This history of BCC continues on from Birkenhead Gospel Hall: 1950s
View over Highbury, looking south. Mahara Ave and the War Memorial Park in centre. Just to the right is Willow Avenue, with the new Chapel building visible near the top of the street. 27 Oct 1964. Birkenhead, Auckland. Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs. Ref: WA-62969-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand./records/23147817
My perspective as a teenager – Maureen Mulholland
Vestiges of the old and optimism for the new. This was the time of Billy Graham crusades in Auckland, Elvis, Cliff Richard, Beatles, Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, and Happy Days. The counter culture started to creep in: Hippies, Love, The Pill, rebellions, and fashion changes. And there was the move to decimal currency in 1967.
Birkenhead changed dramatically after the Harbour Bridge opened 1959. More people had cars. By 1967 the population of Birkenhead had grown to 13,000.
A decision was made by the church to move to a bigger building. With help from the Stewards Trust, a section was bought in the new Willow Avenue subdivision on the old Swindale farm on the outskirts of Highbury. Plans were drawn up for a new church building, with youth hall and sunday school rooms. The Gospel Hall was sold. It burned down some time after this and two units were then built on the site.
People in the church, particularly the men, worked extremely hard on this building. Jack Craven was the full-time builder, and was helped by hundreds of hours of voluntary labour. Saturday after Saturday after Saturday, and week nights, Bill Cullum, Eric Wilkes, Ern Roper, Bill Craven, Bill Nuttall and others all came to help out. The women also worked hard, helping where they could, supplying food, and holding two very large fairs to raise money for things like a new organ.
In 1962 the church was finished and there was another grand opening. Willow Avenue Chapel had a large hall upstairs – used for church services, Rallies, Youth, Sunday School anniversaries, meals, get-togethers, engagement parties, 21st parties, weddings, and much more. Music on Sunday evenings was always great – bright and cheerful. Euphan Craven on the organ with Ern Roper sometimes on the piano, then Zena Cullum on the organ with Chris (Bradley) on the piano. Bill Cullum was song leader and he was always enthusiastic. Sometimes after the service, a sing song was held – always a good time.
Overview for me of these 2 decades: Fellowship, hard work by lots of people, time involvement by lots of people, food and fun. I would like to pay tribute to the hard working people of these 2 decades. It was good to belong.
Comments