THE CHURCH OF ST MARY THE VIRGIN : BEGINNINGS AND GROWTH

On 20 September 1936 the foundation stone of a new parish hall was laid and on 5 November the hall and a new rectory were dedicated. An addition to the hall was built in 1956. The first stained glass window was installed in the church on 29 July 1937. The window, presented to the church by relatives of parishioner, Muriel Simpson, depicts St Cecilia, Patron Saint of music.

    The new Parish Hall
    as seen in 1937. (right)

During the Second World War the difficulties obtaining at the time prevented any major structural work on the church being carried out.

Although a new porch was added to the church in 1950, in 1951 (and again in 1971) it became clear that the exterior of the church had deteriorated to such a degree that restoration work was urgently required. This produced a major drain on the parish financial resources yet by 1956 it was possible to make plans for the completion of the church which were published in December of that year. The foundation stone for the extensions was laid by the Governor, Sir Charles Gairdner, on 3 November 1957.

By 1958 the extensions had been completed and were consecrated by Bishop Robert Freeth on 13 July. In the following November the War Memorial Chapel in the north transept was dedicated by Archbishop Robert Moline. (See our page on the stained glass windows in St Mary’s for more details about the chapel.)



In May 1968 it was announced that a local retired farmer intended to give $20,000 to the church for the purpose of building a structure in the grounds to support a statue representing Christ that would be visible from afar off.   Although the original plan was to place the statue three hundred feet (nearly one hundred metres) above the ground in the event a three metre representation of Christ was placed on a narrow tripod of reinforced concrete just one hundred and seven feet (about thirty five metres) high. The resulting edifice was blessed by Archbishop Geoffrey Sambell on 8 March 1970. (left and lower right)




During the 1970s more stained glass windows were installed (see our 'Stained Glass' page).
But the fabric of the church had continued to deteriorate in spite of restoration work carried out in 1951 and 1971.   It was then suggested that the church be demolished and a new one built. (This suggestion was also made in the mid 1980s when parishioners expressed great concern about the amount of money being spent on maintenance and restoration!)   However, sufficient funding was obtained and a new ceiling was put in place in 1974.


In 1979 a Garden of Remembrance, funded from a bequest, was created on the south side of the church. But also in that year the choral tradition that had been built up over may years came to an end with the disbanding of the choir.

Continued on page 3: Click here

"As it was in the beginning, is now..."   From the 'Gloria' (Book of Common Prayer)