Additional general notes on the memorial
History of the Memorial
During the Second World War, the majority of the window glass was destroyed when bombs fell into the churchyard, and the whole of the north corner of the church was badly damaged. The contract to rebuild the church was awarded to Hewins & Goodhand, a local building company and it was hoped that it would take no more than 18 months to complete. Work started in June 1949, when the west end of the nave and aisles were screened off so that the congregation and the remainder of the fabric of the church would not be affected by dust from the masons working on the walls of the building. However, although the structural was completed in 18 months, much of the window glass was not completed until several years later. If you visit the church now you will see under the windows of the church, brass plates describing the original donors of the windows, and then those from post-war.
The South Transept windows were no exception; as in the April Parish magazine, Gervase A Markham, the vicar, wrote about the design of the windows. He wrote on April 18, 1956, that the theme of the windows was “Benedicte”. Later, in November, 1957, he wrote again in the magazine
“Mr. Hugh Easton’s windows will be ready for December 22nd, and will be dedicated by Archdeacon Marsden at the Morning Service. The donors are Mrs Gibson, in memory of her husband Galliard and her son Jo, and Mr Harry Franklin, in memory of his mother. All these were loyal members of the church, and bear honoured names which will always be associated with the windows.
The subject of the Windows is based on “Benedicte”. One represents “O Ye Heavens, bless ye the Lord”, and the other “O let the Earth bless the Lord”. Judging from the original sketches of the designs they should be very striking. The style will match the great Archangels’ window by the same artist in the North Transept.”
John Readman