The Kneeler Project
Between 1960 and 1964, hundreds of people across Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond came together to create over 500 kneelers for the Cathedral’s pews. From schoolchildren and grandmothers to professional embroiderers and entire parish groups, each contributor brought their own imagination, and skill to the task. The result is a vibrant expression of faith across our Diocese.
This archive preserves more than just the kneelers themselves — it honours the stories behind them: the designers who imagined them, the stitchers who brought them to life, and the parishes and groups they represent.
The Cathedral Kneeler Project began in October 1960, sparked by a conversation between Mrs H. W. Baines, wife of the then Bishop of Wellington The Right Reverend Henry Wolfe Baines, and expert embroiderer Mrs Joan Walmsley. Inspired by similar projects at Guildford and Coventry Cathedrals in England—where mothers who had lost sons during the war embroidered kneelers—they imagined a local effort for the new Wellington Cathedral of St Paul. With no budget and great ambition, they decided to appeal to individuals across the Diocese to contribute their time, skill, and materials to create a fully handmade set of kneelers.
By the end of 1960 and into early 1961, the project was gaining momentum. Parishioners, church groups, and individuals began submitting designs. Each one was reviewed by a committee and, if approved, the stitcher was issued a materials ticket. With the support of James Smith Ltd department store, volunteers could purchase a full kneeler kit at cost. To maintain unity, every kneeler was to be worked on deep sapphire blue canvas, and designs were limited to Christian symbols, parish buildings, New Zealand flora and fauna, or historical and biblical themes.
Throughout 1961 and 1962, Mrs Walmsley coordinated the project from her Karori home, often working day and night. She designed over 100 kneelers herself, painted patterns onto canvas, gave talks to women's groups, and managed correspondence from hundreds of contributors. Embroiderers ranged in age from seven to ninety-one. Some stitched at sea, others in hospital, and a few managed multiple kneelers—one woman completed fourteen.
By May 1962, the project was officially launched with growing public interest and media coverage. At that stage, over 200 kneelers had already been completed. The number steadily climbed, with roughly 600 completed by the end of 1963. That same year, the project became widely recognised as a major community achievement, involving contributors from Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian, Catholic, and even Jewish communities.
In March 1964, an exhibition of 582 kneelers was held at James Smith’s store. It was a moving tribute to the dedication of the stitchers, and featured many extraordinary stories—including a kneeler made in four days by a vicar’s wife with seven children. Mrs Walmsley at that point had personally overseen 978 kneelers.
Finally, in May 1964, the kneelers were installed in time for the opening celebrations of the Cathedral’s first section. The final total reached 1200 kneelers.
The Database
During 2023 and 2024 parishioner Richard Field-Dodgson, could often be seen in the left-hand ambulatory of the Cathedral, sun shining over his shoulder, camera on tripod, surrounded with kneelers!
Richard had embarked on the massive task of photographing every kneeler to enable a database of the photos to be shown on the Cathedral website. A total of 1236 kneelers were photographed, from the seats around the high altar to the back of the nave. Not all kneelers are out in the pews but Richard searched high and low to systematically record as many as possible.
The database can be searched by:
Name of person who embroidered the kneeler
Name of person who designed the kneeler
Name of parish/church/organisation
This database is in grateful memory of Richard Field-Dodgson, 1949-2024