Two new Blue Plaques to be unveiled in Whanganui

St Mary’s Anglican Church in Ūpokongaro will receive a Blue Plaque on Monday. Photograph / Bevan Conley

Two more heritage Blue Plaques will be unveiled in Whanganui.

The recipients, Saint Paul’s Memorial Church in Putiki and St Mary’s Anglican Church in Ūpokongaro, will be Whanganui’s fourth and fifth heritage buildings to receive the plaques.

A Blue Plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, building or former building on the site.

First started in London, the initiative was picked up in Canterbury in 2017 and has since seen 23 historic places in New Zealand receive a Blue Plaque.

Blue Plaques were brought to Whanganui by the Whanganui Regional Heritage Trust, with the only other plaque in the region going to the former BNZ building in Raetihi in July, 2021.

Historic Places Aotearoa executive board member and Whanganui Regional Heritage Trust chairwoman, Helen Craig, said she was thrilled the new plaques recognised Whanganui’s bicultural early religious communities.

“And both [buildings] are still in use today and loved by their congregations and community,” Craig said.

“Both are modest Anglican churches on the outside, but represent different cultures, and their interiors [are] adorned accordingly - especially Putiki, with [the] walls and ceiling featuring spectacular traditional artwork.”

Putiki’s Māori congregation and the more English beginnings of St Mary’s each hug the eastern shore of the Whanganui River, Craig said.

Built in 1937, Saint Paul’s Memorial Church is heavily associated with the marae near Anaua Street.

The church features modern Māori carving throughout its interior, some of which uses pāua shell.

The church’s interior was restored within the last ten years, Craig said.

“And it’s absolutely beautiful.”

Saint Paul’s Memorial Church in Putiki will also receive a Blue Plaque on Monday. Photo / Bevan Conley

The Whanganui District Council’s Built Heritage Inventory document for the church said the interior included a painted rib ceiling, tukutuku panels, two etched-glass and two stained-glass windows and extensive carved elements.

“While the exterior of the church is designed in a conventional neo-Gothic style, the interior is a rare cultural treasure with extensive carved, painted and woven surfaces that have created a richness of decoration and symbolism,” the document said.

“As a church, the building is a focus of religious worship while also being associated with the Putiki Marae, a centre for local cultural activity.”

The second building to receive a Blue Plaque is St Mary’s Anglican Church in Ūpokongaro, built in 1877.

According to its Built Heritage Inventory document, the building cost under £250 to build, which equates to NZ$43,595.90 today.

Craig said the church was still well-utilised, with services running monthly.

She said it was exciting to see the Blue Plaque initiative catch on in Whanganui.

“Many heritage building owners really want a plaque - it’s more about the trust being able to cope with the work.

“As more and more plaques are given to buildings, hopefully, it will become a way to follow the history of all the plaques in New Zealand.”

Once these two get installed, there will be 28 Blue Plaques in New Zealand, according to the Blue Plaque website.

Craig said the plaques served as a visual indicator of important heritage buildings in order to spark people’s curiosity to learn more.

“It’s really rewarding for the building owners who have cared for these buildings for a really long time.

“A way for them to tell a part of their story.”

The trust will unveil one more plaque before the end of the year for the old fire station on the corner of Guyton and Wilson street, currently leased by La Station.

Next Monday, St Paul’s in Putiki will be unveiled at 11am, and St Mary’s in Ūpokongaro at 2.30pm.

Both events are open to the public.