Paech, Walter Herbert. 1974, Twelve decades of grace / [by] W.H. Paech Lutheran Publishing House Adelaide https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2713224. Published and Printed by Lutheran Publishing House, 205 Halifax Street, Adelaide, S.A. March, 1974. ISBN 0859100111. Scan of extract
Trinity Church and Manse, Doncaster (Date unknown)
The present Doncaster is a lovely area, but perhaps not as much so as it used to be. Whereas once, more than a century ago, there was natural bush with its tall eucalypts and not many years later fruit trees, planted, flowering, and bearing fruit, there are now some thousands of homes, the great majority of which have been erected during the last decade or so. The green belt has given way to the demands of the sprawling metropolis. In 1971 the City of Doncaster and Templestowe has a population of 70,000; it is expected that 100,000 will be living within its boundaries before the end of the present decade. Many people deplored the destruction of orchards and the sub-division of the land; by now they have become reconciled to the change. In view of its former beauty it is not surprising that the early Silesian immigrants, after years of oppression in their homeland, chose Doncaster as their new home 120 years ago.
The pioneer settlers of Doncaster emigrated from the Goerlitz district of the Province of Silesia in Prussia. They called their new settlement Breslau, the name of the capital of the Province of Silesia. By 1856 the appropriate name of Waldau was chosen ("Wald" means forest and "Au" means a green meadow, possibly with a brook). Among the first settlers was J. Gottlieb Thiele, grandfather of the late Pastor O.E. Thiele. He arrived in Melbourne on the sailing vessel Wappaus (304 tons) on March 6, 1849; there were 130 adults and 60 children on board. Being a military tailor by trade, he in 1849 opened a business as tailor in Bourke Street, opposite the later Kirk’s Bazaar. His business was patronized by Mr. La Trobe, superintendent of the Port Phillip Bay District of the colony of New South Wales and later Governor of the colony of Victoria. In 1851 and 1852 Thiele went to the Bendigo goldfield in search of gold and met with a good measure of success. Returning to Melbourne, he bought a fair area of land in Richmond and Fitzroy. In 1853 he purchased 10 acres of land at Breslau at £10 per acre and soon after another 10 acres at £20 per acre. Not many years later he played a prominent part in negotiations for a union of the ELCV and the South Australian Synod and after these had failed, became a foundation member of the later St John’s congregation, City Road, South Melbourne. Other early arrivals were J.G. Simon and J.G. and J.F. Walther. Within about two years more than 20 additional settlers arrived, most of them from Silesia, but some from Saxony. Land was cleared; pastures were established; vegetables and fruit trees were planted. Income was derived from the sale of firewood, butter, eggs, vegetables, and fruit. In due time their increased income combined with their rigid frugality enabled them to buy more land. In the end they became reasonably prosperous.
First Pastors
The altar and crucifix, Trinity church,
While concerning themselves with the means of their livelihood, the early settlers were not unmindful of their spiritual well-being. Divine services were conducted by lay-readers G. Thiele and J.F. Straube. From time to time services were held by Pastor M. Goethe, of the East Melbourne Trinity congregation. These services and other pastoral ministrations were continued by him until he left for California in 1867. In March, 1868, Pastor H. Hcrlitz, who had been in charge of the Germantown (Grovedale) congregation, but had accepted a call of the East Melbourne Trinity congregation, began his ministry in the Doncaster congregation. Eight years later Pastor M. von Schramm, who was the teacher of the congregation’s school, was called as its pastor. Prior to his ordination a commission of pastors and laymen examined him on July 26, 1876, in homiletics, dogmatics, exegesis, and church history. The commission declared him to be eligible for a call to the ministry of the Church. He was ordained and accepted the call; his installation took place on November 5, 1876. In addition to the services at Doncaster, monthly services were conducted by him at Bayswater (Scoresby) as from 1884. He ministered also to the Harkaway congregation, near Berwick, for 30 years (1876-1906). After he had completed 47 years of services as pastor and teacher, he retired in 1907.
Pastors from 1908-1966
Pastor R. Held, a graduate of the Basle Seminary, was installed on July 12, 1908. A year later the present manse was erected at a cost of £750; it was dedicated on Whit Monday, 1909. After Pastor Held had accepted a call to Tanunda, S.A., Pastor J.G. Hegelau was in charge of the parish from 1911-1915. Pastor A. Fehlberg, who for a few years had been engaged in mission work in Tasmania, succeeded him and served the parish until 1920. An exchange of pastorates was made in 1920, by which Pastor Fehlberg took charge of the Eudunda parish in South Australia and Pastor J. Simpfendorfer, of Eudunda, became the pastor of the Doncaster parish.
Pastor J. Simpfendorfer.
He was installed on October 31, 1920. Most of the services were now held in the English language. Pastor Simpfendorfer was active in home mission work in Greater Melbourne and established a congregation at Sunshine in 1942. During World War 11 he conducted services in Trinity church, East Melbourne, for about five years; many in the Australian fighting forces attended the services. Pastor Simpfendorfer remained in charge of the parish until 1947, when he accepted a call of the Dimboola parish.
