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St. Hilda's Anglican church
History
HistoryBefore the church was built, services had been held in the Criterion hall, and then in the Upper Hutt Town Hall ('Leader', November 6, 1974).
The church, designed by architect Mr F Charlesworth, was built by parishioners in 1910 south of Main Street, and east of what for many years was Rosenberg Street; the street was renamed Wakefield Street around 1945 (there is one post-war reference to the name in a 1947 'Upper Hutt Leader'; the name change was not caused by Russian spies of that name being found in America in 1950, but the name of a Nazi official).
The original foundation stone is dated April 22, 1910; and is headed "In Gloriam Dei". 'Ad Gloriam Dei' is the usual wording, and means 'To the glory of God'. The church was completed in October 1910, and had cost £600, but it could not be consecrated by the Bishop of Wellington, the right Rev T H Sprott until November 1914, when the debt had been liquidated.
The church hall was decrepit when it was demolished on July 27, 1967.
The January 23, 1979 'Leader' reported that the church site, from Main Street to Fergusson Drive, had been sold to McDonald's; the price was not disclosed, but was reputed to be the highest price per square meter ever paid in Upper Hutt. The sale would enable the board to move the church to the Cruickshank Road site, and to build a church hall.
The church was removed from this site to its current location in Cruickshank Road on March 18, 1979; the 'Leader' had no photos until Brian Pearce supplied some, weeks later.
An August 21, 1979 article gave details of coming events, which would hopefully culminate with the new hall opening in March 1980. An architect's drawing of the proposed hall was printed on August 28. The hall's foundation stone is dated September 23, 1979 and was laid by the Right Reverent E K Norman, Bishop of Wellington. There are two pictures of the ceremony in the October 2 'Leader'. The hall was dedicated on April 12, 1980; there are two pictures and an article in the April 8 'Leader'.
The church building was extended, with aisles on both sides, and a foyer and vestry across the entry end; a sketch appeared in the September 3, 1985 'Leader'; the completed extensions were consecrated by the Most Reverend Brian Davis, Archbishop of New Zealand, on September 19 1987; the extensions and ceremony were covered by the September 29 'Leader', which also printed an aerial view taken four months earlier.
The hall is steel-framed, and gymnasium-sized; it is behind the vicarage, which is next door to the church.
A McDonald's restaurant was built on the former site.
Recent vicars:-s
L B Robinson appointed to Cannons Creek January 1967
C F Browne from February 1968
Archdeacon Venimore succeded by Craufurd Murray August 1981.
Craufurd Murray to St Barnabas, Fendalton, September 1987
David Dinness December 1987 to June 1993
(assistant priests Maureen Calman, Msarch 1991, Ann Dinniss and Rosemary Wright, April 1993)
Jeff Roberts, January 1994
The church, designed by architect Mr F Charlesworth, was built by parishioners in 1910 south of Main Street, and east of what for many years was Rosenberg Street; the street was renamed Wakefield Street around 1945 (there is one post-war reference to the name in a 1947 'Upper Hutt Leader'; the name change was not caused by Russian spies of that name being found in America in 1950, but the name of a Nazi official).
The original foundation stone is dated April 22, 1910; and is headed "In Gloriam Dei". 'Ad Gloriam Dei' is the usual wording, and means 'To the glory of God'. The church was completed in October 1910, and had cost £600, but it could not be consecrated by the Bishop of Wellington, the right Rev T H Sprott until November 1914, when the debt had been liquidated.
The church hall was decrepit when it was demolished on July 27, 1967.
The January 23, 1979 'Leader' reported that the church site, from Main Street to Fergusson Drive, had been sold to McDonald's; the price was not disclosed, but was reputed to be the highest price per square meter ever paid in Upper Hutt. The sale would enable the board to move the church to the Cruickshank Road site, and to build a church hall.
The church was removed from this site to its current location in Cruickshank Road on March 18, 1979; the 'Leader' had no photos until Brian Pearce supplied some, weeks later.
An August 21, 1979 article gave details of coming events, which would hopefully culminate with the new hall opening in March 1980. An architect's drawing of the proposed hall was printed on August 28. The hall's foundation stone is dated September 23, 1979 and was laid by the Right Reverent E K Norman, Bishop of Wellington. There are two pictures of the ceremony in the October 2 'Leader'. The hall was dedicated on April 12, 1980; there are two pictures and an article in the April 8 'Leader'.
The church building was extended, with aisles on both sides, and a foyer and vestry across the entry end; a sketch appeared in the September 3, 1985 'Leader'; the completed extensions were consecrated by the Most Reverend Brian Davis, Archbishop of New Zealand, on September 19 1987; the extensions and ceremony were covered by the September 29 'Leader', which also printed an aerial view taken four months earlier.
The hall is steel-framed, and gymnasium-sized; it is behind the vicarage, which is next door to the church.
A McDonald's restaurant was built on the former site.
Recent vicars:-s
L B Robinson appointed to Cannons Creek January 1967
C F Browne from February 1968
Archdeacon Venimore succeded by Craufurd Murray August 1981.
Craufurd Murray to St Barnabas, Fendalton, September 1987
David Dinness December 1987 to June 1993
(assistant priests Maureen Calman, Msarch 1991, Ann Dinniss and Rosemary Wright, April 1993)
Jeff Roberts, January 1994
Photos
Publication
Artworks
Location
DescriptionThis wooden church is the parish church for Upper Hutt.
Coordinates[1] The church[2] The vicarage[3] The hall[4] Church and vicarage viewed from here.
Coordinates[1] The church[2] The vicarage[3] The hall[4] Church and vicarage viewed from here.loading google map....
St. Hilda's Anglican church. Upper Hutt Libraries, accessed 23/04/2026, https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/16559