Wellington South Baptist Church

The Baptist Church in Island Bay officially marked it's centenary in 2015, but the Baptist presence in the Bays was well-established by the time the Church was officially founded as a separate entity in 1915.

In 1906, a Sunday School began meeting at Island Bay School, and from 1913 services were held locally, under the guidance of the Vivian Street, Berhampore and Brooklyn Churches,

There is a difference of course between 'Church' and 'church'. The former is the people and the latter the building. The original church (lower-case) had been purchased from the 'Methodists' and moved to the present site, but further research is needed to establish if this building had been on the site of the later Methodist Church in Trent Street, or whether it came here from further afield. The building appears to have been bought by leading Church member Mr H Ivory for one pound, At the time small timber structures like this would have been moved on skids by teams of bullocks...

You can see the empty site awaiting the arrival of the Baptist church. The Humber Street hall in front to the trees, and the first Anglican church building is on the right. In the distance is Erskine College. (This is one of the images in the magazine article)

On 10 March 1923 the Evening Post announced anniversary services (see article below)

1917 - 1919 Mr J W Butler

1921 - 1926 Rev H E Edridge

1926 - 1928 Rev A Fear

1928 - 1930 Rev C B Boggis

1934 - 1938 Rev A L Silcock