St Andrews Parish Magazine August 1947 THE NEW STAINED GLASS WINDOWS
Since our last issue two new stained glass windows, the work of Mr Wm. Aikman, have been placed in the church. One was dedicated on Sunday morning, June 22nd, and the other on Sunday morning July 13th
ST PHILIP
This is the window in the north aisle and completes the little scheme started some twenty years ago, that of having portrayed in the five windows the first fire Apostles as young men.
It is the gift of Mr and Mrs Claridge, their son Geoffrey and their daughter Betty. This window commemorates their son John Henry, who gave his life for others in Italy on St Andrew’s Day 1944. John was all his life associated with the Church and was until his voice broke a choirboy. At the top of the window the artist has portrayed this part of his life by inserting the figures of two choir boys. The main figure is S Philip and he carries under his arm a basket of food. When our Lord was going to feed the people it was to S Philip that He turned to and asked “Whence shall we buy bread?” Was S Philip responsible for the good of the twelve and their master?
In S Philip’s hand is the cross, that symbol of our Faith, reminding us of the cost of our Lord to redeem us. Here it is also to remind us that John laid down his life. During an appeal for volunteers in Africa to go out on difficult and dangerous work behind the enemy lines John offered himself, knowing that it meant almost certain death. For him it did mean this.
During the sermon after the unveiling, which was done for Mrs Claridge and the Dedication by the Vicar, the Vicar pointed to those associations of the subject of the window with John and his experiences. The text of the sermon was “Lord show us the Father and we shall be satisfied” Jesus revealed the Father through suffering, death and resurrection and we unveiled and dedicated this window with the knowledge that we can face all our experiences of this life in the light of the fact that the Creator and Lord of all life and history is John’s Father and ours.