Heritage Taranaki members had a great time in sunny Eltham at the annual Taranaki heritage groups BBQ on Saturday 28 March 2026.
This is a great chance for the various heritage groups in Taranaki to catch up on events throughout the past year. There were many good ideas shared around Taranaki Heritage Month 2026 – keep an eye on our socials and website over the next few months for more details and expressions of interest to be involved.
A massive thank you to Eltham & Districts Historical Society and All Saints’ Anglican Church Eltham for hosting us all this year.
Also a massive thank you to Karen Christian for providing a history of the wonderful stained glass windows in All Saints’. Most of the windows were installed in the 1950s and 60s and were created in England by G. Maile and his son.
Another window of note is the Julie Cassels Memorial. This is not stained glass, but rather beveled glass, and was devoted to Julie Cassels, one of the five people who died on the mountain in Taranaki’s worst alpine tragedy during 1953. Her father was a significant member of the church.
Brief history of All Saints’ Eltham
The first Anglican church in Eltham was located on a site in Mountain Road donated by Messrs. E.W. and G.H. Buckeridge. The foundation stone was laid on All Saints’ Day, 1896.
In 1901 the church was moved to its present site on King Edward Street. Not long after this a new church (the central portion of the present building) was built at a cost of £600.
This new church was designed by well-known Wellington architect, Frederick de Jersey Clere and the contractor was Mr Page. The church was opened on 26 November, 1903 and consecrated just over two years later on 13 January 1906.
The old church became the Parish Hall and Sunday School. In 1958 the Parish Hall was demolished and Mr P.J.O’Regan, of Hāwera, built a new hall at a contract price of £10,762.
In 1952 the church was extended by 609sq ft on the King Edward Street (side) elevation. In 1976-77 the church was clad in brick, and the roof clad in coloursteel. A new porch (35.2m2) was also added in 1998.
History of All Saints: https://terangiaoaonunui.pukeariki.com/…/all-saints…/
