“It fell like a house of cards.” That’s what an eyewitness said when the brick Waiapu Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist collapsed in an earthquake in February, 1931. There was a service going on inside at the time, which was between 10 and 11 in the morning. Not only the cathedral but much of the town collapsed as well. And then there was the fire. Napier was rebuilt over the next few years in the Art Deco style, because it in the style buildings were made of poured reinforced concrete, cheap, and strong enough to withstand future earthquakes. One of the Art Deco rebuilds was the cathedral. The Baptismal incorporates a part of the shattered old font. The windows are modern and fit with the style of the church.
I am posting an article about the earthquake and pictures of Art Deco Napier in future posts.
