Rev Noel Roberts 1915 – 1925

Mr Roberts came to the parish from the Cathedral in Pretoria.

Two years after joining the parish he volunteered for active service as a Chaplain, and the parish was cared for, in his absence, by Mr Roxburgh the priest at St Aidan’s. On his return, having been awarded the Military Cross, for his distinguished war services, the Parish welcomed him back with a Priest’s Vestry completed in stone on the north of the church. A new brick vicarage was also built, enabling the Roberts to leave the old corrugated iron and wood house that had served as a rectory since the days of the Carters. This was now let out for £60 p.a. Another small extention was made of the south side of the church, behind the pulpit and this housed the hand-pumped organ.

Kathleen Roberts was a victim of TB and her health declined with all the duties in which she was involved. In 1925 the Roberts left St Luke’s for the quieter parish of Potchefstroom

Mr Roberts wrote to the parish before his retirement, to say that he and his wife Kathleen has spent the happiest years of their life together at St Luke’s, and to ask if their ashes could be interred in the walls of the church. This was agreed to, and the parish became a beneficiary in his will of £100. The ashes are in the north wall of the nave.