History

St Luke’s Wadestown was established in the late 1870s in the home of Thomas and Elizabeth Roscoe. Due to the need for more space, in 1881 the St Paul’s Churchroom (we were then a branch of St Paul’s Cathedral parish) on Blackbridge Road was consecrated. In 1893, the building was moved to St Luke’s present site on the corner of Pitt Street and Wadestown Road.

By 1908 the congregation had increased and the parish was in dire need of a larger church. In 1909 our brick church was built and consecrated by Frederic Wallis, Bishop of Wellington. It was designed by notable Wellington architect, Frederick de Jersey Clere. This building remains our beloved church, albeit with various alterations and strengthening over the last 115 years.

Over the period of two world wars and the Depression, the fortunes of St Luke’s waxed and waned. However, with strong leadership from vicars and an enthusiastic congregation, the parish flourished, the choir prospered and a new organ (still in place today) was installed. Such was the spiritual and financial health of the parish, St Luke’s was granted full parish status in 1960.

During the 1970s the church was renovated and earthquake strengthened, and again in 2024. St Luke’s joyfully celebrated its centenary in 1981 with a week of festivities involving all the Wadestown community of which St Luke’s is a focal point.

After much debate, in the late 1990s the larger brick hall adjacent to the old churchroom in Pitt Street was sold and converted into two apartments.

In 2004, the old churchroom was demolished and replaced with the new St Luke’s Centre comprising a purpose-built hall, meeting rooms and other community facilities.

Memorial Window

On 3 August 1952 the Governor-General, His Excellency Lieutenant-General Lord Freyberg VC, GCMG, KCB, KBE, DSO unveiled this memorial window in remembrance of those who served and those who lost their lives in World Wars I and II. It was designed and made by James Powell & Sons (Whitefriars) in London.

A history of the Window by Doreen Green is: here.

Resources

75th Anniversary History – here
(via Wellington City Recollect)

Centennial History by Julie Thorpe 1981 (20MB file): here