Additional general notes on the memorial
The windows were dedicated in the Lady Chapel at 3p.m. on Saturday afternoon 24th November, 1956, in the presence of The Rotary Club, the Women’s Organisations and members of the Social Clubs who contributed to the cost of the windows. A board in the Lady Chapel records the donor of the three windows over the altar, and lists the clubs who contributed to its cost. The clubs were :-
Grimsby Cyclists Club in memory of
Joseph Beeson,
Lawrence Thomas
Seymour Rawworth
Exchange Social Club in memory of A. Borman RN
W.S. Davis.
W.E. Friskney.
J. Lumb
G. Hayes RN
National Reserve Club
E. Lord RA,
J. Barnsley RN
Hainton Recreation Club
Herbert Major RASC
Excelsior Club
W. Emsley Leading Seaman RN
G. Worrell Leading G0unner RA
C. Bird RN
R.A. Askew. Leading Stoker RN
J. Miller. Stoker RN
A. Huley. Seaman RN
J.A. Ellis. Gunner RA
H. J. Jerome. Stoker RN
Baker. Skipper RN
H.E. Walker. Engineer, RN
C. Farrow. BEM, CPO, RN
A. Preston. Private, 4th Lincolnshire Regt.
T. Sleeth. Skipper, RNR
G.T. Swallow. Leading Seaman RN
The Archdeacon of Lindsey dedicated the windows at this service, and only the members of the contributory groups were present in the Lady Chapel at the time. The remainder of the congregation were then invited to view the windows. The vicar of Grimsby, Gervase W. Markham was quite convinced that many his congregation would dislike the windows at first. In his letter to them in the Church Magazine of 16th October, 1956, he wrote,
“I think that many people will find the windows startlingly ‘Modernistic’ in treatment, but by ‘modern’ artists they will be regarded as conventional. In 1953, the Restoration Committee entrusted me with the choice of artist, and I took advice of several of the more eminent people in this field, and studied photographs of the work of artists recommended, and visited churches to see for myself some windows they had made. It was interesting to notice that one artist whose merits were pressed on me and whom I rejected as being too modern for Grimsby, was subsequently commissioned by Coventry Cathedral to assist in their great expanse of stained glass.
I finally decided on Professor Evetts, one of the three recommended by the Dean of York who is the greatest living authority on stained glass. We discussed the subject-matter and treatment, and when he made his design, it was shown to the Restoration Committee and the representatives of the Donors, it had also to be approved by the Parochial Church Council and the Diocesan Advisory Committee and Chancellor of the Diocese before a faculty could be issued. I am making this clear because I am quite sure a lot of people will dislike the windows at first sight; and naturally I shall get the blame! However, I believe that in twenty years time they will be regarded as one of the outstanding features of the church, and the more naturalistic windows will seem quite insipid.”
The Parish Magazine with all the information regarding the windows can be read within the Reference Library, Grimsby Central Library, George St, Grimsby, North-East Lincolnshire
John Readman