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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Auckland Provincial District]

Venerable Benjamin Thornton Dudley

Venerable Benjamin Thornton Dudley, Vicar of St. Sepulchre's, Archdeacon of Auckland, Bishop's Commissary and Canon of Auckland Cathedral Chapter, was born at Ticehurst, Sussex, England, on November 30, 1838, and is a son of the late Rev. Benjamin W. Dudley, so long Archdeacon of Rangiora, Canterbury, New Zealand. He was educated first at Marlborough College, England, and at Christ's College, Chrischurch, New Zealand. He arrived with the Canterbury “Pilgrims” per ship “cressy,” one of the “first four ships,” which landed their famous body of immigrants at Port Lyttelton in December, 1850. He was called to the Melanesian mission under Bishop Selwyn in 1857 and was ordained in that mission in 1861, by its first bishop, the late beloved and revered John Coleridge Patteson, who was killed at Nukapu, Santa Cruz, in 1871. Archdeacon Dudley left the active service of the mission, owing to ill-health in 1863, but has ever since acted as its secretary and treasurer. From 1863 to 1865 he acted as secretary to Bishop Selwyn, at the same time holding the post of curate-in-charge of St. Mary's, Parnell. In August 1865 he was appointed to the charge of the district of the Holy Sepulchre, Auckland, since which time the district has been sub-divided into two parishes and two separate parochial districts, in which six churches have been built. Archdeacon Dudley has continued in charge of the principal church in Khyber Pass up to the present time. He was made archdeacon in succession to the late venerated Archdeacon Maunsell in 1883.

Ven. B. T. Dudley.

Ven. B. T. Dudley.

St. Paul's Church, Auckland. On the 28th of July, 1841, the foundation of the first church in Auckland and in the Colony, St. Paul's Anglican Church, was laid by
St. Paul's Church.

St. Paul's Church.

page 216 the first Governor, Captain William Hobson, R.N. The church was consecrated on St. Patrick's Day, the 17th of March, 1844, by Bishop Selwyn. The Rev. J. F. Churton died on the 26th of January, 1853, after twelve years' service in Auckland, during nine years of which he conducted service in the church. The Rev. F. Thatcher was assistant at St. Paul's after Mr. Churton's death, and for a few months carried on the work. In June, 1853, the Rev. J. F. Lloyd became incumbent, and was subsequently raised to the archdeaconry, with the title of Archdeacon of Waitemata. Archdeacon Lloyd left Auckland in 1870, having been incumbent of St. Paul's for seventeen years. After a short space, during which Bishop Cowie cared for the parish, the present incumbent succeeded to the charge on the 1st of June, 1870. St. Paul's was always the Garrison Church during the residence of Imperial troops, and all the Governors have worshipped in it when visiting Auckland. At the time of the Northern Maori war it was strengthened and barricaded as a refuge for women and children, when the natives threatened Auckland. On the 11th of June, 1894, His Excellency the Governor, the Earl of Glasgow, laid the foundation of the new church at St. Paul's, and the stone used was the one which had been laid by Governor Hobson fifty-three years previously. The consecration of the church took place on All Saints' Day, the 1st of November, 1895, when the ceremony was performed by Bishop Cowie, Primate of New Zealand. St. Paul's occupies a prominent position in Symonds Street, near the junction of Wellesley Street. The building is constructed mainly of Rangitoto stone, with white facings of Oamaru and Mount Somers stone, and the roof is slated. There are two frontal entrances on the western side, one leading through the tower, and the baptistery door is on the north side. The basement of the building is used for the Sunday school. Up to its present stage (January, 1901), the building has cost over £8000, and a further sum of £5000 will be required to complete the spire and chancel.