Excerpt from "Masterton's First Hundred Years"

Last Updated on Tuesday, 11 October 2011 19:41 Saturday, 30 April 2011 19:19

Excerpt from Masterton's First Hundred Years by AG Bagnall, Masterton Centennial Committee, 1954, pages 20 and 87-88

Rev W M Ronaldson, of the Church of England, was for some eight years a notable resident of Papawai and Masterton. He reached the village for his initial visit on January 12, 1956 and held his first service the following day. Joseph Masters escorted him through the uncertain Three Mile Bush path to the Waiohine crossing on his return journey.

After the closing of the College of St Thomas at Papawai, probably late in 1865, Ronaldson came to Masterton and lived at the Vicarage built for him in Church Street. As he explained in a letter to the Church Missionary Society....

"My reason for selecting Masterton as my place of residence was because in its immediate vicinity I could easily visit over 200 natives at their different Pas and could as readily radiate to the other parts of District better from any other spot."

Ronaldson's primary duty was to the Maori people of the valley. For the latter part of his ministry he was assisted by the Rev Dan Desbois in deacon's orders. Masterton still formed part of a wide parish and Rev Amos Knell's responsibilities, similarly included the four towns.

The first recorded Masterton vestry was elected on July 3, 1971, Mr H Bannister being Vicar's Warden and Major Smith being Peoples' Warden. The Vestrymen were Messrs, Morton, Boor, Bennett, Yates, Henry Nichol, Masters and Donald.

The first St Matthew's Church, with the schoolroom, in its original location on the Church Acre, close to where Shoprite is now sited.  Alongside the church is the schoolroom, where St Matthew's school held its first classes. It was subsequently moved to the present St Matthew's Church grounds and sits on the Park Street frontage.

In 1875 the extensive district was subdivided, the Rev J F Teakle being appointed to the northern section, with headquarters in Masterton. The Diocesan Synod report for 1876 records that Masterton had a minister of its own to support that year for the first time. The church had been erected in January 1867 in Church Street shortly before Ronaldson's departure. Some ten years later it was cut into two the sections being joined to each side of a larger central building consecrated by Bishop Hadfield on May 22, 1878.

Two years later the parish was further subdivided into Tinui and Masterton when the Rev W E Paige was appointed to Masterton. After an energetic ministry of fourteen years he was succeeded by the Rev A C Yorke (1894-7) and P W Earee.

The second St Matthew's Church, built on the same site as the present St Matthew's Church.

Although plans for a new church were first prepared in 1904 it was not until St Matthews Day, 1913, that a new brick building was consecrated by the Right Rev TH Sprott.

Unfortunately the building was severely damaged in the 1942 earthquake and since its demolition the parish hall has been used as a place of worship. A building fund was begun and in May 1953 a major appeal launched for funds to erect a new ferro-concrete church.

Clergy who succeeded the Rev Earee have been Messrs AM Johnston (1905-8), H Watson (1908-15), J Walker (1915-22), W Bullock (1922-30), EJ Rich (1930-45), HSI Kenney (1945-51) and the present Vicar the Rev CV Venimore.

Associated with St Matthew's Parish Church are St Albans of Taueru built in 1905 and the Church of the Epiphany at Kuripuni (1911). There are also church rooms on the Upper Plain and at Bideford.

A worthy parish institution is "Sedgley" a Church of England home for older boys.

St Matthews Collegiate School for girls began in 1914 with classes in the Sunday School room, on the old Church acre at the Queen-Church Street corner. The first teachers were the Miss Whitehead who had previously conducted a private school. Extensive grounds were later purchased in Pownall Street where up-to-date buildings and amenities were provided to cater for a larger number of boarding and day pupils up to secondary standard.