St John’s Anglican Church Ladysmith

This building started its life about 1892 in Wellington, where it was constructed as a church schoolhouse. When the Wellington coal mines closed, it was removed to Ladysmith and re-erected in 1901 on the corner of Buller St. and Third Avenue, with the intention of being used as a Sunday School, Parish Hall and temporary place of worship. Subsequently, due to a lack of funds, it was modified for use as the parish church.

The original simple church schoolhouse was modified in 1910 to give it a more traditional church design. The building was given a more traditional church design by adding a vestry and organ chamber and completing the chancel and octagonal sanctuary. At the same time, the belfry was improved, electric lighting was installed, new Gothic windows were added, and the exterior was painted. The adjoining Church Hall was completed in 1955.

The diminishing size of the Anglican congregation led to its merger with that of St. Philips, Cedar and the relocation of worship to that church. The church and hall became surplus and were subsequently sold. Due to advanced deterioration, they were demolished in September 2019 to be replaced with a low-mid income community housing 36-unit building.