Before 1872
Although Christian services had been
held in Thames district since 1833, when the early missionaries
established a mission station at Puriri, on the banks of the
Waihou River, it was not until January 1868, just a few short
months after Thames had been declared a Goldfield1
that a meeting was held by a
large number of local residents with an aim of either providing
a hall or a Church as a place of worship. The Church of England
(Thames) minute book has that meeting recorded as follows:
At a meeting held in Capt Butt's
Hotel, Shortland, on the 20th or January 1868, The Ven
Archdeacon Lloyd in the chair, resolved that a committee be
appointed for the purpose of devising measures for the erection
of a Church of England place or worship, and for carrying them
into execution. The committee to consist of the following
gentlemen with power to add to the number, Messrs J. Mackay, A.
Baillie, Rev G. Mounsell, C.F. Mitchell, W. H. Taipari, D. Eyre,
W. Goodall, Dr Hooper, H. Beere, J. Petschlie, W. Copeland, and
R. Hunt. Resolved that Mr Mackay act as treasurer, and that the
Rev G. Mounsell act as convenor to the committee.
Votes of thanks were then passed
to W. H. Taipari for his gift of a site for the church, and to
the Ven Archdeacon Lloyd, Chairman.
The meeting then adjourned until
Wednesday the 29th inst. at 8 pm. at the store of Mr Morton
Jones.
(Signed) G. Mounsell
Convenor. It is
interesting to note the minute of the Standing Committee of the
Diocese of New Zealand, held at Auckland in February 1896
regarding the gift of a section of land at Shortland by the
Maori Chief, Wiropi Hoterini Taipari:
That the Ven Archdeacon Lloyd
reported that the Native chief Taipari had granted a site for a
church at Thames, and that Mr Mackay had promised to get it
passed through the Native Land Court. The Ven Archdeacon applied
on behalf of the people of Thames for a grant towards a Church.
The Standing Committee, on a motion of Mr R.B. Lusk, seconded by
Mr S. W. Hill, granted the sum of £20 to be given when the site
is secured and the building erected.
John McEnteer and Taimoana Turoa
(1993: 17) state that Te Hoterini and Wirope Hoterini Taipari,
as chiefs of Ngati Hape and Ngati Hauauru exercised their
rangatiratanga over much land south of the Te Karaka
Stream. These lands were
held on behalf of the hapu, as a trustee on behalf of the
beneficiaries. Following instructions by the Maori Land Court,
and in some cases before "official" ownership was established,
various gifts of land were made to the Thames Community for
public use (including the Anglican Church site).
At the meeting held at Mr Morton
Jones' store on the 29th of January, 1868, the following names
were added to the committee: Dr Sam, Dr Lethbridge, Messrs G.
Gilhard, W. Wilkinson, E. Hewitt, J. Schultz, Capt Butt, J.
Gibbons, A. Young, Capt. Best, H. Sheen, J. W. Hall, R. Menzies,
J. Gwynne, C. Richards, T. Sands, G. Spencer and M. Jones. A.
Hogg was appointed secretary, and each member of the committee
was supplied with a subscription list, the list having been
opened at the meeting when £62/8/- was subscribed. The first
expenditure was also authorised at this meeting when the sum 2/6
was made available for the purchase of a minute book.
The donation from Bishop Selwyn and
the grant from the Standing committee was also added to this
amount. At a meeting on February 13, 1868, the following were
appointed to a building committee: Messrs Mackay, Mitchell,
Beere and Gilhard, with power to invite tenders prepared by Mr
Beere. Nine tenders were received, and that of Mr Craig, of £165
(with Gothic windows)2 was one that was accepted. The
Church was soon erected on a site in Rolleston Street and was
opened on 5 May 1868. It
was in the minutes of a meeting on 8 June 1868 that the name
Saint George's appeared. It is not really clear how the Church
was given this name but it is thought by some to have been named
after Bishop George Augustus Selwyn.
In August 1868, Bishop Selwyn
visited Thames. This was to be the last time that the Bishop
would be in Thames as he left New Zealand shortly afterwards to
travel to England and become Bishop of Lichfield. He held two
farewell services which were well attended despite bad weather
which made the roads difficult to travel. Collections were made
at the close of each service in aid of the organ fund, amounting
in the morning to £8/2/9, and in the evening £8/7/1.
