Northland Presbytery Records


"They [the records] are in poor condition but I have tried to get rid of most of the silverfish and mason bee nests. I think they must have been housed in an  old shed for many years by the state of them. You may think some of them are not worth holding on to - but they are interesting." - The Kaeo-Kerikeri Union Parish Archivist (who rescued these records at the eleventh hour) writing to the Presbyterian Archives in April 2003
 

Kaikohe Presbyterian Church -

  • A fire in the manse c.1959-60 caused substantial damage. 

Kaurihohore Presbyterian Church (later St Paul's Uniting Church, Kamo) -

  • A return of records dated 1931 states "Only 1 or 2 old minute books".
  • The Parish history covering the period 1914 to 1989 quotes : "Unfortunately there are a great many gaps in the records; some minute books are missing - maybe destroyed, maybe mislaid, maybe hiding in some forgotten storeroom. Some events then, in the life of the parish, must rely upon the memory of people - and memory is a fickle jade. It is to be hoped that some of the present members will set down their memories so that later generations will be more sure of their history.... In reading the minute books, both of the Parish and Presbytery one from time to time has little glimpses of what must have been important events in the life of the Parish, but which are captured only by a line in the record."

Mangapai Presbyterian Church -

  • A return from 1931 states "All old records seem to be lost".
  • While Management Committee records are held from the formation of the Parish in October 1860, Session records only commence in Aug 1919 and Marriage registers in Sept 1913. The Parish history published in 1960 does not indicate that any records are missing however it doies appear that some records are unaccounted for (2006).

St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Dargaville -

  • Noted in 1931 that no records were held prior to 1907.
  • The Parish history of 1984 includes a note in the preface : "Painstaking enquiry has failed to locate some record books of the Management Committee and many records have been subjected to a fifth-column activity of silverfish - I marvelled at their robust sleekness, till I found that their favourite diet was dates - which caused many hours of additional research, and a contant frustration".

Whangarei Presbyterian Church -

  • Early [unspecified] records relating to Whangarei Presbyterian Church were noted in  1939 as having been "unfortunately lost or destroyed". 
  • The Following records are extant : Session minutes from Mar 1863, the Board of Manager's minutes from Mar 1862, Marriage registers from Dec 1880, the Communion Roll from Sept 1918, and the Baptism register from February 1860. The Board of Manager's minutes from 1960 to 1978 appear to be missing. 

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