Mark Ward says Ellen Ballance donated the land and additional capital to build St Chad's church. Photo / Mike Tweed
Whanganui District Council has been called on to acquire a historic church site and turn it into “a fitting memorial” for a women’s suffrage icon.
During hearings on the council’s 2026/27 annual plan, Mark Ward made a public submission saying St Chad’s Anglican Church on St Johns Hill was “scheduled for removal and private land use”.
“The land and additional capital to build the church were donated by Ellen Ballance to the Anglican Church, sometime around 1910,” he said.
“She also donated in her will 1000 pounds for a residence to be set up for retiring clergy.
“Under current zoning, the site would become medium-density townhouses, and this would be permanent and irreversible.”
Women’s right to vote was granted on September 19, 1893, with 10% of the vote garnered by the Wanganui Women’s Franchise League (WWFL), Ward said.
Ballance was the organisation’s founding president.
Ward told elected members the council should resolve to explore the acquisition of the site and make contact with the Anglican Diocese.
“New Zealand was the first country on earth to give women the vote, and Whanganui’s women made it happen.”
His submission to the annual plan said heritage protection of the property at 39 Great North Rd would “secure a fitting memorial” for Ballance.
“A practical example of what could be advanced is Kate Sheppard House in Christchurch.
“The property, being sited on State Highway 3 with existing access and parking, could lend itself to conversion to a public park and heritage centre.
“The acquisition of the property and building could be a future, strategic investment to complement the Unesco City of Design accreditation for Whanganui.”
In 2019, the Government purchased Sheppard’s former home for $4.5 million, so it could become a heritage venue and educational centre.
According to OneRoof, 39 Great North Rd has a rating valuation of $1.17m.
Ward’s submission said Ballance continued her involvement in women’s affairs after enfranchisement, through the National Council of Women New Zealand (NCWNZ).
It “represented women’s view and campaigns for change to achieve social, political and educational reforms”.
She was the second wife of 14th NZ Premier, Wanganui MP and Wanganui Herald founder John Ballance.
“Currently, the only memorial to Ellen Balance is a statement at the bottom of the stained-glass window within St Chad’s Church, it said.
“However, this is not publicly accessible and does not provide a full picture of [her] significant generosity and achievements.
“There is also a very high risk that with the church being closed, that this heritage building and memorial window will be lost to the Whanganui community, and society, at large.”
A stain glass window featuring Ballance and fellow NCWNZ members Margaret Bullock and Jessie Williamson is on display in the council’s chambers.
Bullock, who established the WWFL with Ballance, took over its presidency following the death of John Ballance in 1893.
The same year, its name was changed to the Wanganui Women’s Political League (WWPL), with Wiliamson a future treasurer and president.
Ward said the church could gift the site to the council or provide “discounted costings”.
“At the very least, the council should, at the appropriate time in the near future, look into scheduling the site and restricting any private owner doing whatever they like to it, under some heritage constraints.”
He said the site could be the start of a Whanganui women’s heritage trail, including Ballance’s former home on Wicksteed St, Bullock’s former home on Sydney Plc, and Emily White’s Garden on Tregarth St.
White curated 5.6 hectares on the edge of St John’s Hill between 1882 and about 1903.
She wrote a book, My New Zealand Garden, about the property.
Whanganui Anglicans co-vicar and vestry chair Caleb Rowe told the Chronicle the church planned to put the property out for tender to a select group of developers.
Money from the sale would go towards a new-build project at the Christ Church site on Wicksteed St, he said.
Rowe said a housing crisis still remained in Whanganui, and the church wanted to “impact that” by building low-rent homes and, if it was to sell properties, making them available for the construction of housing.
“The housing market has so many issues in the whole system.
“But if someone wants to develop something good for the community, I’m sure we would consider it as a parish.”
Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily Whanganui District Council.