PIONEERS’ CHURCH

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 464, 20 September 1928, Page 18

PIONEERS’ CHURCH

GENESIS OF ST. MATTHEW’S —-l-——-HISTORY OF FOUNDATION In the early days of Auckland, Hobson Street was a residential quarter. and in order to meet the spiritual needs of the people there, the parish of St. Matthew’s was established. The 75th anniversary of the church so founded Will be celebrated on Sunday. St. Matthew’s, the second oldest church in Auckland, was originally a school for the children of the settlers, but when it was .found that many people had to walk over to St. Paul’s, which was on the other side of the gully, now Queen Street, the deacons and students or St. John’s College, Tamaki, gave afternoon 'services on Sundays in the Hobson Street school. It then became obvious that the establishment of a. parish was necessary,. and in September, 1853, a parochial committee was formed, and the Rev. F. Thatcher came from England to take charge of the parish. Mr. Thatcher was later associated with Bishop Selwyn in the designing of the SelWyn churches which were established in various parts of Auckland. Among the first officers of the church were Captain A. M. Russell, of the 58th Regiment, who later became a Cabinet Minister, and was father of Sir William Russell; and Messrs. James Burtt, Taylor, Mclntosh. Sanderson, Mayne, Hoop, Thomas Weston and Captain Pulham. Funds were raised for a church, and the building now used as a parish hall was erected. At the same time further money was raised to form a fund for the building of a church in stone; but 50 years were to elapse before that dream came true. In 1852, the sum of £3OO was subscribed in Auckland. and a further £2OO came from England. So well was this money invested by the trustees that by 1905 it had grown to £33,000. - In 1856, Mr. Thatcher left for England, and did not return to New Zealand. The next vicar was the Rev. David Jones, and his successors were: The Rev. B. S. Hassard, the Rev. W. Tebbs, the Rev. L. H. outram, the Rev. L. Fitzgerald, the Rev. W. E. Giiiam. Canon C. H. Grant Cowen was appointed vicar in 1919, on the retirement of Mr. Gillam. The foundation stone of the present church was laid on April 23, 1902, and the consecration service was held on March 6, 1905, the late Bishop Neligan oificiating. . The church took two years to build, and cost £27,000. In it is a. St. Ari--drew’s Cross chiselled from stone taken from the ruined abbey of St. Augustine. It was used as the consecration stone, and is now embedded in the pillar supporting the tower on the north side of the choir seats. 7