The Chronicle of St. Thomas's Church, Wellington South, 1882 - 1957

St Thomas's (today often referred to as "St Tom's") in Riddiford Street is the principal Anglican church for the Newtown Parish. At one time the parish territory extended south to include Island Bay and as far east as the Miramar Peninsula, but over time separate parishes were formed in these these suburbs including St Cuthbert's in Berhampore. By 1921 St Thomas' parish area had shrunk to Newtown and parts of Melrose, where from 1948 there was a second congregation based at the Church of the Transfiguration at the top of Manchester Street. By 1970, falling congregations saw St Cutherbert's and the Melrose branch amalgamated back into the St Thomas's parish. This year also saw the old wooden church described in this book being damaged by fire beyond repair and it was demolished in 1971. The church continued to meet in the church hall until the new St Thomas's Centre opened in 1982.