East Kew Uniting Church and former Citizens Hall
142 and 142A Normanby Street KEW EAST, BOROONDARA CITY
Statement of Significance
What is Significant?
East Kew Uniting Church, also known as the Finlay McQueen Memorial Presbyterian Church at 142 Normanby Street East Kew; built in 1938 is significant. The former East Kew Citizen's Hall of 1922, at 142A Normanby Street is also significant.
How is it significant?
East Kew Uniting Church is of local historic, architectural, aesthetic and social significance to the City of Boroondara.
Why is it significant?
East Kew Uniting Church is historically significant as one of three suburban churches in the suburb, including St Anne's Catholic Church and St Paul's Anglican Church, both in Windella Avenue. East Kew Uniting Church is part of the development of Kew East and its community facilities in the Inter-war period, particularly following the electric tram connection to the city. East Kew Uniting Church of 1938 and the adjacent Kew East Citizens Hall of 1922 used as a church between 1922 and 1938 are historically significant as part of the denominational expansion in the newly developing suburbs.
Historically, the naming of the church memorialises in its original name, the Rev. Finlay McQueen, the first minister of East Kew Uniting Church between 1926 and 1930. The McQueen family is further associated with East Kew Uniting Church through Malcolm McQueen who succeeded his father as minister between 1930 and 1945. Like many churches, East Kew Uniting Church is historically significant for its memorial windows that commemorate war sacrifice by families of the congregation. Windows at East Kew Uniting Church commemorate James and Alexander Johnstone of the AIF, John T Murray, also of the AIF and Lindsay C Murray of the RAAF, as well as many other founding families of this church. The East Kew community hall is historically significant as the location of the first Presbyterian Church in East Kew. (Criterion A)
East Kew Uniting Church is representative of a group of suburban Inter-war churches that derive from the Gothic Revival tradition, and as a work by noted church architects Scarborough and Love. Although not their most ambitious work, East Kew Uniting Church is a well planned Gothic Revival example. It is significant for its unusual 'U' shaped plan around a central courtyard which was originally master planned to be completed in stages, and where the original concept (apart from the corner tower) survives. (Criterion D)
East Kew Uniting Church is aesthetically significant for its harmonious composition comprising a grouping of buildings and functions around a courtyard. The use of salmon brickwork in matching colour and the tiled roof are aesthetically significant despite the different eras in which the building wings were constructed. The church is significant for its Gothic Revival elements of pitched gable roof, buttresses and arch headed windows with brickwork details articulated in its nave, porch, narthex and vestry. The Gothic Revival window with stone tracery and leaded glass is notable, and other lancet-shaped memorial windows in leaded glass complement the main window. The Sunday School, completed in 1953, and the meeting rooms complement the church in style and materials and are also part of its aesthetic significance. (Criterion E)
East Kew Uniting Church is of local significance for its connection to the Uniting Church community. The church and church hall and meeting rooms remain in occupation by the Uniting Church, which collectively demonstrate the ongoing ecclesiastical use and evolution of the site over the past 80 years. (Criterion G)