Bishop Selwyn left the next day and
was accompanied to the wharf by the Committee of Management and
a large number of personal friends and admirers. Prior to his
departure, a farewell address was presented to him by Mr James
Mackay, who expressed the pleasure he felt in carrying out the
wishes of the Church management Committee and apologised for the
hasty manner in which it had been put together. He remarked that
although His Lordship was about to take his departure from
amongst them, he was sure they would not be forgotten by him.
Bishop Selwyn expressed the
pleasure he felt in accepting the address, which needed no
apology on their part. It was a fact in natural history that the
birds of the most colourful plumage did not always have the most
melodious notes, and although the address might have been
hastily put together, it was not the less acceptable on that
account. Although he was leaving for England, he would continue
to take a warm interest in the spiritual welfare of this
country; he would never be backward in its interests, whether in
procuring a clergyman, or in any other way he might be of
service to them. As far as funds were concerned, however, he
thought the place ought to be able to provide sufficient for the
maintenance of a resident clergyman amongst them. After a few
parting words the deputation withdrew.
The Bishop left for Auckland by the
steamer Royal Alfred at 2 pm, and was conveyed on board
in a whaleboat, rowed by the members of the Church Committee.3
In that same year:
4 Mr
Power was the first organist and choirmaster at St George's
and had been organist at St Paul's in Auckland before coming
to Thames. It was Mr Power who introduced the first Choral
service to Thames. (The full story of the row about the
Church music was reported in The Advertiser and Miners'
News on the 24 September 1968 and may be read in the
1868 - 1968 booklet.) Mr E. T. Wildman later presented an
organ to the Church which cost £400, on condition that the
congregation raised a similar sum towards the liquidation of
the debt on the Church. The organ was built by T. P. Hewlett
of Auckland and was presented in loving memory of Mr
Wildman's mother and sister. This is essentially the same
organ that we use today.
3
Details of this address may be read in the 1868 - 1968
booklet, page 36.
-
(June) Mr E. H. Power, the
organist, was collecting money to buy a harmonium since the
one in use was a borrowed one. It was decided to purchase a
harmonium from Mr Webb by instalments.
-
(August) There were
objections to the altar coverings on account of the Cross.
After long discussion it was agreed that the cloth should
remain, but not embellishments.
-
(September) There were
complaints of too much music and Mr Power offered to resign.
However he was persuaded to stay.4 Many people
expressed a desire to get a resident Parson, as visiting
clergy were costing over £100 per annum. There was still no
lay reader.
-
(November) The Rev
Vicesimus Lush was recommended as the resident minister
at a salary of not less than £250, for one year. He was
asked to come as soon as possible.
1869
-
(February) Mrs Mackay
was thanked for initiating the Sunday School. There were
suggestions and ideas put forward for enlarging the
Church, but was there was still the sum of £146 owing on
the building, plans had to be dropped.
-
(June) Long discussions
were held on the subject of the erection of a parsonage,
and the rent of a house for the Vicar.5
By 1870, gold was being
found in large quantities in many of the mines in
Thames, with the result that people were flocking to the
town in thousands, from all parts of the country, in
fact from all parts of the world. With the increase of
the population, it was found that a much larger Church
was required. In fact, the plan to build the new Church
had been formulated at a vestry meeting in April 1869.
The chairman of the Vestry, the Rev Mr Lush, was
authorised to write to a firm of architects seeking a
plan for a suitable building. He wrote:
Sir, At a meeting of the
vestry of Saint George's Church on the 27th inst., it
was resolved that the chairman should write to the
architects of Auckland and Shortland to invite them to
send to the vestry a design for a Church capable of
holding a thousand people. I therefore, in accordance
with this resolution, write to you to enquire whether
you would kindly take the trouble to prepare a design
and estimate for a Church and submit the same to me. The
intention of the vestry is to submit the design that may
be forwarded to a general meeting of the congregation
for their approval. The site is perfectly level, on the
flat between Shortland and Grahamstown. It is proposed
to build the Church of timber and the spend from £1000
to £1200 not including seats and other internal
fittings.
