Sacred Heart, Timaru 

The Church of the Sacred Heart, Timaru. The parish of which this church is the chief place of  worship, extends from Mount Cook on the west to the Pacific shore on the east, and constitutes one of the strongholds of the Catholic church in New Zealand. The church property consists of about 16 acres and accommodates the church, priory, convent and other institutions representing different phases of the Church's work. The church itself is a somewhat antiquated building, but the convent, standing some distance to the rear, and surrounded by well laid out and neatly kept grounds, is a substantial two-story brick building, one of the best in the colony devoted to its purpose. The priory is a two story building, in concrete, and contains 10 or 11 commodious apartments, including a spacious billiard room. The Marist Brother's House, also a two-story brick building, occupies a site on the opposite side of the road, which intersects the property. The boys' and girls' schools, two distinct institutions, are well attended by Catholic children from all parts of the parish. Reference: Cyclopedia of New Zealand, Canterbury edition. 1903 

Rev. Father J. Chataigner, S.M., Society of the Marists, arrived from France in 1860 and Father Chervier, S.M. visited Waimate in 1862 and established the Roman Catholic Church in Timaru in 1869. Chataigner soon after arrival purchased the property on Cragie Ave.

The present Scared Heart Basilica on Craigie Ave, of white stone and red brick, twin towers, and a cupola of copper, foundation stone was laid by Bishop Grimes on 6 February 1910. The old church burned down soon after the foundation stone was laid. Dean John Tubman was the man responsible for the idea and plans were drawn by F.W. Petre but Tubman thought the nave was too large for "the parish and purses" and Petre refused remove two bays so Petre refused to have anything to do with the building. John Tubman took over and supervised the work which was built in a true parochial effort with the parishioners carting materials and helping with the construction and Tubman paid the workers daily so he knew how much money was available.  The church cost £23,000 and was blessed and opened by Dean Tubman in October 1911 and has an array of fine stained glass windows.  John Tubman served the church from 1891 to 1919 and he died 23 December 1923.  In 2001 a $250,000 restoration to the interior of the Sacred Heart Basilica got underway. Outside the church half the steps to the main entranceway have disappeared to make way for the new ones, with all the work expected to be completed in mid-December. CHCH with photos of all the Catholic Churches. In 1914 chime of eight bells were installed in one of the bell towers, costing  $1000.

Francis William Petre was born in Lower Hutt, 26 Sept 1847; Died in Dunedin, 10 Dec 1918. He was educated at Roman Catholic schools in England and France and was articled (1864–9) to the shipbuilder and engineer Joseph Samuda (1813–85) in London, after which he worked for Daniel Cubitt Nichols (fl 1856–91). In 1872 he returned to New Zealand as an engineer on railway construction, establishing his own practice in Dunedin in 1875. He carried out a wide range of commercial, domestic and engineering works, but his major architectural commissions came from the Roman Catholic Church. His first important work was the Dominican Priory (1877), Dunedin. Its simplified, angular Gothic forms reveal its monolithic concrete construction. More conventional in form, St Joseph’s Cathedral (begun 1879), Dunedin, is French 13th-century Gothic in style. Petre employed the Gothic style for small parish churches but increasingly favoured classical basilican plans for larger churches. The basilica of the Sacred Heart (1889), Wellington, and St Patrick’s Basilica (1893), Oamaru, preceded his major achievement, the cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament (1901–5), Christchurch. Based on 19th-century French prototypes, notably J.B. Lepère and J.I. Hittorff’s church of Vincent-de-Paul (1824–44), Paris, and constructed of concrete sheathed in Oamaru limestone, Christchurch Cathedral is the largest and most imposing classically designed church in New Zealand. Reference: The Grove Dictionary of Art.

Hawera & Normanby Star, 7 February 1910, Page 5
A NEW CHURCH BUILDING. TIMARU, February 6. The foundation stone of the new Sacred Heart Church was laid this afternoon by Bishop Grimes, of the diocese of Canterbury. There was a very , large attendance of members of the church and public. After the, procession, which included a great number of clergy and members of the Hibernian Society, his Lordship laid the stone with all duo ceremony. An address followed by the Roy. Father Tubman (parish vicar), Bishop Grimes and others. A special collection realised a large sum. The church will cost £20,000 when finished, and will be built of concrete, with Oamaru stone facings and ornaments.

Hawera & Normanby Star 6 April 1910, Page 5
The Roman Catholic Church was burned down early this morning. The fire was first seen about 2.30, and then, had a good hold on the western portion. As the building was 40 years old and built of wood, the fire spread rapidly, and within five minutes of the alarm it was apparent that the church was doomed. Two powerful jets had not the slightest effect. The fire at its height was a magnificent spectacle. The whole building and contents in the way of church furniture were completely destroyed.

