Current Projects
The Slide show just to the right is
an animation of the stages involved in the creation of
the LINK Building to connect the old Saint Georges
(Hall) and the new Saint Georges (1871) that will also
have the effect of bringing these heritage buildings
into line with the Public Buildings Act and will also
bring to compliance Health and Safety regulations for
both heritage buildings.
It was prepared by Ms Vivienne Baggaley who also created
a ‘new’ set of plans for the 1871 building as part of
the 2008 Engineering Survey. |
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Saint Georges Thames,
Independent Heritage Trust
A registered Charity
# 2437850, the Saint Georges Heritage Trust was formed in
2010 to create a body of Invested funds to ensure that the
Historic (1868/1871) Churches would continue to be their
important part of Thames cultural heritage.
Architect Edward
Mahoney designed the ‘new’ (1871) church in the period that
Thames was one of the busy gold-mining areas of New Zealand
with a population that exceeded Auckland (soon to become
Capital) to cope with the 30,000 local population and three
service for 500 people each Sunday. The first church,
designed by Auckland Architect John Currie [Grey Lynn Fire
Station, Rob Roy Tavern Auckland], built in 1868 soon proved
too small and fundraising was well in hand by 1870 for the
‘new’ Saint Georges that was started [after the first
framing blew down in a storm] in September 1871 and opened
on February 28, 1872 at a cost of 1250 pounds. The Auckland
Choral Society had sung Handel’s Messiah in the uncompleted
building the previous December. In the 21st
Century the population of this provincial town remains
fairly stable around 8000. Largely a retirement centre,
locals cannot maintain two historic buildings, especially
the large neo- gothic kauri church currently in use as the
parish church.
The Independent
Charitable Trust has two trustees appointed by the parish
church, the remainder of the Trustees are people who have a
Thames connection and wish to see this historic and
multi-use building kept in good condition and available to
all who wish to use it into the future. The title of the
buildings remains with the Auckland Diocese and the local
Vestry will continue to control the day to day life and
work of the church and hall (first church) and long term
development.
Gifts, estates and
donations will come primarily from people with connections
with the Town and the parish, mainly as beneficiary of
wills. A decade in the planning, Vestry looked at
Professional Fundraisers and found that a high proportion of
the income became the professionals’ fee; so with assistance
from local law firm Miller and Poulgrain and the National
Charitable Trusts Law Firm Chapman Tripp, the Trust Deed was
approved and registered early in 2010 and the Trust launched
in September that year.
Donations can be
made direct to the Trust through
The National Bank,
Thames Branch. 06 0457 0134607 00.
View the
PDF for Saint George's Heritage Trust.
(582 Kilobytes)
If you wish to make a
bequest to Saint Georges Heritage Trust in your will,
you should consult
your solicitor or the Public
Trust regarding the wording of your will.
We also welcome gifts to the Trust.
In attaining the purposes of the Trust , we recognize and
honour the views and expectations of tangata whenua.
Please consider a gift to Saint Georges Heritage Trust in your will.
Should you decide to make a gift, it can take the form of any of these
options:
· A
fixed cash sum
· A
residual share of your estate
· Real
Estate
· Shares
One family that has already decided to make a bequest explains it this way:-
“Saint Georges has been
part of our
family for over 3
generations … my
grandparents attended and
were
buried from there; my
parents were
married there; and all of
us, their
children, were baptized and
confirmed
and then married in the
church; our
own children and now our
grandchildren
have been part of the church
family.
Even those who now live far
away
come back to Saint Georges
when
they’re in Thames or nearby.
Just as
it has held an integral role
in our family
all these years, we are part
of its
history. We want to ensure
that
Saint Georges is still there
for future
generations by making a
significant bequest to the
Trust.
We invite others to do the
same, …”
Sarah B.
Saint Georges
Heritage Trust is
an Independent
Charitable Trust,
established in
2010, to:
· retain
the historic Saint Georges
buildings in Thames, New Zealand
· promote
the buildings as an integral
part of the
area’s heritage
· encourage
the collection and
preservation of all historical records
· promote
historical and archival
research
The first
Saint Georges Church was built in 1868 in
Rolleston
Street on land gifted by Chief
Taipari. It
was soon too small for the 30,000
inhabitants of
Thames, so a bigger church
was built at a
cost of around £1,500, on the
corner of
Mackay and Mary Streets.
The new church
was opened in 1872.
The original
church was moved to Mary
Street in the
early 1900s, and now is
the Parish
Hall. It is used by many
community
groups on a regular basis.
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