St Luke's Methodist Church (Westown)

The foundation stone for this Methodist church on the corner of Tukapa and David Streets was laid on 27 May 1961. St Luke's was opened and dedicated by the Rev. Dr. J.J. Lewis on 30 September 1961.

It was designed by Rev. F. Middlebrook of the Anglican Church from plans loaned by Archdeacon K. Liggett. The cost was estimated to be £7,500.

The corner section had been purchased in 1923 for £145. Later the same year, the local Methodist community were offered the Korito Church building in Kent Road. This was bought for £350 and a permit for its removal and erection in Westown was issued by the New Plymouth Borough Council on 25 October 1924. Boon Bros. were the contractors, and the estimated cost was £100. This church was demolished in 1961.

After World War II more room was needed and the congregation was offered the Carrington Road Church by the Wells family. It was moved to the site by Riddick Bros. and erected on the western boundary - a small section of it can be seen behind St Luke's in the photo above.

In 1997 the Methodist Church made a decision to concentrate their activities in Liardet Street and Fitzroy. It was reported the following year that St Luke's was no longer in use and in 1999 the St Luke’s building was moved to the old Ngāmotu Tavern site to be used as a Children's Church Hall for the Well of Life Church facility. In March 2000 it was destroyed by fire in an arson attack, and subsequently demolished.

Further reading: Methodism in Westown: The First Fifty Years, H.R.Wright (TRCT287 WRI)

Related documents:

Methodist church hall for Westown (Taranaki Herald 29 March 1961)

St Luke's Methodist Church - New Church, M Jackson Campbell (Taranaki Research Centre Information Files)

St Luke's Methodist Church 25th Anniversary 1961-1986, (Taranaki Research Centre Information Files)