The foundation stone of St Martin’s Anglican Church, Waimauku, was laid on 17 August 1921. The modest weatherboard building was the first war memorial church built in the Auckland diocese. In its early years it was sometimes referred to as St Martin’s Soldiers’ Memorial Church. The inscription on the foundation stone reads:
‘To the Glory of God / and in / Memory of the Men from this district / who gave their lives in the Great War / 11914 – 1918 / the foundation stone of this church / was laid by / Alfred Walter: Bishop of Auckland / 17 August 1921.”
There is no roll of honour inside the church, but the names of the men commemorated were listed on the front of the Order of Service when the church was dedicated on Armistice Day later the same year. They were G.H. Beale, F.B. Bell, W. Blazer, C. Hamilton, A. McIndoe, L. Mitchell, H. Morgan, W.D. Ruddock, J. Todd and L. Younie.
Since 1997 St Martin’s has been a Presbyterian church.
Sources: ‘Waimauku Memorial Church’ Kaipara & Waitemata Echo, 17/11/1921, p. 3; Alice M. Rea, They Came for Kauri: The Waimauku Centenary, 1863-1963, Auckland, 1963, pp. 23-4; ‘St Martin’s Church 50th Jubilee’, NZ Herald, 23/8/1971; Mary A.L. Davies, St Martins, Waimauku, 1921-1996, Waimauku, 1996, pp. 6-8.
Community contributions