page_title: John Anderson (mayor)
section_title: Presbyterian Church
hierarchical_section_title: John Anderson (mayor) / Presbyterian Church
caption_attribution_description: English: St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in 1858, Hospital corner, Christchurch
context_page_description: John Anderson was the second Mayor of Christchurch in New Zealand 1868–1869, and a successful businessman. He had a close connection with three buildings that have later received Category I heritage registrations by Heritage New Zealand. Two of these buildings were demolished following the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake.
  His company became even more successful under the leadership of two of his sons, and it existed until 1986.
context_section_description: The Andersons were one of five Scottish settler families in Canterbury. Anderson was very active in the Presbyterian Church. He made long trips through Canterbury, trying to establish new congregations. In 1854, he was a founding member of the congregation of St Andrew's Church, and a request for a minister was sent to Scotland. In response, the first Presbyterian minister, the Rev. Charles Fraser (1823–1886), came to Canterbury in 1856. The crown had granted land at the corner of Tuam Street and Oxford Terrace
  (43.53490°S 172.62720°E) for the church, and St Andrew's was opened on 1 February 1857.
  In 1858, Fraser established Addington Cemetery (43.54350°S 172.62360°E) in Addington as a public burial ground. It was often called the 'Scotch Cemetery' because of its links to the Presbyterian Church, but it was open to all denominations and was thus the first 'public' cemetery in Christchurch. The cemetery was eventually taken over by the Christchurch City Council.
  When Fraser's more liberal views clashed with those of his congregation, Anderson was the leading person for forming the second congregation, and he laid the foundation stone at the new St Paul's Church. With two others, he travelled to Wanganui, trying and succeeding to attract Rev. Elmslie to St Paul's. Anderson's oldest daughter, Jean, was married to Elmslie in 1881, with the reception at their house Inveresk. The church was damaged in the 2010 Canterbury earthquake, and partially collapsed in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake. By June 2011, St Paul's had been demolished. St Paul's was listed as a Category I heritage building by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.
  Although Canterbury was an Anglican settlement, the first three mayors were all Presbyterian Scotsmen—William Wilson in 1868, followed by John Anderson in 1869 and Andrew Duncan in 1870.
  St Andrew's Church was relocated from its original site to Rangi Ruru Girls' School in 1986. The church is listed as a Category I heritage building by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust with registration number 304.
caption: St Andrew's Church in 1858 in its original location opposite the hospital
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