Richard Barcham Shalders

Richard Barcham Shalders (1824–1914) was a Baptist preacher, founder of the New Zealand branch of the YMCA, and founder of Auckland Baptist Tabernacle.

Richard Barcham Shalders was born on 24 November 1824, to Jacob Shalders and Phoebe Shalders (née Barcham), at Worstead, Norfolk, England. His father owned a grocers and drapery shop, where he worked until moving to London at the age of 16. From his youth Shalders was devoutly religious, and it is apparent from his journals that his grandmother played a significant role in guiding him on matters of faith.

Shalders failed to find work in London, and instead accepted work at a high-class drapery establishment in Dover, where he met the woman he was to later marry, Eliza Rooke. He returned to London in August 1846, where he worked for Morrison, Dillon and Co. for two and a half years. While there he attended a YMCA Bible Class at Sergeant's Inn, 49 Fleet Street, under the leadership of Mr. T. H. Tarlton. He joined the local Baptist church under the pastorate of Rev’d John Howard Hinton, who was at the time reputed to be the “greatest and most original thinker in London”. Shalders began prayer meetings at the warehouse, and in February 1849 Shalders left to work for I. and R. Morley.

Two and a half years later Shalders decided to emigrate to New Zealand. He and his wife were married on 30 September 1851, and on 19 October the newly married couple departed from Gravesend aboard the “Katherine Stewart Forbes”, reaching Auckland on 9 March 1852.

As the barque rounded the North Cape it almost foundered;

‘. . . No sound could be heard beside water rushing down into our cabin. (One poor sailor, the third mate, fell into the sea and was drowned.) The carpenter took an axe and knocked out the bulwarks and freed the decks of water. The ship rose again and we heard voices once more. My thought was: I shall yet stand on the shores of New Zealand to tell of the glorious Gospel of God.’ – Shalders, Personal Reminiscences

Three and a half months after arriving, on 24 June, Eliza gave birth to their first child, Eliza, who went on to marry prominent New Zealand surveyor Peter Cheal.

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