St Georges Church

Picture
Located in the Thames town centre on the corner of Mackay and Mary streets, Saint Georges Anglican church is a fine example of a wooden Gothic building (based on the Gothic stone European churches). 
​It has been a central feature of the town ever since it was built in 1872.
In November 2021 a performance of The Messiah was  given by St Georges Choir to celebrate the 150 yr anniversary since Auckland Choral Society sang in Thames to celebrate fundraising to build the Church.

For more information about the Church please refer to  their website http://www.thamesanglicanchurch.co.nz/
Picture
​ 

  The church doubles as a performing arts centre with      the nave sanctuary furnishings removable to provide      a space large enough to accommodate a 70 piece          orchestra,staging a full-length musical by the Saint        Georges Choir or visiting international soloists and        locals in concert.
  The Thames Music Group uses the church as the            venue  for its performances and has done so for over    20 years.
 

​​ ​YAMAHA C3D GRAND PIANO
The Thames Music Group are the proud   guardians of a Yamaha C3D 6ft grand piano. 
 The piano is housed at St Georges.

 In the early 1980's concerts were held to raise   money to purchase a grand piano for Thames.     Further funds were raised by means of donations,   turkey, raffles, market stalls, grants from the   Thames-Coromandel District Council and Waikato   Savings Bank, and last, but not least, by the sale of   88 wooden piano keys made by Gerard Pinnock and sold to Thames businesses for $20 each.  The result of all this effort was a Yamaha C3D 6ft grand piano purchased in July 1983 for $7,500.

In 2023 there will be a 40th Birthday Concert dedicated to the Yamaha Grand Piano's aquisiton by Thames Music Group
YAMAHA C3D GRAND PIANO
​A license agreement with the Anglican Vestry for housing the piano in St George's Church was signed in June 1983 and a piano trolley constructed by Bert Bell, Laurie Beilby and Gane Griffin.  The first concert using the new piano was presented on Saturday July 16th 1983 by the Viennese Duo Eleanore Rona and Georg Hauer, followed in November of that year by a concert given by Diana Morcom from Whitianga.