Holy Trinity Anglican Church - New Plymouth

Bishop Selwyn was in office as Bishop of New Zealand from 1841-1869. The Wel­lington Diocese was formed in 1859 when Archdeacon Abraham of Waitemata was appointed Bishop. The Diocese of Waiapu also came into being in 1859, with William Williams as first Bishop. The Auckland Diocese still included the Waikato and Tara­naki.

The well-known author of last century, Anthony Trollope, gives an interesting side­light on the work of Bishop Selwyn in his book "New Zealand, 1874.^- He writes:—

"Many of us still remember the kind of halo which surrounded Bishop Selwyn when he first came to New Zealand. This arose partly from his reputation, and partly from his being much loved by many good men, partly no doubt from the fact that his episcopate was an experiment.

"Bishops who went to Calcutta and Sydney were sent out simply to guide the churches of England, established for the use of exiles from our own shores. They certainly did not go out as missionaries.

"But the Bishop of New Zealand went out, not only to guide the Church of England on behalf of the colonists, but also to Christianise the Maori. There can be no question of the zeal, the intellect and the sagacity 'with which he did his work."

The Bishops of Auckland were:

1841-1869   Bishop Selwyn

1869-1902   Bishop Cowie

1903-1910   Bishop Neligan

1911-1913   Bishop Crossley

1914-1940   BishopAverill

 In 1926 the increase in population made it necessary to consider reducing further the area of the Auckland Diocese and an area to include Hamilton and New Plymouth was named the Diocese of Waikato.

 Bishops of Waikato:

1926-1950:  Cecil Arthur Cherrington.

1951-1969:  John Tristram Holland. (Son of a former Bishop of Wellington.)

1969-????     Allen Howard Johnston

FIRST VICAR

William Bolland (1820-1847), was the first Church of England clergyman in charge of New Plymouth. He and his wife arrived in the government brig "Victoria" on December 3rd, 1843. With them were Surgeon Butt (later ordained) and Mrs. Butt. They were met by Bishop Selwyn who established Mr. Bolland in the charge of New Plymouth and ordained him Deacon on that day. This charge was held by Rev. Bolland until his death from a fever on May 29th, 1847, after only four years in Taranaki. He was twenty-seven years of age.

The original copy of a sermon he preached in Holy Trinity in July, 1845, was in the possession of Mr. W. H. Skinner. It was transcribed by Rev. Fowler and preached by him in Holy Trinity at the Jubilee service on July 2nd, 1905.

SECOND VICAR

Henry Govett, B.A. (Oxon.), 1819-1903, left England for New Zealand with Mr. Bolland and Mr. Wright in 1842 and was engaged in farming, for a time at Tamaki (Auckland). In 1845 he travelled with Bishop Selwyn to Waikanae where he studied theology, learned the native language and preached to the Maoris. He was ordained Deacon. He later returned to Auckland, to study for priest's orders and was ordained in old St. Paul's by

Bishop Selwyn in 1847. He then set off overland for Otaki, via New Plymouth, arriving in the latter settlement after eleven days. From Otaki, he was called to take charge of the Mission at Wanganui. On receiving news of Rev. Bolland's illness he journeyed to New Plymouth on foot and officiated at the funeral of his friend.

 Rev. Govett was appointed vicar in 1848. When Taranaki was created an Archdeaconry in 1859 Henry Govett was appointed the first archdeacon. He resigned the cure in 1898, having held it for fifty years. From "Taranaki Archdeaconry" we read of the incomes of clergy in the early days. Bishop Selwyn set up an archdeaconry fund into which all money collected or donated to the church was to be paid, and out of which each minister was to receive his stipend. The stipends hoped for were: Deacons, £100 p.a. Priests, £300 p.a. Archdeacons, £400 p.a. Bishops, £500 p.a. Rev. Govett, in fact, received only £150 increasing by £10 after five years of ordination.