Ashburton Borough Centenary/Churches

​

The Borough pioneers brought their traditional religious worship with them to the infant settlement. Rough and tough lives they may have led but they believed whole-heartedly in religious observance on Sundays and Churches were built at the earliest possible moment. These enjoyed very large attendances, and congregations were notable for the numbers of men present.

St. Stephen’s Anglican Church

The first Church was substantially built after the appointment of the Rev. J. Harris Wills by Bishop Harper in 1872. He remained for two years. In 1882 came the Rev. Arthur Edwin Scott who stayed for 11 years and was extremely popular. He took a great interest in Borough affairs and was a leading cricket enthusiast. He later became an Archdeacon.

​The first part of the old St. Stephen’s was dedicated in 1876. Then it was enlarged in 1899 and completed in 1908 when Bishop Churchill Julius dedicated the Chancel. A brick parish hall was built in 1937 and the satellite Churches in the suburbs, St. James at Hampstead and St. Peters at Allenton were built in brick in 1952 and 1953 and dedicated by the Bishop of Christchurch, A. K. Warren.

Cracks began to appear in the old, ivy-covered St. Stephen’s and it was demolished to make way for the new pink summerhill stone building which was dedicated June 22, 1963, also by Bishop Warren. The stained glass windows were retained and the tower is a memorial to the men of the Parish who gave their lives in World War II. Thirty-two names are carved in stone above the door leading from the porch into the nave. The “Croft” organ was retained and rebuilt by Mr James Strachan, of Christchurch. The Church seats 380 and there is room for 40 choristers in the choir stalls.

Among the later Vicars still remembered in the town were J. F. Feron 1937–8, C. L. Mountfort 1940–8, J. Evans 1948–52, J. D. Froud 1953-60 and H. G. Norris 1960-7. The Rev. J. W. Branthwaite came in 1967 so has served 11 years in the parish. He is assisted by the Rev. A. A. Bretherton and the Rev. G. B. Entwisle, lately arrived from England.

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church

The first Church was a wooden building erected in 1876 and the first Minister was the Rev. H. B. Burnett, 1875–9, followed by the Rev. R. H. Beattie, 1879–93 and the Rev. R. B. Inglis, 1893–1913 who gave 20 years of service. The Rev. George Miller, 1912–24, was followed by the Rev. A. G. Irvine, 1924–33, and the Rev. R. S. Watson, 1933–41. Coming nearer to present times there are many in the district who will remember the Rev. J. S. Murray, 1941–48, and the Rev. S. D. Baird, 1949–69, who served 20 years. The present Minister, the Rev. J. Sinclair, arrived in 1969.

In 1907, it was decided to build a new Church and this was opened in June, 1908. The impressive new Sunday School, built across the street was demolished in 1977. The new Chancel was dedicated in 1941.

​

St. Paul’s, Ashburton East

In 1946, also temporary accommodation was arranged in Oxford Street, and operated under the charge of St. Andrew’s. In 1959, Hampstead, Wakanui and Netherby separated to form St. Paul’s Parish.

Early Ministers were the Revs. R. B. Tait 1959–65 and H. A. Pirie 1966–72. During his Ministry the present Church was dedicated in 1970 and two years later he was called to Highfield Parish, Timaru.

The Rev. A. F. Rae who had served previously in Malaysia and began his Ministry in St. Paul’s officially in 1972, was called to Somerville Church, in Auckland, in 1977, and at the time of writing in May, 1978, the parish is vacant.

​

St. David's, Allenton

A Presbyterian Sunday School was opened for Trinity, in Allenton, in 1904. The first recorded Church services were held in 1945, the Rev. D. M. Steedman being responsible for this part of St. Andrew’s Parish. A church building (ex-Army) was secured in 1946 and a separate parish was formed in 1951. The Trinity Church at Allenton operated till 1971 when the fine new St. David’s Church was opened on August 15, a joint-use Church for Methodists and Presbyterians, also including the Greenstreet area. The Moderator of the Ashburton Presbytery, the Rev. E. A. Brash, was the Presbyterian Minister in charge of the Church and shared services with the Rev. W. H. Blundell, the Methodist Minister.

Ministers have been the Revs. C. McCaskill, 1951-9, D. K. Boyd 1960-6, E. A. Brash 1966-76.

A significant step was taken on March 26, 1976, when St. David’s was recognised as a Union Parish by the official signing of the Constitution of Union between the Allenton Wesley Methodist Society and the Trinity Presbyterian Parish (including Greenstreet) and the induction of the first Parish Council. The Rev. R. P. Fendall is the first Union Minister and, though appointed six months previously, did not take up his duties till February, 1977. The Union Parish is a very successful innovation in Church history. The three halls attached to St. David’s commemorate the names of previous Ministers—McCaskill, Boyd and Hickman Halls.

The Methodist Church

There were originally two divisions of the Methodist Church, the Primitive Methodists and the Wesleyan Methodists.

The Primitive Methodists built the first Church in Ashburton known as “Little Bethell”, in Wills Street, in 1871. It had large, enthusiastic congregations and hosted the first conference ever held in Ashburton in 1893. Two of its foundation members, W. T. Lill and G. W. Leadley, were prominent in farm affairs and local government for many years. W. T. Lill was one of only two New Zealand lay presidents in the history of the denomination.

​

​The first Wesleyan Church was erected in Cameron Street, in 1878, with the Rev. W. B. Martin as the first Minister. It was removed to the present site in Baring Square in 1892.

