CHARLESTON
The first resident incumbent was the Rev. Thomas Flavell, of whom it is told that one of his first acts was to gather and impound all the threepenny and fourpenny pieces in the town, to prevent their use in the church plate-collections. These were the smallest denominations of coins in circulation, as copper coins did not circulate on the Coast until recent years. In 1869 a petition was made to Synod from Charleston praying that a Parish be formed there, but this was not considered advisable, though the Bishop constituted it a Parochial District. In 1895 Charleston ceased to be represented directly in Synod.
Bishop Suter, during the first year or so of Charleston’s life, made many trips on foot about the district, plainly dressed and carrying a pack on his back. Upon one occasion he was mistaken for a “wanted,” and lodged in the Charleston lock-up until identified by some church-folk.
Bishops of Nelson: Andrew Burn Suter, 1866-1891; Charles Oliver Mules, 1892-1912.
Incumbents: Rev. B. W. Harvey, Vicar of Westport, Visiting; Rev. Thomas Flavell, May, 1869-1873, First Resident Vicar of Charleston; Rev. William David Rusz, January to April, 1873, Resident; Rev. A. C. Soutar, Vicar of Westport, 1873-1874, Visiting; Rev. J. Rutherfurd, of Westport, a few months of 1873-1874, Visiting. During 1875 both Charleston and Westport were vacant, and Lay-Readers conducted services at Charleston.
During 1876-1878 Charleston services were conducted by Lay-readers and occasionally by Ministers from Westport.
Rev. Edward S. Cross, Vicar of Westport, 1879-1883, Visiting; unknown 1883-1885; Rev. Reginald Hermon, 1886-1887, Resident Vicar for one year; Rev. William Stanley Lucas, 1888-1889, the last Resident Vicar; unknown 1890-1893; Rev. F. B. Dobson, Vicar of Westport, 1894-1900, Visiting; Rev. Bertram George Fox, Curate from Westport, 1900-1901, Visiting; Rev. A. R. S. Holloway, Curate at Westport, 1901, Visiting. The Rev. W. D. Rusz met his death by drowning at Second Bay while bathing, 8th April, 1873.
The last Confirmation service was held in 1905.
110
