Particular Baptist Church (former)

16 Crimea Street, St Kilda

 Despite the convention of avoiding two churches in a suburb, two Baptist churches were built in St Kilda reflecting its dual character. In 1876, the Particular Baptists built a polychromatic hawthorn-brick church on St Kilda Hill at 16 Crimea Street. The architect of this attractive gable-roofed, rectangular building was Thomas Matthews. The polychromatic brickwork on the buttresses and window surrounds is a simple but original use of this decorative technique. Particular Baptists were strongly Calvinist and believed Christ died for the elect, the Church. Within forty years the congregation had dwindled and the church was closed in 1922 and sold to the Balaclava Lodge of Freemasons. Since then it has operated as Masonic Temple 162.[1]