As the Anglican Parish of St Mary celebrates 100 years of worship on the site of the church, a resident of Te Whanau rest home could be reflecting on her memories of the original church. Ivy Winifred (Winnie) Speirs celebrated her 101st birthday on March 1. Before the turn of her own century Mrs Speirs wrote in an autobiography, styled Ninety-nine Candles, a story about the first St Mary's church her late husband John used to relate.
She wrote: "John Speirs' father was a builder in Foxton and when John was 14 years old, he and his father used to come over to Levin to build the Anglican Church. Every day they would travel from Foxton to Levin on an old horse taking their time, stopping for a rest now and then.
"At some stage they built a small hut on the site so they could stay a few days at a time. Under the church they buried a box with dated literature and bits and pieces. When the church was demolished 70 years later they asked John to come and find it. It wasn't found, probably it has disintegrated over the years.
"When the new St Mary's church was built John was at the opening and was going to say a few words about the earlier church but when the dignitaries started to have a few wines they forgot about the other speeches." Rita Martin, Princes Street, treasures a copy of the autobiography written by her aunt Win Speirs at such an advanced age.
GIVEN the contract to move the old St Mary's Church across Manchester Street to a site it occupied for a time before it was finally demolished was a well-known house repiler and Scot, Jock McKenzie. Jock needed some extra help for the mammoth job and wanted an advertisement inserted in The Chronicle's situations vacant column. His only requirement was that the applicant "must be a skinny fellow".
Whrn the contractor moving the old St Mary's across the road to clear the way for the new church was asked by a reporter if he envisaged any problems being encountered resulting in possible damage to the structure, Jock McKenzie replied in his rich Scottish brogue: "No problem! I've just moved a pub in Dannevirke from one part of the town to the other, with everyone inside still drinking - and I didna' spill a drop!"