Alfred Duncan SHAW

SHAW, ALFRED DUNCAN (b. Flat Bush, NZ, 1868; d. Edith Vale, Vic, 3 Nov 1953). Baptist minister.

Born near Auckland to parents of different religious persuasions, A D Shaw was baptised three times in childhood as a Catholic, Anglican and as Catholic once more. Despite his promise of a life of service to God during a severe bout of typhoid fever, Shaw was indifferent to religion in his youth. Having left his farming background he arrived in Brisbane in 1887 seeking employment in the building trade and married Carolina Voigt in 1889. Converted under the ministry of the Rev W Whale (q.v.) and baptised as a believer in 1889 at the Wharf Street Baptist Church, Shaw was soon gripped with a desire to minister and was called to pastor at Nundah in 1893. After a successful ministry he moved to Rockhampton in 1901 where he enjoyed an extremely fruitful 15 years of service. Some 200 believers were baptised, a number of mission churches were established and the Rockhampton Tabernacle became the second largest Baptist church in Qld.

For the next thirty years Shaw pastored the Vic churches of Aberdeen Street, Geelong (1916-22) Auburn (1922-31), Upwey Union Church (1931-5) and Aberdeen Street again (1935-46). World Wars, the great depression and social changes ensured that numerically these pastorates did not match his previous success. During this time he became well known as a convention speaker, lectured at MBI and was president of the Baptist Union of Victoria in 1929-30. In retirement Shaw served in the Baptist Home Mission and during the winter months would pastor at North Rockhampton. Shaw was a much loved and widely respected pastor who exemplified how strongly influential a local church ministry can be.

Queensland Baptist, June 1899; Australian Baptist, 25 July 1916; Victorian Baptist Witness, 5 Dec 1953

PAULINE OTTE