Erection of the new Saint
George's Church began in 1871 but a terrific storm on
March 24, which flooded the goldfields and wreaked havoc
in the town generally, blew down the skeleton of the new
building. The newspaper at the time commented:
5
As far as can be ascertained, the Church did
not possess a Vicarage until 1890, when Rev V. Lush
first resided in Grey Street, afterwards building
his own house, which is now the Thames Club, on a
site opposite the Church.
This was a first attempt, an
ugly and far too costly design. Probably no-one will be
too much grieved.
The parishioners set
about raising funds for the erection of a new Church. A
subscription list was opened, concerts and other attractions
were arranged, and soon a considerable amount of money was on hand.
The Rev Mr Lush gave the following account in a journal with reference
to the building fund:
A soiree and concert on April 13th, 1871,
raised for the Building Fund about £90. A day after the soiree four men
gave me unsolicited £52, so with my £50, and the proceeds of the entertainment,
we have started with nearly £200. The soiree was a great success; a thousand
persons sat down to tea at Smailes Building at Shortland, and the concert at
Grahamstown afterwards was crowded. The price of admission to the double event
was 2/6.
The Church in Rolleston street was over-crowded at every service.
One Monday morning a woman met Mr Lush and said to him, "There were 40 persons turned away for
want of room last night, and one gentleman says he will never go again, for it is the sixth time
in succession that he has been unable to get a seat."
"Will you tell me his name?" said Mr Lush, "for I will call upon him and tell him
that it is his own fault for always coming so late." She would not tell him this, so he
asked her for a subscription towards the building of the new Church, which she willingly gave.
By May 4, £232 had been banked. When the first contract was let for the building, the vestry
had over £500 in hand. After two contractors had failed to carry out the work, Mr McCaul undertook
to complete the building, and he started work on 9 September 1871.6
On the 25 September, a concert was held, which brought in the sum of £59, then
a gift auction which resulted in a further £150 being added to the Fund. On Thursday, 14 December, the Messiah
was a brilliant success, and the singers had such a happy time during their stay in Thames, that they used to ask
for years afterwards, when they would be invited again.
6
On 21 August 1871, it was reported that materials for the new Church were being stolen from the site
while waiting tender. The tender was also let at that meeting to Mr James Page who submitted the price of
£960 omitting the spire and tower.
2
£160 without Gothic windows.
1
August 1867. The famous, rich Shotover Claim was
discovered and thousands of people rushed to Thames
hoping to make their fortune. Within a year the
population grew to nearly 20,000, many living in
tents.
Picture: Thames pre-1900 showing the original
Saint Georges in Rolleston Street in the foreground - Photograph
from the late Johnny Williams collection supplied by Zelma
Williams.
The sittings in the new Church were allotted on Tuesday, 14 November 1871. The following
note of the allotment is taken from Mr Lush's journal:
A considerable number of ladies and gentlemen applied for sittings in the new Church, and paid one-half
year's rent in advance. Their names having been written on pieces of cardboard, placed in a bag and tossed up, a lad began to
draw. He handed each card to Mr Fitzgibbon, who gave me the name, which I called out, the person so called name to where I was
standing with a large map of the new Church in my hands, and then and there chose his or her on seat. This system of
allotting the seats gave, I believe, general satisfaction. Mr Honiss was fully occupied in recording in the Church Warden's
book, the number of the seats taken, and their respective occupants, with the four front rows and every fourth seat right
across the church free, and those allotted, it left very little accommodation left for selection.
Picture: This reproduction of an early etching shows the Lush
Parsonage in the background and highlights the butresses on the
sanctury that have since been removed.
The New Church
1872 - 1916
The opening service in the New
Church took place in Septuagesima Sunday, 28 January 1872, under
the directorship of Bishop Cowie. His Lordship arrived by the
steamer Royal Alfred, and was met by the Committee of
Management of the Church, he said that he was well satisfied
with the outside and the inside of the new building, and
considered it to be the foremost church in the Diocese.
