Left: Whole window. Right: Figures of the disciples in the left-hand and central light. [Click on the images to enlarge them.]

The Miraculous Draught of Fishes, an aisle window at St Martin's Cathedral, Guildhall Lane, Leicester, by Heaton, Butler and Bayne, c. 1901-2. This illustrates the episode in the New Testament in which Jesus appears to the disciples after his resurrection, at the sea of Tiberias. They have been fishing, but have not caught anything. Hearing this, he instructs them to "Cast the net on the right side of the ship and ye shall find" (this is the text, from John 21, 6, held by the angels just above the main figures). The catch on this side is so huge that they are unable to cope with it: other disciples have to come from a small vessel nearby to help. The sail of the second ship can be seen just to the right of centre. The disciples are amazed. One shields his eyes with his hands as he peers from the ship, and another, perhaps St Peter, on realising that the miracle must have originated with the risen Christ, raises clasped hands towards him. Seagulls fly overhead and the rigging and furled mast add authenticity and drama to the scene.

The angels holding the text from St John.

In his compilation of cathedral stained glass, photographer Colin Price writes perceptively that this firm worked closely with Clayton and Bell, even sharing the same premises, but while the latter concentrated on more formal, single figures facing the viewer, under elaborate canopies, Heaton, Butler and Bayne "preferred narrative over personage, setting over ceremony."

The dedication to Eliza Flude.

The inscription tells us that the window, with its hopeful prospects of the rewards of faith and ultimate resurrection, was installed in memory of Eliza Flude, who died on 17 August 1901, aged 85. According to the "Find a Grave" website, she was buried in Welford Road Cemetery, Leicester.

Photographs by Colin Price, who also helped considerably with the interpretation of the window, and text by Jacqueline Banerjee. You may use these images without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite it in a print one.

Related Material

Bibliography

Eliza Flude. Find A Grave. Web. 14 February 2020.


Created 15 February 2020