Remembering Archdeacon Russell
Remembering Archdeacon Russell
John Delacourt Russell was the vicar of St Luke’s Anglican Church from 1911-1944. Sources say he was an extremely generous and “Godly man”, and was well loved in the community. Archdeacon Russell is another of the prominent people in Oamaru’s history who was buried in the Oamaru Cemetery.
Russell was born in Hendon, Middlesex in 1868. He was educated in England, at schools in Harrow and Watford where he excelled in mathematics. He was advised to immigrate to New Zealand in 1889 due to poor health as a young man. He sailed to New Zealand aboard the S.S. Tongariro.
Once in New Zealand, Russell commenced theological studies. He was an extremely good student and finished his studies at the top of his class, receiving the Licentiate in Theology (L Th). He was ordained to deacons’ orders in December 1891 at the Anglican Cathedral in Napier, and in 1892 was married to Caroline Calthrop Sheppard.
Russell was the vicar of a number of parishes in New Zealand before settling in North Otago. He was initially based in Opotiki in the Bay of Plenty, before moving to Rotorua, then Bulls near Palmerston North and Petone in Wellington.
In March 1911 the vestry of St Luke’s church, Oamaru, chose Russell, out of seventeen applicants, to be their new vicar. Russell and his wife relocated to their new post in Oamaru the following June. From the onset he made an effort to visit members of the community in their homes in order to expand the congregation, in a period of ten months he made 1,095 visits.
Russell was also paramount in raising the necessary funds to complete the final stage of the construction of St Luke’s church. In 1912 an amount of £2,133 was raised, and in 1913 the spire and a new chancel were erected. When the spire was completed, Russell climbed the scaffolding and held the cross in place while those working on the construction fixed it to the stonework.
In 1916 Russell was appointed Archdeacon of Oamaru, a senior position within the Anglican Church. In 1928 he became Archdeacon of North Otago, and when he retired in 1944 he remained Archdeacon Emeritus.
Archdeacon Russell was well known around North Otago for his Model T Ford car. He was very fond of his car and often boasted that King Edward VIII once rode in the vehicle. Russell often had to crash-start the car down Wharfe Street with the assistance of his housekeeper, and was reputed to be a very enthusiastic driver with a history of near misses.
On one occasion the Archdeacon was making a trip to the vicarage at Kurow. While driving along the road he happened to see someone he knew in the distance. He raced diagonally across the road to get the persons attention, tooting the horn and waving with all his energy. This was a common occurrence in North Otago, and on this particular occasion the Archdeacon’s passenger was very relieved to arrive safely at the end of the journey.
Russell was involved in many activities both inside and outside the church. He was general secretary for the Church of England’s Men’s Society in New Zealand, and was also recognised as having greatly influenced the popularity of the temperance movement in North Otago. He was a philanthropist, being devoted to those who were less fortunate. Russell was also a member of a number of community groups in Oamaru, these included the St Johns Ambulance Association, Rotary International, the local Savage Club, the Regimental Band and the Freemasons.
John Delacourt Russell passed away on 9 February 1949 at the age of 80. He is buried in the Oamaru Cemetery.
The following poem, written by George Meek, sums up the high regard in which the local community held Archdeacon Russell:
The Grand old Man
There are nations that have their King
To defend their country’s right;
Great countries, where presidents rule
With the arms of peoples might;
Each land has a noble soul
That shines in its every plan-
As Oamaru, in it’s history too,
Had a great old Christian Man:
Never a common task too hard
Or never a day too long;
Never a night, but his guiding light
Shone forth like an old sweet song;
Wherever a band with a helping hand.
And a kindly need to spare,
Whenever distress sent an S.O.S-
The Grand Old Man was there.
All information in this article comes from Waitaki Museum and Archive.
Sources for this article:
- The Church Envoy (March 1949) Memorial Service for Archdeacon Russell, Sunday 20th February. Archive reference number 64382.
- Unknown author (no date) Newspaper Clippings on Archdeacon Russell. Archive reference number 64502.
- The Cyclopedia of New Zealand, Vol 1. Wellington Provincial District (1897). ‘Rev. John Delacourt Russell’, p. 1273. Archive reference number 16013.
- Meek, George (no date) The Grand Old Man. Archive reference number 4477.
Written by Shannan Carr, Curator of Archives, 2010.