Our Church

CHANGES OVER THE YEARS - 150 years - 1870 to 2020

1867 - The church met in the Billard Room at the Trafalgar Hotel stand ing on erf 21 Block E Pine Terrace formerly known as Nelson Street. Pine Terrace later became known as Commercial Road

1870 - The first St Cyprian's church - now 104 - 108 Commercial Road
(corner Albert St & Commercial Road)

1877 - laying the foundation stone in Smith Street

Aerial (rear view) of St Cyprian's Smith Street, showing West Street on the right. circa 1890

Photo Campbell Museum KZNU

St Cyprian's Smith Street - year Unknown

Photo Campbell Museum KZNU

1890 - St Cyprian's Smith Street showing the bell tower - the site was sold later to become the Hub Departmental Store

1920 after the removal of the bell tower which had become unsound

St Augustine's Church 436 Musgrave Road, erected during the incumbency
of Vicar of St Cyprian's Rev H.F. Whittington in 1880. This church and it's mother church were the only two churches in Durban representing the Church of the Province. After demolition the land was sold and to finance the erection of St Augustine's Congella

1914 - The first anglican presence in Congella . Situated opposite the present St Cyprian's Church. Was used for worship until 1940 and thereafter until demolished in 1957 as St Cyprian's Church Hall and Office. The side chapel in the present St Cyprian's is known as St Augustine's Chapel

The Church today

.First Beginnings
St Cyprian's was the third Anglican parish to be established in Durban. It has the distinction of dating it's beginnings to that period when The Church of the Province of South Africa separated from the Church of England. The parish was born of the controversies that rent the church in Natal during the time of Bishop Colenso. At the time the majority of clergy and laity elected to belong to to Church of South Africa rendering obedience to the Metropolitan Bishop of Cape Town becoming an entity within the Anglican Community.

The First registers of the Church were opened on October, 1867 with the church meeting in the Billiard Room of the Trafalgar Hotel in Pine Terrace (later to become Commercial Road) but the name St Cyprian's was not officially used in any entry until June, 1870.. According to the census of 1970 the population of Durban reached 5440 made up as follows 3170 whites and 2270 non-whites. The Rev. Frederick S Robinson M.A. was appointed first incumbent of St Cyprian's in Durban. By 1870 a school - cum - chapel name St Cyprian's was erected on a sit now known as 104 - 108 Commercial Road. During the period 1877 - 1885 Rev H.F. Whittington served as Vicar of St Cyprians . It was during his incumbency that the first St Augustine's was built on the Berea (see photo). This Church was pulled down in 1909 and re-erected at Sydenham to provide for the needs of the Indian Mission there. The land was sold in 1913 and the name St Augustine's was transferred to the new church in Congella and later to the Chapel at St Cyprians. Saint Faith Church then situated in Masonic Grove was built in the early 1880's and was under the control of the Vicar of St Cyprian's. It is interesting to note that St Faith produced the first Black (native) priest Rev. Daniel Mzamo. At this time St Cyprian's and the small St Augustine's church on the Berea were to only two Churches representing the Church of the Province of South Africa in Durban. St Cyprian's can be regarded as the Mother Church of the Anglican Faith under the Church of the Province of South Africa in Durban. It was from these beginnings that the Sisters of Saint John the Divine were persuaded to open an orphanage for girls in Clark Road, there followed the establishment of the Church. At Greyville a hall was built (St Mary's) St Stephens was built in the Point

Smith Street - 1877 - 1939

In 1877 the foundation stone of the new church in of St Cyprian was laid in Smith Street (410 - 416 Smith Street, now Hub Departmental Store), by the Bishop of Cape Town, Bishop West-Jones. The Land was donated by a Mr. Dickenson of Pietermaritzburg. The congregation of St Cyprian's managed to raise the £2000 necessary for building the nave while a further £2000 was necessary to complete the church. Following troubles in Zululand which finally erupted into war, St Cyprians Church was finally concreted on 5th May 1881 by Bishop Macrorie. (view) In 1909 a parish hall was built behind the Church at a cost of £700 funded by the sale of the St Augustine's land in Musgrave Road on the Berea

In September 1919, St Cyprian's celebrated it's jubilee with services of thanksgiving and a Jubilee Ball in the Durban City Hall. Special trams travelled to the Berea and to Bulwer Park to take revellers home after the Ball.

Migration to Congella

The new St Cyprian's church in Congella was completed during the first months of World War 2 and was consecrated on 2nd March 1940. The foundation stone of the new parish hall was laid in 18th December, 1954 by the former vicar Rev. F.N. Ramsden and the completed hall was dedicated by the Lord Bishop of Natal the Rt. Rev. T.G.V Inman in June 1955. The cost of the new hall on the site which adjoins to church was well over £7000 more than ten times the cost of the parish hall built in Smith Street. Although the kitchen and offices were considered extremely spacious at the time of building, within 10 years the congregation was wishing that the accommodation could be expanded.

In 1960 portion of the church grounds was set aside as a Garden of Remembrance where the ashes of those who have been associated with the church could be interred.

