Wesleyan Methodist Church Records in Australia

Libraries
National Library of Australia Parkes Place Canberra ACT 2600 Australia Telephone: +61 (0)2 6262 1111 Address postal enquiries to: Reader Services National Library of Australia Canberra ACT 2600 Australia
 * How do I research my family history?
 * Catalogue Search
 * Ask a Librarian

Societies

 * The Society of Australian Genealogists, based in Sydney, provides an expert and specialist family history service, and holds microfilms of records of churches of all denominations throughout Australia and overseas. The SAG sells copies of their microfilms to family history societies, historical societies, and libraries.

Writing to Local Churches
Birth, marriage, and death registers are kept at the current individual churches.' Contact the current minister to find out what records are still available.
 * Wesleyan Methodist Find a Location
 * Make an appointment to look at the records. Or ask the minister of the church to make a copy of the record for you.
 * To find church staff available, you might have to visit on Sunday.
 * Ask for small searches at a time, such as one birth record or a specific marriage. Never ask for "everything on a family or surname".
 * A donation ($25-$40) for their time and effort to help you would be appropriate.
 * If the church has a website, you may be able to e-mail a message.
 * See the Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy for help with composing letters.

Historical Background

 * The beginnings of the current Wesleyan Methodist Church in Australia may be traced to 1945, when the Rev. Dr. Kingsley Ridgway offered himself as a Melbourne based "field representative" for a possible Australian branch of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of America, after meeting an American serviceman who was a member of that denomination.
 * It was never a part of the merger negotiations that formed the Uniting Church.
 * The Wesleyan Methodist Church of Australia saw increased growth by the 1980s, particularly in Queensland.
 * There are 54 congregations currently listed on the denominational website.