50th Anniversary Of Glenmark Church

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28397, 2 October 1957, Page 11

50th Anniversary Of Glenmark Church

Early days of the Canterbury settlement will be recalled when St. Paul’s Church, Glenmark, begins its jubilee celebrations on October 6, with a special service. The church was consecrated on October 10, 1907.

The parish of Glenmark was formed in 1907, when the church and vicarage were built and endowed by Mrs Annie Quayle Townend, as a memorial to her father, George Henry Moore, owner of the extensive Glenmark station, and a colourful figure in the history of Canterbury. Mr Moore arrived in Lyttelton in 1853, from Tasmania, and bought land in Canterbury, on the Glenmark site. In 1855 he established himself at Glenmark with a large flock of merino sheep, at what was to become one of the largest and best known early Canterbury runs. He lived on the station with his daughter until his death in July, 1905, aged 93. The property then passed to Mrs Townend. who gave £30,000 to the Church for the building and endowment of St. Paul’s. Mrs Townend died in 1914, aged 64. When the church was built in 1907 there were few residents in the district, in spite of the subdivision of part of the run. The imposing brick church, with its spire, was built on the main road near Waipara, within sight of the old Glenmark homestead. For 50 years it has been a conspicuous and unexpected landmark for travellers, placed as it is on a slight hill, and surrounded by stately trees. The church is complete with carillon, pipe organ, beautiful windows, altar-hangings, plate and furnishings. On October 6 a jubilee service will be held, at 3 p.m. The Bishop of Christchurch (the Rt. Rev. A. K. Warren) will preach the anniversary sermon, and many visitors are expected. A special communion service will be celebrated on October 10, the day of the anniversary, while a thinksgiving service will be held on October 13, when the choir of the Royal Christchurch Musical Society, conducted by Mr E. R. Field-Dodgson, will sing.

To mark the jubilee, and as a memorial to Mrs Townend, the parish plans to raise funds for a stained glass window in the church, of “The Light of the World,” by Holman Hunt. The richly embroidered altar hangings of the Church will be renewed by the women of the parish, as part of their jubilee gift. The first vicar of the church was the Rev. Walter Dunkley, who served until 1913, when he was succeeded by Rev. H. T. Purchas. Mr Purchas wrote the “History of the Church in New Zealand” while he was at Glenmark. Other vicars have been Rev. F. P. Fendall (1921-26), the Rev. H. Hawkins (1927-38), the Rev. J. Hay (1939-46). and the Rev. G. N. Watson (1947-50). The present vicar is the Rev. Walter Wisdom, who will be conducting the jubilee services.