Sidney arrived in Wellington New Zealand on the "George Fyfe" on 7 Nov 1842. The ships record states he was a joiner. He was the successful tender for the construction of this church which he completed in late 1853, the first service was held on 1 Jan 1854.
It was originally built without nails but a fire in 1989 means some of the building has been replaced.
Sidney was 27 years old when he arrived and with him was his wife Mary aged 24 and two of his children, Susan aged 2 years and George Henry an infant.
Sidney is buried in plot 10 with his wife Mary
Christ Church Taita is a colonial Gothic-style church, the oldest in the Wellington district and one of the oldest in New Zealand. It was built by Sidney of locally milled heart totara and held its first service on 1 Jan 1854. It was constructed through the efforts of early pioneering families (mainly farmers) in the district of Taita who wanted their own church. The land for the new church was donated by Algernon Tollemache, an early settler who owned a great deal of land in Wellington and in other parts of the country. It is believed that Octavius Bousfield (1830-1882) may have designed the plans for this simple Gothic Revival timber church. Bousfield was a surveyor who arrived in New Zealand in 1851 and who is known to have been a competent draftsman. The evidence for Bousfield's involvement is a newspaper notice in Feb 1853 calling for tenders for the new church, the plans of which could be seen at his house in Thorndon. The tender was awarded to Sidney Hirst, a carpenter and joiner from Yorkshire.
John William Hirst, their first born in the colony, was born in Taita, five years later Sidney Hirst Jnr was born in Karori. At some point the Hirsts settled in Taita, most likely before the building of the church.
Sidney built in a style unusual today. A fine attention to detail and the soundness of construction, is a testament to his ability as a carpenter. Originally Christ Church was unlined without a vestry and had a totara shingle roof - the whole is a masterful display of quality carpentry in an architectural style of English Gothic revival, with a steep roof, lancer windows and an arched door. Of simple and humble design, the church blended well with its site in the bush and with the aspirations of the parishioners. The surrounds of the church were made to look as English as possible. Holly trees and yews, familiar in English churchyards, were planted in the grounds, a practice common throughout Europe but one that reminded settlers of home.
Sidney was responsible for the main construction of the building but it is thought that most Taita families gave a hand. Many parents saw their children marry at the church over the years. In one generation there were three Hooper and Hirst unions when Sidney and Mary Hirst's eldest three children married Hooper siblings.
Sidney and Mary remained in Taita after the church was built Sidney died aged 47 and is buried near the porch. Mary was granted the majority of Sidney's estate provided she did not remarry, in which event it would be divided among the children. Mary, in fact, did remarry in 1863 to William Dew (1832-1914) in the St Paul's Cathedral, Kandallah. She was then aged 46 and William was 31. The new family lived at Taita for twenty years until Mary's death in 1883. She is buried in beside her first husband Sidney.
William died in 1914 & buried her in plot 16.
Helen died in 1928 and is buried St James Churchyard.
It was originally built without nails but a fire in 1989 means some of the building has been replaced.
Sidney was 27 years old when he arrived and with him was his wife Mary aged 24 and two of his children, Susan aged 2 years and George Henry an infant.
Sidney is buried in plot 10 with his wife Mary
Christ Church Taita is a colonial Gothic-style church, the oldest in the Wellington district and one of the oldest in New Zealand. It was built by Sidney of locally milled heart totara and held its first service on 1 Jan 1854. It was constructed through the efforts of early pioneering families (mainly farmers) in the district of Taita who wanted their own church. The land for the new church was donated by Algernon Tollemache, an early settler who owned a great deal of land in Wellington and in other parts of the country. It is believed that Octavius Bousfield (1830-1882) may have designed the plans for this simple Gothic Revival timber church. Bousfield was a surveyor who arrived in New Zealand in 1851 and who is known to have been a competent draftsman. The evidence for Bousfield's involvement is a newspaper notice in Feb 1853 calling for tenders for the new church, the plans of which could be seen at his house in Thorndon. The tender was awarded to Sidney Hirst, a carpenter and joiner from Yorkshire.
John William Hirst, their first born in the colony, was born in Taita, five years later Sidney Hirst Jnr was born in Karori. At some point the Hirsts settled in Taita, most likely before the building of the church.
Sidney built in a style unusual today. A fine attention to detail and the soundness of construction, is a testament to his ability as a carpenter. Originally Christ Church was unlined without a vestry and had a totara shingle roof - the whole is a masterful display of quality carpentry in an architectural style of English Gothic revival, with a steep roof, lancer windows and an arched door. Of simple and humble design, the church blended well with its site in the bush and with the aspirations of the parishioners. The surrounds of the church were made to look as English as possible. Holly trees and yews, familiar in English churchyards, were planted in the grounds, a practice common throughout Europe but one that reminded settlers of home.
Sidney was responsible for the main construction of the building but it is thought that most Taita families gave a hand. Many parents saw their children marry at the church over the years. In one generation there were three Hooper and Hirst unions when Sidney and Mary Hirst's eldest three children married Hooper siblings.
Sidney and Mary remained in Taita after the church was built Sidney died aged 47 and is buried near the porch. Mary was granted the majority of Sidney's estate provided she did not remarry, in which event it would be divided among the children. Mary, in fact, did remarry in 1863 to William Dew (1832-1914) in the St Paul's Cathedral, Kandallah. She was then aged 46 and William was 31. The new family lived at Taita for twenty years until Mary's death in 1883. She is buried in beside her first husband Sidney.
William died in 1914 & buried her in plot 16.
Helen died in 1928 and is buried St James Churchyard.