Sunday was a very hot day, and
the whole town turned out for the service. The Volunteers,
including the Naval Brigade, the Engineers, and the kilted
Scottish Regiments, with the bank, marched in full force to the
11 o'clock service. Hundreds of the Volunteers and over 200
civilians were unable to secure seats. The evening service was
also very well attended; the offertories amounted to
£41/13/6, and everyone was very pleased with
the new building.
In that same year
-
(March) The
Vestry decided that the old Church should be let to Mr D.
Schofield, a qualified teacher, at the rental of £20 per
annum.7
-
December) The
need for a second clergyman was discussed. The decision was
to be made by the Bishop. The Bishop had already stated that
one should be appointed and become resident at Parawai.
1873
-
Mr Power was no
longer the organist, and Mr R. A. Owen was appointed to take
his place.
-
(October) The
stained glass windows arrived. This was recorded in The
Thames Journals of Vicesimus Lush as follows:
28. Edward and Anne and Edith were
thrown into a state of pleasurable excitement by the arrival of
the case containing the stained glass windows. I was sent round
to Kennan8 to ask him to bring a man with him
tomorrow to open it. I determined not to touch it without him
being present.
29. Soon after breakfast Kennan and
his man came and the case ... was carefully opened and I am most
thankful to report the window came in perfect order, uninjured
in the slightest degree. The group of figures in the centre
window I consider remarkably good and much larger than I had
expected. Kennan was delighted and at once sent two men to clean
the glass of the chancel windows to serve as a guard (instead of
wire) to the stained glass. The plain glass already in is in one
huge plate, very thick. Tomorrow we begin the task of putting up
the stained glass within the present one.
30. The central window was safely
placed today. Everybody who has seen it - and many came into the
Church during the afternoon - expresses great satisfaction at
the improved appearance of the chancel apse. The sheet of thick
glass on the outside just softens the colours without throwing
any shadow, as there must be more or less with wire.
Picture: Detail of
the side windows in St Georges sanctuary from a photograph by
Robyn Smith.
6 November. Kennan's men cleared out
of the Church this morning, leaving the three windows ... in
their places in the Chancel of Saint George's, where I hope they
remain for many years uninjured, a monument to Kennan's
liberality. I expect the great improvement they have made will
keep down a "row" which my Church Wardens feared the Orangemen
(would) try to get up on account of the Crucifixion staring them
in the face right over the Altar.
1876
9. Wrote to the Bishop and thanked
him for granting me the privilege of being custodian of the
Cathedral Altar Cloth. Further I expressed a hope that I might
use it for Xmas day. As the Cathedral is not yet begun - yea, nor
thought of as I know - this committing the Cathedral Altar cloth
to my care is practically making a present of it to Saint
George's .....
20. Came today from the Bishop a
parcel containing the Altar cloth .... We took it at once to the
Church and tried it on the old Table which proved too short and
too narrow. So I went for one of my choir men, a Cabinet maker
and he took the dimensions and promised to have the new Table on
my Verandah by Saturday night, so that we may smuggle it into
the Church on Xmas Eve, in order that the new Altar cloth may be
first seen on Xmas morning ....
1881
- Archdeacon Lush was educated for
the Church at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, England, where
he gained his MA degree. Soon after coming to New Zealand,
he was appointed as the first incumbent of Saint George's. He
was a man of many parts - all good, it is faithfully recorded.
The following interesting anecdote
is found in The Auckland Journals of Vicesimus Lush (1850 -
1863) regarding the origin of his Christian name:
Charles Lush of Charles Square,
London, was at a dinner party on 17 August 1817 when a message
was brought to him announcing the birth of his twentieth child,
"whereupon," writes his grandson Edward Lush, "the assembled
guests drank to the babe's health, the father's health and the
mother's." So Vicesimus Lush owed his unusual Christian name to
his position in the family. Many years later, in New Zealand, he
was to christen a child Decimus with the subsequent comment that
"the tenth" had been baptised by "the twentieth".
A memorial window was donated by
Captain E. T. Wildman, depicting the appearance of St George
among sleeping soldiers, whose imminent defeat changed to
victory the next day.
1882
1884
-
Owing to Mrs
Calder's bad health at Thames, Archdeacon Calder was
reluctantly compelled to leave Thames.
