Akaroa Historical Overview - Christchurch City Council

The first Anglican church was built at the “English” (southern) end of the town in 1852 on
reserve land. Sewell described it in 1853 as “a small, neat wooden building ... very plain,
but as good as a plain village Church in England”. The only reminder of its presence at
that end of town is the name Church Street. 57 The congregation quickly outgrew this
original building and in 1863 the new church, St Peter’s, was built on Rue Balguerie.
Designed by A.G. Purchas, and having affinities with the Selwyn churches of regions
further north, St Peter’s was consecrated in November 1864. Transepts were inserted
between the nave and chancel in 1877. 58
Akaroa’s Roman Catholic Church, St Patrick’s, occupies the historic site of the chapels and
dwellings of the French missionaries of the 1840s. The present church was built in 1864,
to a design of Mountfort and Bury. The distinctive bell tower, however, was not added
until 1893. The date of the cockscomb barge moulding is not known. 59
The most recent of the town’s three surviving churches, the Presbyterian Church, was
opened in June 1886. Its simplified Gothic design was the work of a Christchurch
architect, John Whitelaw. It replaced an earlier church of 1860. 60
Although three 19 th century churches have survived, they do not tell the full story of
church building in 19 th century Akaroa. Neither of the two original Roman Catholic
chapels nor the original Anglican church of 1851-52 have survived; nor has the Ebenezer
Congregational Church, built in 1885-86 on a section just off Rue Jolie south, which was
moved to become the Convent school in the early 20 th century but was subsequently
demolished. However, the original Presbyterian Church was removed from the site and
survives as commercial premises on Rue Lavaud.
The three surviving churches are significant reminders of the place of religion in the lives
of people living in Akaroa in the 19 th century and constitute, architecturally, an
interesting group. Their size and simplicity are further reminders that Akaroa in the 19 th
century was a small, self-contained community of unpretentious people of modest
means.
Several school buildings were erected in Akaroa in the 19 th century, but none have
survived. In early surveys of the town the site now occupied by the War Memorial was
set aside for a school. A school was erected on the site in 1857-59. Some time later, a
simple, gable-ended wooden building with a distinctive bell turret was erected on the
site (refer figure 5.25). This building remained in use until the early years of the 20 th
century. The high school remained in the area, in another later school building, until the
1930s. In 1881, Parliament passed legislation authorising the establishment of a high
school in Akaroa. This school opened in 1883. It was housed in the Garwood’s Store
building and just saw out the century before being closed. 61
A hospital, a small, cottage-like building, was built on the Bruce Terrace frontage of what
is now the site of the Akaroa School before 1880. It has not survived.
57 Ogilvie, Cradle, pp. 35-36; Sewell, Journal, vol. I, pp. 329, 442
58 Ogilvie, Cradle, p. 39; Akaroa Museum notice board; Booklet produced by Akaroa Mail and Akaroa Civic
Trust, p. 14
59 Stacpoole, Colonial Architecture, p. 50; Booklet produced by Akaroa Mail and Akaroa Civic Trust, p. 14
60 Booklet produced by Akaroa Mail and Akaroa Civic Trust, p. 13; Presbyterian Parish centennial booklet,
not paginated; Ogilvie, Cradle, p. 39
61 Ogilvie, Cradle, p. 38; Area School 150, pp. 2-4
AKAROA HERITAGE OVERVIEW : SECTION 5 THE COLONIAL TOWN 1850 TO 1900 PAGE 55