John & Joseph HardeyPrint Page

The Hardey Memorial Church was erected in 1904 to commemorate John and Joseph Hardey, pioneers of Methodism in Western Australia. 

John and Joseph Hardey came to Western Australia in 1829 in the ship Tranby and Joseph Hardey had the honour of conducting the first Methodist service at Fremantle on the 6th February 1830. 

For some time past the spiritual needs of the Methodist residents of Cottesloe in the form of divine worship have been supplied from Cottesloe Beach. The growth of the first-named suburb has, however, been such as to bring strongly before the people the advisability of providing Methodism with a church of its own at Cottesloe. The movement, once started, soon gained ground, and prominent among its strongest supporters were the members of the Hardey family, with whose name the history of Methodism in Western Australia, from the earliest times, is so closely associated. Mr. R. D. Hardey came forward with the offer, by way of gift, of the site, which is at North Cottesloe, and occupies a fine, commanding position.

Other members of the Hardey family made themselves responsible for a consderable portion of the funds required to defray the cost of the building, which, it has been decided, is to be known as the Hardey Memorial Church. Altogether, a most liberal response has been made by the friends at Cottesloe and elsewhere in the North Fremantle Circuit of which Cottesloe forms part and donations have also come in from outside.  With so much help flowing in from different directions, it was found possible to make a commencement with the erection of the building some six or eight weeks ago, and matters progressed so rapidly that on Saturday the foundation-stone was laid. The church, for which Messrs. Hine and Selby are the architects, is to be built of stone, and when completed will cost about £1,200. At the present time, however, only the main portion of the building is to be erected, and this will cost from £600 to £700. This part of the building is being carried out under the supervision of Mr. Wells.

There was a goodly gathering at the laying of the foundation-stone on Saturday afternoon-a ceremony which was performed by Mr. J. G. Foulkes, M.L.A., the member for Claremont, of which electoral district Cottesloe forms part. Ministers of the Methodist Churches within the metropolitan area were present, and also many of the most prominent members of the denomination. The proceedings were conducted by the minister in charge of the North Fremantle Circuit, the Rev. F. Mason. The Rev. A. S. J. Fry, of Claremont, led in prayer, and the lesson was read by the Rev. W. Burridge, the Secretary to the Methodist Conference of Western Australia.

An address was then delivered by the Rev. Thomas Bird, the speaker referring in singularly graceful terms to the intimate connection of the name of Hardey with Western Australian Methodism, and the deep and continuing obligations the Church was under to that family. The secretary to the trust, Mr. C. Crouch, then presented Mr. Foulkes with a silver trowel, suitably inscribed, and with this the member for Claremont performed his portion of the ceremony and declared the stone well and truly laid. After Mr. Foulkes had briefly addressed the gathering, an offertory was made, resulting in about £20 being laid on the stone. The service ended, afternoon tea, provided by the ladies of the Church, was partaken of by the visitors, and the proceedings concluded. It is anticipated that the portion of the building now under erection will be completed early in the coming year.
West Australian (Perth, WA), 5 December 1904.

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