Timaru Herald 4 December 1879 pg8
The Roman Catholic Church, Timaru was crowded to excess in the evening, when His Lordship the Right Rev. Dr. Redwood, Roman Catholic Bishop of Wellington delivered an eloquent and exhaustive sermon. The ceremony of blessing the new Roman Catholic School, which was opened a few weeks ago in Timaru, took place on Nov. 17. Rev. Father Goutenoire, Rev. Father Chataigner, Master Charles Wilson replied to the Bishop.

The new Church of the Sacred Heart, Timaru, from the Convent Grounds, by Wm Ferrier.

Inside the Roman Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Basilica of Sacred Heart, Craigie Avenue, Timaru has 26 stained glass windows. Eight of those windows are seen below, high above in the apse, each approx. 200 cm x 95 cm. Rev. Tubman ordered the windows from John Hardman & Co., Birmingham, England for a total cost of £240. £30 each plus £15 s&p and the windows left the factory  in August 1913. Hardman & Co. is still operating today. Rev. John Tubman donated the one of the windows, the St. John the Evangelist window.

Evening Post, 24 November 1913, Page 9
TIMARU, 23rd November. A beautiful memorial window in the Roman Catholic Church was dedicated this afternoon to the memory of Sergeant William Byrne, the first local man to lose his life in the Boer war. The subject is the baptism in the Jordan. A procession of ex-contingenters and other military attended at the morning service. Eight other windows, scriptural subjects, decorating the chancel, the gifts of different individuals and parties, were dedicated.

11 October 2006 Timaru Herald
The photo with organist Terry Kennedy is taken at Sacred Heart Basilica in Craigie Ave, Timaru. Terry is playing less often at funerals with increased use of popular music on CDs.  The Basilica's pipe organ was built by Arthur Hobday & Son in 1912.
    Another article on terry appeared in the Timaru Herald 15 August 2009. 24 hours in the life of Terry Kennedy. Long-serving councillor a community player. The work around playing keyboard for funerals in churches and at funeral homes has dropped off considerably in the last 12 months. From what I can see and what I hear from some of the people involved, the preference for having hymns isn't as great as it used to be. People are going for tunes that reflect the person's life.

Timaru Herald October, 1881. Marriage:
LAWLOR - DENNEHY - On Sept 8th at the Church of the Sacred Heart, Timaru, by the Rev. Father Chataigner (assisted by the Rev. Father Kane) David Roche Lawlor, of Invercargill, to Margaret Elizabeth, daughter of Mr Michael Dennehy, of Timaru

Timaru Herald September, 1888. Marriage:
WILDERMOTH - PYE. On the 11th September, at the Sacred Heart Church, Timaru, by the Rev. Father Foley, Michael Joseph Wildermoth, to Ellen Mary Pye.

Timaru Herald April, 1890. Marriage:
REILLY - SULLIVAN. On April 16th at the Church of Sacred Heart, Timaru, by the Rev. Father Foley, Patrick Reilly, eldest son of Patrick Reilly, Prospect Hall, Co. Waterford, Ireland, to Josephine, youngest daughter of John Sullivan, Birr, King's Co., Ireland.

Timaru Herald September. 1897. Marriage:
GERITY - GREENE. On the 25th August, at the Church of the Sacred Heart, Timaru, by the Rev. Father Lewis, Michael A. Gerity, to Sarah Augusta Greene, both of Timaru.

Timaru Herald 15 Sept. 1900 Marriage:
Allen - Wagner. On August 16th, at the Sacred Heart Church, Timaru, by the Rev. Father Tubman, Cornelius, eldest son of Michael Allen, Timaru, to Honora (Nora), youngest daughter of the late J. Wagner, Rangiora.

Timaru Herald January, 1894. Death:
SHARMAN, On January 22nd, at the Convent, Timaru, Rachael M. Sharman, Religious of the Sacred Heart, R.I.P.

The Convent of the Sacred Heart.

 The foundation stone was laid on 1st February 1880.

