History of Annie Pain Hall

 1922  The Kindergarten Hall, the Annie Pain Hall was built at a cost of £875. 

This was a memorial to Mrs Pain, wife of the first Bishop of Gippsland and was built on the site in Market Street which had in earlier days been used for parking of horse-drawn vehicles during service times.

1922 Report  The Ladies' Guild have pressed on with the building of their Kindergarten Hall in memory of the late Mrs. Pain, and the building will shortly be ready for occupation.  The Guild is a splendid body of workers that any church would be proud of, and they are carrying out their building on sound financial lines and hope within two or three years to have the debt on it entirely cleared off.   The Chapter are indeed grateful to them for undertaking this work.

1947  During the year, arrangements to purchase a hut from the West Sale aerodrome were completed and after being divided into two sections, it was successfully transported-part to Kilmany and the other section for our Beginners' Room.   

1948 Report.   The highlight of the year has been the erection and completion of the Beginners' Room as a Blundell Memorial. Archdeacon J H Blundell was the Incumbent of Sale from 1935-1943.

We also acknowledge a most substantial donation towards the Beginners' room from a generous donor who wishes to remain anonymous.

Those who have not yet seen the inside of the building should not fail to do so.  Arrangements are being made to open the room officially. We still have need of further funds to make this venture free of debt. It may be opportune to state that the Gippsland Church Extension Fund has aided us by an interest-free loan of £100 with the obligation to repay the Fund within ten years. If we can do this within a shorter period we shall give the Fund the opportunity of assisting extension work elsewhere in the Diocese.

1955 Report. Our three halls, used mainly as Kindergarten and Sunday Schools, are in a very bad state of general repair, much is falling down and major building work is essential if we are to preserve them.   Plumbing needs taking care of and the present state of decorations is appalling. The furnishings must be renewed and proper facilities installed for our modern children to enjoy their early Christian Teaching in a modern setting. They must not be taught in a depressing atmosphere and we must create one of joy and happiness that they will carry with them through their adult life.

Chapter minutes 1957   A verbal approach had been made by the head teacher of 545 for the renting of another class room for a short period of time, while new buildings at the State School are being completed.   It was agreed that so long as there was no interference to the Sunday school work that Miss Wilson was agreeable and also that only the kindergarten children should use the room that we make it available for the time being.

Following the sewerage coming to Sale, the Annie Pain Toilet block was built by W Stephenson for £1393 and in use by February 1964

1974  The Annie Pain Hall was renovated, cleaned up and its usage increased. 

Somewhere in this period a kindergarten used it?

1975   Front fence of Annie Pain Hall was removed.

1976   The floor was replaced.

1978   Christian Revival Crusade used it for regular Sunday meetings.    Also a Dancing school as well as Masonic Lodges used it.  

1975 Short term lease to 545 Primary School

1981 Salvation Army used hall while their new building was being built.

1981 Cupboards and other items added to kitchen

1981 Side path concreted.

1982  CAVA rent Hall  also YMCA

1985 Telecom vacate hall (not sure when they started yet!)

1985 Sale Bridge group hire hall.

1989 ish – Kitchen end used to store craft/garage stalls conducted by Mrs Val Jones, wife of the Dean

It was used for KANGA, youth activities and other activities at this time.

Pre 1995 Sunday School recommenced in Hall.  In the late 1990’s under the direction of Ro Verspaandonk, the children painted on the walls, and hidden under the renovations are some of the artworks!

1998  Report Exterior was painted, broken window panes and frames repaired, large trees removed and fencing replaced along northern side. Painting was done by the “Prison workers”

2006  Toilets and kitchen of Annie Pain Hall demolished.

Jan 2007    Work started on Annie Pain Conversion

May 2007 Annie Pain Deanery completed and opened, by Bishop John and Rev'd Susanna Pain, with Dean Brian Turner