Sidney arrived in Wellington New Zealand on the "George Fyfe" on 7 Nov 1842. The ships record states he was a joiner. He was the successful tender for the construction of this church which he completed in late 1853, the first service was held on 1 Jan 1854.
It was originally built without nails but a fire in 1989 means some of the building has been replaced.
Sidney was 27 years old when he arrived and with him was his wife Mary aged 24 and two of his children, Susan aged 2 years and George Henry an infant.
Sidney is buried in plot 10 with his wife Mary
Christ Church Taita is a colonial Gothic-style church, the oldest in the Wellington district and one of the oldest in New Zealand. It was built by Sidney of locally milled heart totara and held its first service on 1 Jan 1854. It was constructed through the efforts of early pioneering families (mainly farmers) in the district of Taita who wanted their own church. The land for the new church was donated by Algernon Tollemache, an early settler who owned a great deal of land in Wellington and in other parts of the country. It is believed that Octavius Bousfield (1830-1882) may have designed the plans for this simple Gothic Revival timber church. Bousfield was a surveyor who arrived in New Zealand in 1851 and who is known to have been a competent draftsman. The evidence for Bousfield's involvement is a newspaper notice in Feb 1853 calling for tenders for the new church, the plans of which could be seen at his house in Thorndon. The tender was awarded to Sidney Hirst, a carpenter and joiner from Yorkshire.
John William Hirst, their first born in the colony, was born in Taita, five years later Sidney Hirst Jnr was born in Karori. At some point the Hirsts settled in Taita, most likely before the building of the church.
Sidney built in a style unusual today. A fine attention to detail and the soundness of construction, is a testament to his ability as a carpenter. Originally Christ Church was unlined without a vestry and had a totara shingle roof - the whole is a masterful display of quality carpentry in an architectural style of English Gothic revival, with a steep roof, lancer windows and an arched door. Of simple and humble design, the church blended well with its site in the bush and with the aspirations of the parishioners. The surrounds of the church were made to look as English as possible. Holly trees and yews, familiar in English churchyards, were planted in the grounds, a practice common throughout Europe but one that reminded settlers of home.
Sidney was responsible for the main construction of the building but it is thought that most Taita families gave a hand. Many parents saw their children marry at the church over the years. In one generation there were three Hooper and Hirst unions when Sidney and Mary Hirst's eldest three children married Hooper siblings.
Sidney and Mary remained in Taita after the church was built Sidney died aged 47 and is buried near the porch. Mary was granted the majority of Sidney's estate provided she did not remarry, in which event it would be divided among the children. Mary, in fact, did remarry in 1863 to William Dew (1832-1914) in the St Paul's Cathedral, Kandallah. She was then aged 46 and William was 31. The new family lived at Taita for twenty years until Mary's death in 1883. She is buried in beside her first husband Sidney.
William died in 1914 & buried her in plot 16.
Helen died in 1928 and is buried St James Churchyard.
It was originally built without nails but a fire in 1989 means some of the building has been replaced.
Sidney was 27 years old when he arrived and with him was his wife Mary aged 24 and two of his children, Susan aged 2 years and George Henry an infant.
Sidney is buried in plot 10 with his wife Mary
Christ Church Taita is a colonial Gothic-style church, the oldest in the Wellington district and one of the oldest in New Zealand. It was built by Sidney of locally milled heart totara and held its first service on 1 Jan 1854. It was constructed through the efforts of early pioneering families (mainly farmers) in the district of Taita who wanted their own church. The land for the new church was donated by Algernon Tollemache, an early settler who owned a great deal of land in Wellington and in other parts of the country. It is believed that Octavius Bousfield (1830-1882) may have designed the plans for this simple Gothic Revival timber church. Bousfield was a surveyor who arrived in New Zealand in 1851 and who is known to have been a competent draftsman. The evidence for Bousfield's involvement is a newspaper notice in Feb 1853 calling for tenders for the new church, the plans of which could be seen at his house in Thorndon. The tender was awarded to Sidney Hirst, a carpenter and joiner from Yorkshire.
John William Hirst, their first born in the colony, was born in Taita, five years later Sidney Hirst Jnr was born in Karori. At some point the Hirsts settled in Taita, most likely before the building of the church.
Sidney built in a style unusual today. A fine attention to detail and the soundness of construction, is a testament to his ability as a carpenter. Originally Christ Church was unlined without a vestry and had a totara shingle roof - the whole is a masterful display of quality carpentry in an architectural style of English Gothic revival, with a steep roof, lancer windows and an arched door. Of simple and humble design, the church blended well with its site in the bush and with the aspirations of the parishioners. The surrounds of the church were made to look as English as possible. Holly trees and yews, familiar in English churchyards, were planted in the grounds, a practice common throughout Europe but one that reminded settlers of home.
Sidney was responsible for the main construction of the building but it is thought that most Taita families gave a hand. Many parents saw their children marry at the church over the years. In one generation there were three Hooper and Hirst unions when Sidney and Mary Hirst's eldest three children married Hooper siblings.
Sidney and Mary remained in Taita after the church was built Sidney died aged 47 and is buried near the porch. Mary was granted the majority of Sidney's estate provided she did not remarry, in which event it would be divided among the children. Mary, in fact, did remarry in 1863 to William Dew (1832-1914) in the St Paul's Cathedral, Kandallah. She was then aged 46 and William was 31. The new family lived at Taita for twenty years until Mary's death in 1883. She is buried in beside her first husband Sidney.
William died in 1914 & buried her in plot 16.
Helen died in 1928 and is buried St James Churchyard.
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