New Zealand Tablet, 13 February 1880, Page 17
CONVENT OF THE SACRED HEART, TIMARU.
The building when completed will form the largest and most imposing structure in South Canterbury. It will be of two lofty storeys, the height from the ground line to the ridge of the roof being 49ft. 6in. The main facade, presented to the east, is 121 ft. long and the lateral facades of the two wings are each 134 ft. long. The style may be described as Italian-Gothic or Anglo-Italian, and the material to be used, blue stone with white stone dressings, will lend itself readily to the production of a good effect. The front facade is rendered handsome and symmetrical by the gables of the wings being run out six feet beyond the general line of the front, and by a Gothic portico over the main entrance. Above the portico is a balcony on which a window opens, and this is surmounted by a handsome pediment, in the tympanum of which the disposed the symbolic Sacred Hearts, surrounded by a floral wreath. The lateral facades, each 134 ft. long, are alike in appearance, and are each relieved by two projecting gables at one-third from the angles of building. The windows are square, with pediments, except in the gable walls of the lateral facades, where they are of different forms in order to give still further variety to these elevations. The pediment over the main entrance and the various gables are surmounted by crosses, and the ridge of the roof is crowned by an ornamental cast iron cresting. Entering the building a flight of steps under the portico leads into a vestibule 10ft. wide and 25ft. long. On each side of the vestibule is a reception room 25ft. by 16ft., and two smaller ones 23ft by 14ft. At the south end of the main front is a temporary chapel 34 feet long and 25 feet wide, and at the opposite end a large reception room 31 feet by 25 feet. Passing from this room along the northern wing we find in succession the pupils' refectory, 36ft. by 25ft. ; the nuns' dining room, 25ft. by 15ft. ; a storeroom or pantry, 25ft. by 1 2ft., and a kitchen, 25ft. by loft. In the southern wing are four rooms intended for the use of the ladies of the convent. At the end of each wing is a large staircase leading to the upper floor, and behind these are mezzanina floors, on which are situated ten bathrooms and other conveniences. In the centre of the main front chamber floor is an infirmary, the window of which opens upon the balcony of the portico. Southward of this is a pupils' dormitory, 50ft. by 25ft., well lighted, and supplied with two fireplaces. Adjoining the infirmary on the other side is a nuns' dormitory, 25ft. by 16ft., next to which come two class-rooms, 31ft. by 25ft., then a school-room 56ft. by 25ft., and at the end of the wing another classroom 25ft. by 24ft. In the southern wing are apartments for the ladies of the convent. All the rooms on each floor open into corridors, 8ft. wide, running all round the inner side of t&e quadrangle formed by the building. The rooms on the ground floor are all 16ft. high, and on the chamber floor 14ft. high from floor to ceiling. The cost of the portion of the building described, and which is to be carried out at once, will be about £5000. The cost of the completed structure will be about £10,000. Three hundred and fifty pounds were placed upon the stone at the collection made at its laying. Mr. M. de H. Duval is the architect.

New Zealand Tablet, 20 February 1880, Page 15
Tenders are called for, in stone or brick, for the building of the convent at Timaru. At Dunedin plans and specifications may be seen in the office of Mr. F. W. Petre, Liverpool street, where forms of tender may also be obtained. Tenders are to be forwarded to Mr. M. de H. Duval, architect, Timaru, on or before 4 p.m. on the 26th inst. Further particulars will be found in another column.

New Zealand Tablet, 17 September 1880, Page 17
CONVENT OF THE SACRED HEART, TIMARU.
The architect of the building is Mr. Duval, the contract for the same being let to Mr. N. Murphy for the sum of £6300 ; Messrs. Gow and Griffin, of Dunedin and Timaru, being the plasterers, and the plumbing and gas-fitting work, Mr. Maloney, and Mr. Knight the painting, &c. The joiners work is especially commendable, its equal is not to be found in Timaru, and to one and all concerned in the whole work we must give   praise for the faithful manner in which the design is carried out. The altar of this chapel is specially designed by Mr. Duval, and like all ornamentation throughout the building, is of the Gothic Order.

The Parish School for girls was opened on 3rd November 1877.
A building for the boys was opened a few months later.

No. 544  Sacred Herat Convent.  Tanner Bros. Postcard

Five additions including a chapel.

Churches of the Past  & Present - Catholic Diocese of Christchurch

Society of Mary's 1869-2006
A plaque was placed in the grounds of the Bascilica "In recognition of 137 years dedicated service of the priests and brothers
of the Society of Mary to the parish of Sacred Hearts and the people of South Canterbury. 1869-2006."
 "...our founding PP in 1869, Jean-Baptiste Chataigner, roaming South Canterbury on foot with Mass kit and swag; Dean John Tubman's 30 years here, 22 as Parish Priest, the building of the beautiful Basilica of the Sacred Heart, 1910-1911, was a highlight of his tenure; genial 'Jock' McHardy's ten years,1942-5l, war and post-war times. More recently, parishioners remember Jack Healy's strong singing voice, practical sermons, and no-nonsense counsel, his building of the new presbytery in 1978. Jesse Kingan and Tom O'Connor dealt heroically with Vatican 2 changes in the Basilica layout. Mick Tomasi (1988-94) is still fondly remembered as a wise, compassionate PP with a great sense of humour. " Earl Crotty sm, PP 8 Dec. 2006

South Canterbury NZGenWeb Project