-
He went to All Saints', Ponsonby,
where he remained for many years, and was appointed
Archdeacon some years before his death.
-
About this time,
Mr Stewart of the Queen of Beauty mine, presented to
the Church a large and richly illumined text round the
chancel arch. Mr Barker, another shareholder in the same
mine, gave The Lord's Prayer and Creed painted
on plates of zinc, 7 ft long and 2 1/2 ft broad. These were
placed on either side of the central east window and were
illuminated by Mr Slator.
-
Archdeacon F.
G. Evans became the new minister. The following is an
account by the Archdeacon of the difficulties he experienced
as Vicar from March 1884 to July 1889:
I received two invitations to become
incumbent at Thames early in 1884. For many reasons, which I
need not mention here, I refused the first, but, on the advice
of Bishop Cowie and my native tutor, Dr Kidd, I agreed to accept
the second. When I arrived at Thames, I found a population of
about 8,000 people, and several of the mines, the Alburnia,
Waiotahi and others were producing a good amount of gold.
Prospecting was going on in various parts of the field.
Unfortunately, Saint George's was in
a bad state. A storm had blown it out of the perpendicular and
the roof was badly strained. Its piles were mostly rotten and it
groaned for paint. There was no house, except a rented one, for
the Minister. The schoolroom in Rolleston Street was in a
serious state and when we had meetings there, the audience had
to bring umbrellas in case of rain. A great deal of furniture
was rotting in the room at the back. In addition to all this,
there was an overdraft at the Bank of New Zealand of many
hundreds of pounds, and a debt to the Diocesan Office of about
£600.
All this was enough to daunt a young
man, especially as I had not been informed about the debts
before I arrived. My predecessor, The Rev William Calder, had
begun a fine system of week by week collections and, following
his example, I put my strength into carrying on the good work.
The Church people rallied round me in a wonderful manner and we
began to pay all our income from this source towards the
overdraft, which bore a higher rate of interest than the
Diocesan debt. By means of £1 cards and other inducements, we
were able after a year or two to pay in full this grievous
overdraft and, as far as I can remember, we never received from
the Bank any note of gratitude for liquidating a debt that must
have been hopeless for many years.
Picture:
Archdeacon F. G. Evans (reproduced from the Jubilee Booklet)
We then went on with collecting for
the other debt, and slowly reduced it month by month.
Unfortunately, all this collecting made it impossible to do
anything towards repairing the Church and school. But I think it
must have been in 1887, the idea of holding a monster fete was
mooted and was very enthusiastically taken up. A splendid
committee was elected, with Mr Horatio Phillips as chairman and
Mr W. Coath as secretary, and the people everywhere became
interested. It was held on Easter Monday and was a triumphal
success. There was a great procession to Parawai with
contingents of sailors, huzzars, athletes, notables, Maoris on
horseback, etc., led by St George himself, glittering in silver
armour and helmet, and carrying the pennant of red cross on
white ground. All marched out to the strains of the Naval Band
to the grounds of Mr & Mrs Spencer, where bands of lady workers
had erected stalls covered with beautiful fancy and other work;
where refreshments counters groaned with good things. Races for
boys and girls and sports of all kinds took place. Before 12
o'clock the Church Wardens came to me with the splendid news
that the remainder of the debt was paid off and money enough was
left to repair the Church and school.
As soon as possible the Church was
jacked up on to the level brick piles inserted underneath, and
the whole woodwork painted. The schoolroom was moved about
40 feet, reroofed and enlarged.
The congregations in these days were
excellent and the spacious Church was generally crowded on
Sunday evenings. The musical services were much appreciated, the
choir being composed of talented choristers, who put their
hearts, as well as their beautiful voices, into what they did.
The organ was the gift of Mr E. T. Wildman, and was a
sweet-toned instrument; the efficient organist was Mr Treweela.
Bishop Cowie told me, after one of his visits, that I had one of
the most intelligent congregations in the Diocese. Mr H. C.
Lawlor was the lay reader during my stay at the Thames, and even
after so many years my heart swells at the recollection of his
loving and loyal friendship.
