St Mary's Pokeno - Harriet Johnston makes her mark

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]

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/

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[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

Frederick Adolphus Bartley

 

An informal family photo of Fred Bartley abt 1893

Frederick was the second child of Edward Bartley and Elizabeth Hannken. He was born 16 February 1862 at Union St in Auckland. 

When he was aged about 8 the family moved to Devonport, where Frederick attended the local public school. Later he worked with his father, becoming a draughtsman. Frederick shared his father’s interests in science, music and the arts. 

two images taken by Fred on one of his last outings with the Photographic Club, abt 1892, site unknown

With his Hannken cousins and brother Alf, Fred formed a string band which was very popular for functions and musical evenings in Devonport. The whole family were active members in the Devonport Musical Society as well as participating in musical events further afield.

Observer 30 April 1887 Fundraising concert for Devonport Tennis Club featuring Fred and Alf Bartley

Waitemata Minstrels - the Bartley/Hannken Band Observer 9 May 1885

On 26 November 1890 Frederick married Janet Shearer. The ceremony took place at the Shearer home in St Georges Bay Rd, Parnell. Janet was born in Edinburgh and christened there on 5 April 1861. She had an elder sister Alison. Her father John was a joiner by trade and he was born at Keith in Banffshire. He had married Janet Johnston of Haddington at Tranent in 1856. The family had come to Auckland about 1862.

Observer 26 July 1890. The engagement notice of three Bartley siblings

Three years after their marriage Janet died of heart disease on 2 February 1893. It was a very difficult time for Frederick. Along with this personal tragedy financial conditions were very tight in Auckland at this time and he could find little employment with his father.

 Later in 1893 he left Auckland for Australia. This decision was made in a climate of excitement generated in the press concerning the potential of the Queensland gold fields. Many single men had already left New Zealand during the previous two years, spurred on by success stories such as these reports from across the Tasman:

Thames Star 17 April 1890

ies

Thames Star 14 December 1892

Alf had made the trip to Sydney with him but decided to return home. Fred went on traveling towards the Queensland gold fields. 

From his letters home it is clear that he had a good deal of trouble finding work there. He kept himself in funds by playing his violin when there was no other employment.

 While he was staying at Croyden he met Katherine Bergin. She worked for Mr & Mrs Morgan there. For some reason Kate used the pseudonym Mirrigan on her marriage certificate. She may have gone under this name with the Morgan’s as well. They were married by the Anglican vicar at the Morgan home on 5 July 1896.

Soon after this Frederick went further north to Thornborough where he knew there would be work. From there it was his intention to send money back to Kate so that she could join him there. While he was away their son George was born on 19 February 1897 at Harp of Erin, Croydon, probably at the Morgan home where Kate was still living. Two years later Fred was killed in an explosion at the General Grant Mine in Thornborough on 26 June 1899.

George and Kate came to New Zealand and lived at Devonport.

An informal family photo of George Frederick Bartley at his grandfather's house in Devonport