntie. I might turn the graffiti sheets into an exhibition one day.. They are names that people will recognise and are still special 40 or 50 years later.”
Glen said every visitor checking in on the renovation had been full of encouragement. And he said Loddon Shire had also been helpful.
“I’ve restored a lot of the old timber where it has been possible. Some window fittings you just can’t find these days or the style of air vents and door handles.”
Glen said he felt the building had been saved. “That’s the over-riding sense of satisfaction.”
Rotting weatherboards now replaced, the next big task for Glen is external painting.
When he needs a break, there’s a special view from inside. Once-boarded windows at the front of the Sunday school have been replaced and offer a vista across Sullivan Street to the 150-year-old St Augustine’s Anglican Church.
Glen says he constantly marvels at the view when peering through the windows.
Inside, there’s still the task of stripping away flaking white paint that was daubed on walls decades ago and since covered with dust.
Up at the back of hall is the old stage where dance bands once held court and Sunday school students performed at concerts and anniversaries.
Glen says the space will again become functional.
He plans to leave the hall interview as a blank canvas for the next buyer of a bit of Inglewood history.
“There’s still work for me to do on restoration. I am not rushing it as this must be done properly,” he said.
“Whatever, the building has been saved and the people who pop in and say hello say they’re pretty happy about that,” Glen said.