Among the many great services held
in Saint George's during that period were: a Maori thanksgiving,
at which were 11 Maori clergy, and 300 Maori laymen and women;
the Queen Victoria Jubilee thanksgiving; the Codrington and
Mason Missions; the visit of the Rev Joseph Hill, afterwards
Bishop Hill, of Nigeria. Many wonderful confirmations took
place.9
9
In 1886, Bishop Cowie visited the district and held
confirmations services at St George's and St John's
The main Sunday School was, of
course, in Rolleston Street,10 and there were branch
school at Tararu, Parawai and Waiotahi. The total number of
scholars on the rolls was about 700; the average attendance at
the main school was 400. Having a missionary spirit, I held
services down the coast at Whakatete and Tapu, and in the other
direction at Parawai, Hikutaia and Paeroa.
An unfortunate German was the
immediate cause of my leaving the Thames. He was drowned at
Turua and a fortnight later his body was found and brought for
burial. Unhappily the road to the Shortland Cemetery in those
days was very rough, and the hearse turned over on the hill. The
coffin broke open and it can be imagined what the effluvium was
like. I thought, like a young soldier, that I must boldly face
the enemy, and took the service at the gravesite. In a few days
blood poisoning attacked me and my life hung in the balance. But
by divine mercy I was spared, and, finding that I should be
delicate for some time, decided against the Bishop's wish, to
resign.
When Te Aroha parish was offered to
me a little after, I accepted, for health reasons, and stayed
there over seven years. I have before me a I write the farewell
address presented to me before leaving Saint George's. As I read
once more the loving messages it sends me, I must, with deep
thankfulness, believe that my brief Vicarate of the Thames
parish was not in vain in the Lord.
1887
1889
-
Archdeacon Evans
retired and the Rev T. O'Callaghan was appointed to
replace him. A scheme was approved to build a parsonage next
to the Church, and a loan was raised for £350; work to start
immediately. This does not appear to have gone ahead.12
Parawai Sunday School closed owing to a leaky roof. the
repairs to this were to cost £8, and as the people of the
district could not afford this amount, Sunday School lapsed.
The roll at the time was 66.
1891
-
The Sunday
School at Tararu closed down, presumably on account of lack
of numbers. Dr O'Callaghan called this a scandal and said
that he would not take any more afternoon services until it
was resumed. This prompted Mr Poulgrain to write to the
Bishop on Vestry's behalf enquiring whether it was incumbent
on Dr O'Callaghan to continue services there as before.13
1892
13
The full text of this letter may be read in the 1868 - 1968
booklet, pages 52-53.
1896
1898
Picture: Interior
of St Georges before the turn of the century. Note the original
placings of the pipe organ, the zinc scrolls in the sanctuary,
the gas lighting. Supplied by Zelma Williams from the late
Johnny Williams Photographic collection of Early Thames.
1900
1905
1907
1909
1910
-
The motion was
proposed and carried that it be an instruction to
representative of the Parish in the Synod, to move and
support a motion granting lady members of the congregation,
to vote and take part in the meetings of the Church of
England.
-
There were
instructions not to sell the Rolleston Street site for less
than £140.
-
Mr Poulgrain
asked that the affairs of St John's Tararu, be taken over.
He was told that the matter would be considered once a
statement of accounts since its foundations had been
submitted.
-
A letter was
sent to Mr Treweela (organist for the past 30 years),
pointing out that the Vestry were not too pleased with the
musical part of the services, and that if he did not do
something to improve it, they would have no alternative but
to seek a new organist. (Mr Wildman, who presented the organ
on the condition that the congregation raised £400, was
still owed most of the money when he left the district,
but he waived all claims, on the condition that his good
friend Mr Treweela remained organist for life.) This could
have been the reason why it was hard to keep musical
directors.
1911
-
The Vestry
retired Mr Treweela with two months salary in advance. Mr
Midgley was then appointed organist at a salary of £50, but
he refused to fulfil his acceptance. The position was then
given to Mr Webb of Timaru.
-
The organ was
taken to pieces and turned round, and a hydraulic motor
installed. This was the gift of A. G. Price.
1912
1916
 Saint George's Church 1872 - 1997
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