Launceston Joss House

A Launceston Joss House appears to have been established for at least a short period.

"A Chinese Joss House

We were on Monday, through the courtesy of James Peters, Esq., shown some preparations that had been made by the Chinese in one of the outbuildings of Messrs. Peters. Barnard, & Co.'s premises, for holding a religious festival that night, or more properly speaking, early next morning."

"On entering the shed the eye was at once attracted by a gorgeous display of gold tinsel and colored papers around a table or altar. Immediately opposite the door and on a nearer approach a large picture stood on the altar, which was a representation of the illustrious individual, supported on either side by what might have been supposed to be an angel; Before this picture were placed a number of tapers, candles, sticks (which, when lighted, emitted a smell as of incense), a set of miniature basins, and a teapot, from which the idol was asked to drink brandy—a request, it is needless to say, he did not accede to. And one article not the least curious in the motley collection was a small tin canister in which were placed a number of pieces of wood, something after the form of skewers, each of which were labelled with different Chinese characters ; and every man present at the celebration of the feast drew from the canister one of the skewers, and according to the inscription it bears knew whether he has acted iti accordance with the wishes of the idol since the previous festival."

Weekly Examiner, Saturday 17 August 1872, p.10.

"Peters, Barnard, and Co's store has, in fact, been the head-quarters of the Chinese, and here it is here, in an otherwise unoccupied portion of the yard, that they have built their joss-house."

The Mercury, 23 August 1872, p.3.

"The party intend to remain in town for a few days to consult Joss and prepare for a campaign at the Hellyer diggings. Like the Israelites of old the religious ceremonies of the Chinese are usually accompanied by feasting, and subdued hilarity mingles with their devotion. Yesterday at 4 p.m. a feast of pork, fowls, rice, stewed oysters (imported preserved in baskets from China) and other delicacies was prepared and laid in wooden trays before the 'welly good man.' The Joss-house was got up regardless of expense decorated with flowers, and the sacred kerosene burned before the 'welly good man' brightly. "

The Cornwall Chronicle, 25 September 1872, p.2.

"... in a large wooden store, once the Chinese joss house, belonging to the property between Cameron and Patterson streets so long occupied by Peters and Co., afterwards by R. J. Sadler and Co."

Launceston Examiner, 22 November 1881, p.3.

A surviving item?

"The Original Lantern from the Joss House, Launceston, 3/4."

Examiner, 4 September 1939, p.2.