The history of Motueka’s St Thomas Church

In 1844, Captain Edward Fearon donated land at the junction of Thorp and Fearon Street to build St Thomas Anglican Church and to provide a cemetery.

The original church was dedicated by Bishop Selwyn in 1848 and was built with rudimentary materials, but later rebuilt as a timber structure.  With the centre of population having moved in Motueka, the church was shifted in 1860 to High St.

It was reopened on the 8 July, having been enlarged. The cost of the removal and enlargement cost around £220. Towards the late 1890’s it was clear that the parishioners needed a new building. With this in mind they began a campaign to raise funds through subscriptions, socials, sales and other events.

In 1909 tenders were invited by F. De Clere, architect of Wellington, for the erection of the new St Thomas church, and after consideration the tender of Messrs Stilwell and Co was selected. The amount required to build the church, with tower and furniture, was £1050, but the congregation had raised a figure of around £800, leaving a shortfall of £250.

Through the intervention of De Clere, a saving of £150 on the total cost was managed by conferring with the contractors thus leaving only £100 to be found. De Clere also offered the reredos, (an ornamental screen at the back of the alter) as a gift, saving more money.

With there still being a shortfall, it was decided that Stilwell’s adjusted tender of £766 for the church be accepted without the porch or tower.  These were to be built if and when further funds came to hand.

The foundation stone ceremony was held on a rainy day on 20 July 1910, thus forcing the service to be held in the old church which sat by the new site. The Bishop of Nelson, Archdeacon Baker, and the Vicar of Motueka officiated the service. The stone, of grey sandstone, was then laid by F. D. Greenwood, esq after which the congregation returned inside.

On the 25 January 1911 services in the new church were held, beginning at 7.30am with Holy Communion. At 2.30pm the afternoon service took place, with another held in the evening. The building consisted of a nave 50 by 25 feet and a height of about 30 feet to the apex of a chancel, 21 by 18 feet, and vestry 13 by 13.

Through huge effort the congregation had managed to raise enough for the porch and tower to be built. The timber building rested on a heavy concrete foundation, completed by grey asbestos slates. Cathedral-stained windows in leaded diamond shaped panes, eves that projected over the end gables and the tower with four pinnacles made for an impressive building. The rededos carving was completed by Miss Eileen Rankin and Ray Batchelor. The scholars of the school gifted the festal frontal and the cross with the candlesticks, vases, alms dish and alter table, credence table and litany desk were gifts from the parishioners. The building in its entirety was said to be of a certain dignity which helped promote the feeling of reverence.

The work in preparation for the building (fund raising and hard work) was credited to the late vicar, Rev. J. Johnston.