The next three pastors were graduates of Immanuel Seminary, North Adelaide. Pastors P.A. Scherer, who had served in the Finke River Mission in Central Australia for about four years, was installed on April 11, 1948. During his ministry he also engaged in home mission work in Melbourne, including the work among the many immigrants. He ministered also to Lutherans in the Gippsland district. He served the parish until April, 1955, and then returned to the service of the Finke River Mission(Haast’s Bluff)- His successor, Pastor H. Pech, who had been at Haast’s Bluff since 1947, accepted the call of the Doncaster parish and was installed on May 15,1955. He was in charge of the Gippsland field, until it was taken over by Pastor E.B. Helbig late in 1956. At the request of the Home Mission Committee, however, Pastor Pech continued to conduct services at Trafalgar. For about five years services were held by him also at Croydon. Owing to the ill-health of one of his children, he resigned from the pastorate of the parish in 1965. He was succeeded by Pastor M.E. Schild, Dr. Theol., who was installed in February of 1965. Until the close of 1966 Dr. Schild conducted the services at Trafalgar.
Dr. Schild
Trinity Congregation, Victoria Street, Doncaster
The congregation was organized about 1856. Mr. F. Straube presented an acre of land on Waldau hill, which was to be used for the erection of a house of worship and for the burial of members. The church, 40 feet by 20 feet and with walls 12 feet in height, was built in 1858 at a cost of £48. It was dedicated on December 26, 1858. In 1860 a day-school was opened with Mr. M. yon Schramm as teacher; the instruction was given in the church. The teacher was installed on May 17, 1860, and continued to serve for many years. Because of financial difficulties occasioned by bad seasons, the congregation approached the government for an allowance. A grant was received in 1864 for the erection of a school on Main Road, Doncaster Hill. Instruction in the new school began in 1865. Two years later the school was taken over by the State with Mr. von Schramm remaining in charge. In 1873 an Education Act came into force which abolished religious instruction in State schools. Mr.
von Schramm then resigned and established a church school in his home adjoining the State school. The school was dedicated on November 6, 1876, the day following his ordination and installation as pastor of the parish. Because of the increased demands of the State Education Department and the consequent rise in costs as well as because of the proximity of two State schools, the congregation’s school was closed on August 8, 1884.
Soon after the closing of the school the congregation was confronted with another problem. The church on Waldau hill was in a bad state of repair. The erection of a new church was discussed. Finally it was resolved to proceed with its erection. Though some members desired it to be built on the site of the old church, it was agreed to erect it on land purchased for £100 from the estate of Mr. C. Aumann, sen. The foundation stone of the church was laid on January 20, 1892, and the service of dedication was held on April 21 of that year. The cost of the building and its furnishings amounted to £1,303. A three manual and pedal organ was bought in 1917 for £175. Provision for more adequate accommodation for the Sunday-school pupils, for work among the youth, for Ladies Guild and other meetings was the next matter to receive the attention of the congregation. To meet these requirements a hall was erected in 1932 at a cost of £645. The dedication took place on October 2, 1932. During the years 1954-1958 considerable repairs, alterations, and renovations in the church and manse were effected at a cost of over £2,000. A large crucifix, carved of Canadian cedar, was presented by Robert Thiele, a great-great-grandson of Gottlieb Thiele. The renovated church with its rebuilt chancel and its new appointments was rededicated on May 26, 1957. Additional land was bought by the congregation in 1968 for $2,000.
The 50th and 75th anniversaries of the dedication of the church erected on Waldau hill in .1858 were observed on December 26, 1908, and in April, 1933, respectively. From April 30 to May 4, 1958, the congregation celebrated the centenary of the dedication of the first church.
After Lutheran Union
Dr. M.E. Schild continued to serve the parish until toward the end of 1969, when he accepted a call issued by the Council of Luther Seminary, by which he became a member of the faculty of the Seminary. Pastor P.A. Zweck, who had been in charge of the Port Adelaide parish, succeeded him and was installed on May 24, 1970.
Pastor P.A. Zweck
The preaching place at Briar Hill (now Montmorency), which had been served by Pastor J.T.P. Stolz, was incorporated in the Doncaster parish. Services are held in the Anglican church. In 1973 land for the erection of a church plant was bought by the District at nearby Greensborough.
Statistics
Trinity Congregation and Parish, Doncaster
1966: 272 baptized and 105 confirmed members, 49 Sunday-school pupils, 642 communions, 21 Youth Society members, 23 Women’s Guild members, contributions $3,619.
1971: 227 baptized and 144 confirmed members, 72 Sunday-school pupils, 803 communions, 18 Lutheran Youth members, 22 Lutheran Women members, 8 Lutheran Men members, contributions $7,720.
Briar Hill Preaching Place
1971: 34 baptized and 18 confirmed members, 13 Sunday-school pupils, 68 communions, 3 Lutheran Women members, contributions $598.
Parish
1971: 261 baptized and 162 confirmed members, 85 Sunday-school pupils, 871 communions, 18 Lutheran Youth members, 25 Lutheran Women members, 8 Lutheran Men members, contributions $8,318.
Pastor Walter Herbert Paech
https://billiongraves.com/grave/Walter-Herbert-Paech/4018064
- Pastor Walter Herbert Paech
- Born: 12 Jun 1894. Married: 19 Feb 1919. Died: 11 Apr 1984
- Templestowe Cemetery, 263 Foote Street, Melbourne, City of Manningham, Victoria, Australia
- Epitaph: Underneath Are the Everlasting Arms - Deut 33: 27
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