In 1913, the two Methodist groups were united, but continued to worship separately till 1919. A fine new hall was added to the complex in Baring Square.

Ministers of the Combined Church have been the Revs. W. J. Elliott 1913-15, G. Frost 1916-18, T. W. Vealie 1919-25, R. B. Tinsley 1926-30, G. B. Hinton 1931-5, A. McBean 1936-41, R. G. Gosnell 1942-5, W. T. Blight 1955-51, D. J. D. Hickman 1951-7, A. R. Witheford 1957-67, E. R. Le Couteur 1967-71, Sister Mildred West 1920-27, H. Mathews 1971-4, and J. F. Cropp who arrived in 1971.

The Roman Catholic Church

A small wooden Church was built in 1876 and opened by Father Chervier on the site of the present Convent in Burnett Street. By 1881 the parish was sufficiently well on its feet to be given a Parish Priest, Father Edmund Coffey, and to build a new stone Church which was opened in 1882 and called the “Church of the Holy Name” but was never finished. About the year 1884 a Convent with boarding and secondary schools was established on Wakanui Road. The Sisters of the Mission began teaching there and at the Parish School, a different room. This Convent was moved to a site near the Church in 1894 and was then enlarged. It was rebuilt in brick in 1958 and the Sisters still live there and teach music there. The new Church of the Holy Name was opened in 1931. The second Priest, Father S. Chastagnon came in 1874 and exchanged parishes with Dean O’Donnell. It is fitting here to mention the Rev. James J. O’Donnell, who remained as Priest in Ashburton from 1892 to 1944 and gave in all 52 years of service to his Parish. He became a very well-known figure to all residents as he walked the streets in his cloth cap, and the County knew him well too, as he attended the stock sales at Rakaia, Methven and Ashburton. He attended to the needs of his parishioners all over the County, riding on a white horse for many years, then in a four-wheeled buggy and finally, after 1920, driving a motor car.

​He was instrumental in forming a very strong Catholic Literary and Debating Society in Ashburton. He also spent years planning for the third Church of the Holy Name, completed in brick in the Lombard style in 1931, and climbed the scaffolding almost every day to supervise his pride and joy. He was respected and popular, not only among his flock but among other residents and fellow clergy. He was also Vicar-General of the Diocese and died in his 87th year in 1944.

Among the Parish Priests to date have been the Rev. Fathers E. P. Coffey 1881-4, S. Chastagnon 1884-92, J. J. O’Donnell 1892-1944, O. Gallagher 1944-6, J. Finerty 1946-61, G. V. Daly 1961-7, S. O’Brien 1967-70, F. Kelly 1970-73, and M. J. Duggan came to the Church of the Holy Name in January, 1973.

The Salvation Army

This small but enthusiastic group started in 1884 with street gatherings. There were complaints to the Borough Council about their bands accompanied by flaring torches frightening the horses in the streets. There were only 85 members by 1890, but their congregations numbered up to 300 at times. They were noted for their uniforms, their selling of the “War Cry” in hotels and their campaigns for temperance. Most of the Salvation Army Captains did not stay long in their positions, being transferred to other areas, but among the latest are Major and Mrs N. P. McNab 1970-74 and Captain and Mrs R. H. Wilson who arrived from Australia in January, 1978.

The new Citadel was erected in Cass Street in 1976 and also contains a music lounge for the band, a youth hall, six Sunday School classrooms and a primary classroom. The Salvation Army Band has been noted for its playing in street marches and concerts for over 100 years. Well-known Bandmasters have been J., C. H. and G. E. Argyle and T. and R. Young.

The Baptist Church

The original Church was built when the Rev. A. Ager was Pastor from 1893 on to about 1896. He designed and supervised the building of the Church and shortly afterwards resigned. It could seat about 250 people. The first Minister was the Rev. J. W. Sawle 1886-92. Recent Ministers have been Revs. D. J. Denholm 1963-7, H. R. Bycroft 1967-75 and J. R. Scott 1977-. ​Officials associated with long service to the Church were R. H. Loy, secretary for 45 years, E. J. Tucker served for 50 years by 1950 and was made a life deacon. He was also Choirmaster for over 50 years. E. J. Tilley was also made a life deacon after 20 years as Sunday School Superintendent. A. W. Hopkins was Church Treasurer and Sunday School Superintendent for about 27 years and Miss Lilian Lewis was Organist for 35 years, and was president of the Ashburton Music Club for many years.

The Church of Christ

The earliest meetings of this Church were held in 1878, and though not numerically one of the biggest churches, its members maintained a long tradition of service. One of its best known Ministers was A. D. Lowe, 1939-42, but the earliest one recorded was G. Manifold 1907-9.

Quantity and Quality—

Scotter says that in 1873, Ashburton was quite perceptibly a village. It had doubled its population within 12 months and with 50 permanent residents was “going ahead with Yankee rapidity.” In another year it could claim a population of 200. As a matter of greater significance, men had arrived who were to be among the leading citizens during Ashburton’s first quarter century as a Borough. Donald Williamson who built the third hotel and “encouraged everyone with music and dancing,” Dr. James E. Trevor who had begun his practice, Thomas Bullock who came to buy a farm but entered business instead, Hugo Friedlander, to be three times Mayor and probably the leading force for the next 40 years, Alfred Saunders, better known outside Ashburton for his political activities but inside for setting up Canterbury Flour Mills and bringing water down a dry creek bed to run it, had all arrived by this date.