Formation of St Monica's Home

In 1895 a house, 7 Umgeni Road was rented and here Miss Snell established a school for poor and especially the under privileged Coloured children. This was known as St Cyprian's Mission. Rev. Herbert L. Johnston (Later Canon) was a man of strong character and private means. Canon Johnson was given the task of re-organising the parish of St Cyprian's together with his sister Miss Fanny Mary Johnson they encouraged Miss Hill in her missionary work. Parishioners of St Cyprian's raised funds for Miss Snell's work. Other Anglican churches in the Durban area supported the work being done at this mission which now became renamed Mission of the Good Shepherd. The old name St. Cyprian's Mission clung to the house in Umgeni Road.

The Mission School was moved several times. In 1905 it was moved to Pinetown, in 1906 Bellair, in 1911 to Clairwood. In 1917 Miss Snell retired to England after working with Coloured children for 20 years. The work of St Cyprian's Home in Clairwood continues for th next three years under Miss Adams. In 1920 the Home was moved to Hillary and the name was changed to St Monica's Diocesan Home for Coloured Girls. In 1969 the home was moved to temporary accommodation in Austerville.

In 1973, the Home moved to the Bluff where it remains to date.The present site was purchased from a deceased’s estate with difficulty due to the Group Areas regulations at that time. The proceeds of the sale of the property at Hillary funded the repayments of a low interest loan from the Department of Community Development.

St Monica’s provides residential care to 84 Children who have been abandoned, orphaned, abused or found to be in need of care by a court of law.

The children’s ages range from 3 years to 18 years old and they are from diverse groups. The boys are accommodated from 3 to 12 years and the girls from 3 to 18 years. When the boys reach 12 years, arrangements are made for them to be transferred to another children’s home or alternate care is sought.

Recent History

Early 1970's According to a long standing parishioner, Mrs. Barbra Whaley St Cyprian's worshipped as a Charismatic church with enthusiastic hand waving. In her words, "the pews were placed in a circle in case one didn't knock out one's neighbour with enthusiastic hand waving"

1975 During the period of Fr Rod Van Zuylen a new office block was built. Prior to that the Parish business and the various classes were conducted in a small study at the Rectory with its entrance in Payne Road. Mrs Delecia King was appointed the first secretary at the office

1981 the organ and the choir stalls were moved from the Loft into the church and places near the chancel steps.

1993 Fr Dane Elsworth was licensed as the Parish Rector of St Cyprian's and was responsible for bring the Parish back to Anglo-Catholicism

1994 Fr Pugsley (a retired priest from St John Divine, Clark Road) who was resident within the parish agreed to serve as Assistant Priest

1995 St Cyprians celebrated a major milestone, its125th Anniversary service. The Celebrant was the Archbishop of Cape Town, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, assisted by the Former Archbishop of the Province of South Africa Archbishop Philip Russell, the Bishop of Natal, Bishop Michael Nuttall and the Bishop of Zululand Bishop Peter Harker (a former Rector of St Cyprian's). Two other former Rectors were present, Father Rod van Zuylen and Father Harold Crane. The Durban Philharmonic Choir lent support to the choir of St Cyprian's. The occasion was organised by the Parish Rector Fr Dane Elsworth and was attended by many dignaories including the Mayor of Durban representative.

1998 the old church organ was replaced with another model purchased from a Presbyterian Church in Pietermaritzburg. Saturday 16th May 1998 a work party of men assembled at St Cyprians travelled to Pietermaritzburg bringing back the new organ.

Stain glass windows were fitted above the altar in St. Augustine's Chapel, commemorating the 125th anniversary

2001(October) A property at Nicholson Road was purchased (for R490000) as a new Rectory for the Church and Fr Elsworth took occupation. The move became necessary due to a commercial site in Umbilo Road and opposite the old rectory being used as a night club. The area had become unsafe due to patrons over consumption of alcohol and drugs. Following a clean up of the area by the police, the old Rectory was renovated and Fr Elsworth moved back. The property at Nicholson Road was kept and rented to tenants proving to be an excellent source of income for the parish. In addition the value has appreciated making the property a good long term investment.

2004 Fr.Pugsley retired as Assistant Priest for health reasons

2007 (December) Rev David Goldstone appointed as Curate Deacon. Fr Elsworth appointed Archdeacon Durban Ridge

2007 saw the extensive renovations to the Hall at a cost of R922000.

2008 (December) Fr David Goldstone - now an ordained priest was transferred to the Point Parish as priest Fr. Alan Millar agreed to assist the parish as a non stipendiary Priest

2010 August Fr Elsworth resigned as Archdeacon due to his work load and his commitment as Chairman of Durban Woman's Hospice . On the positive side the hall debt reduced R922000 to R175000 in a relatively short period of 3 years.

On 13 September 2010 the parish celebrated its 140th Patronal Feast. One Mass was celebrated at 8.30am. Bishop Rubin was the Celebrant assisted by Fr Dane Elsworth and Fr Alan Miller. Our choir was bolstered in numbers by members from St James Anglican Choir. The Bishop commented on the singing. During the service Fr Miller was licensed as a non stipendiary Community Priest. A brunch of scrambled eggs, sausage, baked beans and grilled tomato was served in the hall after the service