Stained Glass of Percy Bacon & Brothers
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Photo lithograph of the new baptistery west window installed in 1893
published in the
1st April edition of The Builder.
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Posted 15 November 2022.
In 1892/3 Manchester Cathedral was undergoing restoration and enlargement under the supervision of the Diocesan Architect Joseph Stretch Crowther (1820 - 1893). His work there was described by Pevsner as, "his final great work".1 He did not live to see it completed.
Starting on the night of 22nd December 1940, the Luftwaffe mounted a series of bombing raids on Manchester which continued until Christmas Eve, resulting in the deaths of over 700 people. During those raids the cathedral suffered considerable damage and all the windows were blown out, including the two Percy Bacon windows in the new Baptistery mentioned by Perkins.2 These were installed in late 1892 and early 1893 as part of Crowther's additions.3 The first, of four lights, was erected in December 1892 in the south of the new baptistery at the west end of the nave. It depicted, "Suffer the little children to come unto me" and was a memorial to W H Bowler, son-in-law of Thomas Chesters who died in 1887.4 The second window of six lights installed in April 1893 at the western end was altogether more elaborate. It represented baptism by blood, water, and fire, illustrated by the martyrdom of St. Stephen, the baptism of Christ, and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Two lights were devoted to each of these subjects, the wider mullions separating the subjects, the narrower ones dividing each scene. This is only one of two depictions of the Pentecost story made by the Bacon Studios, the other being extant in St Mark's, Woodcote, Croydon.
The left two lights are occupied by the scene of St Stephen's martyrdom, described in an article in the Newbery House Magazine of 1893 as being, "very rich in colour, and full of thought".5 In the background two men stand impassively watching the horror unfold. One is described in the same article as being the unconverted Saul, looking on, "as if in doubt". Beneath the scene are Stephen's words (Acts 7:60), "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge". The two centre lights represent the Baptism of our Lord. He stands in the stream with an attendant angel, while John the Baptist stands on the bank. At the latter's feet is a reclining lamb, suggestive of the Angus Dei, with words inscribed at the base, "Behold the Lamb of God". The remaining two lights on the left represent the upper room at Pentecost. The Apostles are gathered together at the end of the chamber, surrounding the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all are illuminated by tongues of fire. Below this scene are the words, "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit". On the canopies above the scenes sit demi-angels holding inscribed scrolls, which are unreadable due to the poor quality of the image. In the lower tracery lights, angels hold shields on which are represented various Arma Christi. At the very top, an Agnus Dei stands upon a bridge, or pedestal under which flow four rivers, one through each archway, probably a reference to the four rivers of Paradise (Genesis 2:10-14), and below that IHS and Chi-Rho Christograms. Further symbolism appears in the upper tracery below the lamb; on the right a serpent winds itself around a tau cross, and in the left a Latin cross with entwined vine leaves.
The window was given by Thomas Chesters.
All that remains today is a monochrome photo lithograph of the six-light window, published in The Builder magazine on 1st April 1893.6
This is one of Bacon's earliest commissions, his first for a cathedral, and shows the extraordinary success his fledgling business was already having in attracting high status clients around the country. His previous works of 1892 just after setting up in business were for parish churches. The larger of the two windows exemplifies the quality and finesse of Bacon's work, and thoughtfulness of presentation, something which would be replicated many times during the firm's early years.
References: Use your browser's Back button to return to text.
- Hartwell, Hyde & Pevsner 2004
- Perkins, Rev Thomas: The Cathedral Church of Manchester; A short history and description of the church and of the collegiate buildings now known as Cheetham's Hospital; 1901; p47 (Bell's Cathedral Series).
- The Builder, 17 December 1892, p484.
- Ibid (2).
- The Newbery House Magazine, Jan-June 1897, p616.
- The Builder; Vol 64 1st April 1893.
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