Christ's Ministry
Lavers & Barraud
1891
St Edward the Confessor, Romford, Essex
This is the closest window to the Lady Chapel along the south wall of St Edward the Confessor. The tracery angels bear texts from the Sermon on the Mount: "Blessed are the pure in heart," "Blessed are they that mourn" and "Blessed are the merciful," and at the foot of the first panel is the inscription: "He beheld the city and wept over it." The other two scenes are of Jesus blessing a child, and healing a blind man. [Commentary continues below.]
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Photographs by John Salmon, and text by Jacqueline Banerjee.
A plaque beneath the window explains that it is dedicated to a local man, William Mashiter, who died in 1888 and, according to the church's own website, was the last of a prominent local family. Indeed, it was his donation of a site in Pettit's Lane, Romford, that allowed the old Victoria Cottage Hospital to be built (see "Victoria Hospital") — which makes the depiction of Christ curing someone all the more appropriate. The windows in the body of the church, east of the south doorway, were designed by the firm of Lavers & Barraud and dated to 1891 (Cherry et al. 191). Nathaniel Westlake had for a long time been chief designer and partner in the firm, but his name is often dropped when referring to it.
References
Cherry, Bridget, Charles O'Brien and Nikolaus Pevsner. London: East. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2005.
"Stained Glass." The Parish Church of St Edward the Confessor, Romford. Web. 10 June 2015.
"Victoria Hospital." Lost Hospitals of London. Web. 10 June 2015.
Created 10 June 2015