Historic Significance

Historical Significance or Value This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1980. This report includes the text from the original Building Classification Committee report considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. In 1852 a group of Aucklanders met to decide to form a congregational church in their city. Thomas Hamer was the first pastor, serving the church in various ways for 47 years. The church's first premises were in Shamrock Cottage on the corner of Albert and Victoria Streets. Over the years alterations were made to accommodate the expanding church but by 1872 the church had definitely outgrown that site. The section on Beresford Street was bought for a cost of 870 pounds sterling. The estimated cost of the church was 4,000 pounds sterling, the amount being raised by the congregations weekly offering. Inaugral services were held on the 20 February 1876. The opening of the church is described in the 'Southern Cross', 19 March 1876. Three hundred people attended the ceremony led by Sir George Grey and the pastor, the Rev J W Davies. People associated with the church, particularly its establishment, included: The Rev Thomas Hamer, who led a successful revolt against the proposal in the Provincial Council that the salary of Bishop Selwyn should be paid out of public funds. Captain W C Daldy, who worked on the Auckland Harbour Board and was involved in the formation of the South British Insurance Company. J C Firth a prominent settler and flour miller, later a member of the Provincial Council. Both Firth and Daldy were Directors on the Board of the Bank of NZ and Trustees of the Auckland Savings Bank. Other leading figures were; George Fowlds, Minister of Education; J Berry, Editor of the NZ Herald; H N Warner, Commissioner of Crown Lands for Auckland; C E Burton, Judge of the Supreme Court. In September 1964 the St James Presbyterian and the Beresford Street Congregational Church united. This was the first time in New Zealand that churches of two different denominations united. The old St James Church in Wellington Street was demolished and the Beresford Street Church became the new St James.

Physical Significance

This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1980. This report includes the text from the original Building Classification Committee report considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: St James Church dates from 1876 and is one of the oldest buildings remaining in Auckland. It is the first major example of poured concrete construction. Few examples of the work of Philip Herapath are left in Auckland. The church is intricately designed with delicate detailing in the gallery. With its temple front, the St James Church is one of the very few neoclassical buildings in Auckland. TOWNSCAPE/LANDMARK SIGNIFICANCE: St James Church sits on a slight rise above the motorway and its temple form is a prominent part of the townscape as one approaches the city along Hopetown Street. It forms part of a group of very distinctive Auckland buildings with the other concrete church hall building on one side and the old Auckland Fire Station (now St Johns Ambulance Station) on the other.