I wrote and illustrated Country Churches of New Zealand. It was published in 2002 by New Holland, Publishers and is still on sale in bookshops. The publishers have kindly agreed to me re-publishing some of the book’s images and descriptions in this blog.
The churches of Hawke's Bay and the Wairarapa live in kinder economic and geographical environments than those of Eastland. They appear better dressed.
CHRIST CHURCH, FRASERTOWN
My painting gives no clue to how small a section Christ Church, occupies, it is only slightly bigger than the building. Yet it is a fine church, built in 1894, and a credit to its architect, Robert Lamb of Napier.It has special significance for me because a man I knew many years ago in England, the Reverend Baden Powell Herbert Ball, must have worshipped here.
In 1926, at the request of the Diocese of Waiapu, the Church Army in England sent Captain B P H Ball to help in ministering to men and their families in public works camps around Poverty Bay. He spent most of his time at the Tuai power project and Christ Church would have been the nearest established Anglican church to his ministry. (He was succeeded, incidentally, by Harry Squires of Wellington City Mission fame.)
© DON DONOVAN
donovan@ihug.co.nz
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