Stained Glass of St. Augustine

The following cutting was given to us by Mary Sare and has a date of 1961 but no scource presume Haverhill Echo.

 Dedication of Birdbrook Church Window

During Sunday morning service at Birdbrook there was dedicated in St. Augustine's Church a beautiful window in the memory of Mrs. Edith Clara Young, widow of Dr. A. Young rector of Birdbrook from 1910-1940.  It will be recalled that Mrs. Young, who died in 1958, was a subsantial benefactress of the parish.

The service was conducted by the rector the Rev. F. Cordingly while the dedication was in the hands of Canon C.D. moule, Lady Margaret, Professor of Divinity, Cambridge, and a fellow of Dr. Young's Old College, Clare.  Canon moule called attention to the striking design of the E. window and the mesage its three lights convey.  The two outer ones bear the emblems of the four Evangelists, while the central light has three representations of events in our Lord's life as told by these Evangelists in the Gospels.  At the foot of the window is a fairly small virgin and child, then higher up a slightly larger crucifixion; finally, dominating the whole, a brilliantly coloured figure of the risen Lord in Glory.

SPECIAL HYMNS

The choir who sang beautifully throughout led the Congregation in hymns meant to emphasise the message of the window.  These were "Behold the Messengers of Christ" a hymn about the Evangelists and their work, "O Come all ye faithful," meant to call attention to the Virgin and Child.  "When I survey the wonderous Cross," sung because of the Crucifix in the very centre of the window, and finally, "The Head that once was crowned with Thorns," the triumphant outcome.

Miss Leach was at the organ for the hymns and psalm, while the choir also sang unaccompanied Farrant's well known little anthem, "Lord for they tenter Mercy's sake."  A large congregation included relatives and friends of the late Dr. and Mrs. Young and a few former parishioners also made a point of attending - among those present were the Misses Glynn of Hemmingford Grey, Mr. Roger Edmonds of Jesus college, and Mrs. Rambault of Clare, Suffolk.  Mrs. Dunnery and her son Dr. O. Dunnery, found it impossible to attend.

The window, which was justly admired by all who saw it,shone brilliantly in the warm morning sunshine adding greatly to the beauty of the church which had been decorated with autumn flowers for the occasion.

The artist was Mr. E. Liddell Armitage, who was unfortunately unable to be present, and the work was carried out by the Whitefrairs glass studios of Wealdstone, who several years ago supplies the memorial windo to Dr. Young.

Mr. George Unwin's Window

The following article comes from the Daily Telegraph, Monday, July 18, 1966.

 

The Church 

The two wands of office and church book.

The old National School.

WINDOW TO WARDEN'S 65 YEARS

An 86-year-old man's 65 years as a churchwarden will be marked next Sunday week when a stained-glass window in his honour will be dedicated in the church he has served for so long.

Mr. George Ernest Unwin, whose father was also a churchwarden, was 21 when he was appointed people's warden at Birdbrook parish Church, Halstead, Essex.  Later he became rector's warden. 

Spaniel and pheasant

The window, designed by C. Rupert Moore and made by the Whitefriars Stained Glass Studios, Wealdstone, Middlesex, includes in the design:

A portrait of his liver-and-white springer spaniel, Bruno, opposite a representation of a pheasant.

The churchwardens' two wands of office and the "church box," in which records of the partly Norman 12th Century church are kept.

A view of Mr. Unwin's 14th Century timbered home, Baythorn Hall.

His signature, as honorary treasurer, on one of the church books.

The managers' seal of the old National School in the village on whose board he served for many years.

Ancient farming implements, including a flail, symbolic of his family's long record locally as corn and seed merchants.

Rector's idea

The idea for the window came from the Rector, the Rev. Fred Cordingley.  He said yesterday: "We felt that 65 years in office, with power to add, you might say, might be a record."  The window will be installed by the Unwin family pew.

Six years ago Birdbrook parish church was left £40,000 for general church purposes by the widow of Canon Alfred Young, who was Rector for 30 years.

Bruno the springer spaniel.

The "Church Box".

Below is the beautiful window and plaques commemorating Mr. Unwin's achievements. Take a look next time you are in the church.

For sixty five years he gets a window and for seventy years he only got a plaque!

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