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| St Mary's Pokeno Front Entrance. Image BFA |
It is great to be back. Apologies to you all for the long
break.
Today’s post is about a Gothic Revival treasure in the Waikato. There is
a lovely story with it too. I hope you enjoy sharing our research on St Mary’s.
Let us first travel back to the Waikato of the 1860’s. War
scarred both the landscape and the communities of the region during that
decade. This was followed by punitive confiscations of land. The Pokeno block
was taken in this process.
The site of St Mary’s Church, near the junction of the route
to Thames and the Great South Road, was originally part of that Pokeno block.
It passed through several settler’s hands during the next thirty years until Mr
Francis William PYNE bought it as part of a 700 acre parcel in 1890.
[i]
Mr Pyne, son of the Rector at Oxted, Surrey, arrived in New
Zealand the year before. He was a well educated man, unmarried at that time. In
1892 he welcomed 63 year old Harriet JOHNSTON to his home. Miss Johnston was a
well to do lady from Devonshire. She may well have been a family connection of
the Pynes.
Miss Johnston was to prove an asset to the Pokeno district. After
Francis Pyne married in 1894
[ii]
she threw her considerable energy into improving amenities in the area. Amongst
other projects she donated the cost of a community hall, oversaw the
construction and donated the interior fittings, including a piano.
In similar style, Miss Johnston turned her attention to the
spiritual welfare of the community. At this time services were conducted by an itinerant
clergyman on a monthly rotation. She envisioned a new church and a resident
clergyman for Pokeno.
Using her resources and her connections, the project was
instigated and completed in short order. Mr Pyne was called upon to donate the
land for a church complex, intended to include vicarage and school. Diocesan
heads were advised of her intention.
Edward Bartley, as Diocesan Architect, was consulted and
requested to draw up plans for the new St Mary’s. The result was a miniature
masterpiece of Gothic Revival. This church, along with All Saint’s in Kamo,
Whangarei, was one of the last in a long association with the Anglican Church.
They are also generally the most admired, as work of a mature and confident
hand. It is certain that Edward was required to work closely with Miss Johnston
and her chosen Deacon/Curate Rev H WINGFIELD.
The foundation stone was laid on November 4, 1899
[iii]
and the church was consecrated on 25 March the following year.
[iv]
Under a deed of gift the church and grounds were vested in the Diocese. The
Primate of New Zealand was officiating and present to accept the gift.
The footprint of the building is 60 x 20 feet. The transept,
27 feet wide and 9 foot square porch were completed with a tower offset to the
north containing the vestry and belfry. There was, of course, a dainty spire.
The gabled roof was shingled and supported on massive beams. These were left
exposed and treated to enhance the beauty of the native kauri timbers.
[v]
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| St Mary's Pokeno rear view. Image BFA |
Miss Johnston was equally attentive to the interior
fittings. At the time of the consecration the some of the windows were plain
and some coloured. This was because the stained glass windows she had
commissioned from England had not yet arrived. A further window was
commissioned for the west wall in 1910.
Draperies were worked
by the St Mary’s Guild of Parnell, the chancel and pulpit steps were carpeted
and an Oamaru stone font installed. Seating was provided for 150 worshippers,
being beautifully proportioned kauri pews. The following year Miss Johnston
accepted delivery of three bells for the tower. They were the product of Warner
and Sons of Cripplegate, London’s foremost bell casters.
Harriet Johnston died in 1916, leaving all of her estate to
Francis Pyne. St Mary’s was her most lasting legacy, though it is unlikely she
envisaged how brief its active role in the community would be.
Soon after her
death Francis Pyne disagreed with the vicar over the matter of stipend. In 1920
the church closed as a result of this dispute. The vicarage was also
repossessed about this time and the property was put up for sale. From the
early 1920’s the parish was accommodated by clergy from Bombay.
Fortunately for us the people of Pokeno loved their Category
II
[vi]
historic church and have resisted all proposals to move the building. Thanks to
them, the building was also kept in good repair and is still serving a vibrant
community.
Link to St Mary’s Homepage
at http://bombay-pokeno.org.nz/
[i]
Cyclopaedia of NZ 1902 p 696 Pokeno
[ii]
24 January 1894 to Bertha PICKIN N Z Herald 23 Feb 1894 page 4, by his uncle
Rev. KIRKBRIDE.
[iii]
NZH 3 Nov 1899 page 3 col. 5
[iv]
Anglican Church Gazette April 1900.
[v]
Ibid May 1900; NZH 27 March 1900 page 3 col.7
[vi]
Historic Places Trust List #695, Category 2
