Percy Bacon & Brothers Stained Glass

Stained Glass of Percy Bacon & Brothers

Barnsley, St John (Lost Work)

South Yorkshire

Barnsley St John Ground Plan by Philip Boyce

St John's Barnsley. Ground Plan 1858. Signed Philip Boyce, Architect.
Lambeth Palace Library. PD Image.

St John's Church in the 1960s, viewed from the north east. The transept on the north east side of the church appears to be a later addition. House building works had already commenced. The school(also demolished) can be seen beyond the church.

Aerial view of Barnsley St John's Church 1939. St John's Church is arrowed.
Image: Britain from Above, Image EPW061496: Sign in to zoom image.

Ground plan of St John's Church, Barnsley. Lambeth Palace Library.

Posted 12 September 2023.

The parish of St John's, Barnsley, was formed under Sir Robert Peel's Act of 1843 ‘to make better provision for the spiritual care of populous parishes’, properly known as New Parishes Act 1843.¹ A population exceeding 4000 was sufficient for a new parish to be formed and in the 1850s, this criteria would be met in this area of Barnsley. Parliament would be responsible for paying the minister, but funds to build churches, known as "Peel Churches" would need to be raised by the local population.

In this area of Barnsely, fund-raising appears to have been an arduos task, the poor of the parish having little money to spare. For a number of years, sermons were preached in the nearby school room where collections were made. The prime movers in this enterprise were the new parish's first minister, Rev E. Maxwell, and his replacement, the Rev W. J. Binder, "who never could have laboured more zealously than he has done in trying to raise the edifice".² By September 1856 the building fund appears to have been sufficient to permit a request for tenders for the building of a new church on Joseph Street from designs by London architect, Philip Boyce.³ Building work commenced not long after, with the foundation stone being laid on 20th November 1856,⁴ but despite the edifice being described as "plain" the church would not be consecrated until May 1858,⁵ suggesting that funds were still insufficient to complete the works in a timely manner.

The Times reported the opening of St John's on 4th August 1859:⁶

"Fourteen years after the the formation of St John's District, Barnsley, under Sir Robert Peel's Act, a plain and substantial church to accommodate 700 persons has been built. The population, amounting to upwards of 4000 at the last census, consists almost entirely of weavers and miners. The church is erected on the very spot where formerly meetings of Christians and turnouts took place. The poor people of the district have contributed in their deep poverty, about £150. The resources of the district and neighbourhood are now entirely exhausted, and a debt of £824 presses heavily on the health and spirits of the labourious and self-denying minister".

For some time after the church had been completed, weekly adverts appealing for more funds to service the debt were run in local newspapers. How successful these were is open to question, and the church would need to wait for many years for any stained glass to be installed.

The church was demolished in the 1960s to make way for housing developments.

Description of St John's

The following is a transcript of an article which appeared in Leeds Intelligencer on Saturday 29th May 1858.

Barnsley. - St. John's Church at Barnsley, recently consecrated, is designed in the Early Decorated style of architecture, and according to the Leeds Intelligencer, consists of chancel, 31 feet by 18 feet, with sacristy on the north side; a clerestoried nave of five bays, 75 feet by 21 feed, having north and south aisles 9 feet in width. The total internal width of the church is 45 feet, and the total length is 106 feet. The height of nave to apex of the roof is 56 feet. The nave roof consists of braced and bolted principle framing (no intermediates used) and common rafters and is open to the ridge. The roof over the chancel is high pitched, and divided into panels formed by moulded ribs. The seats in the nave and aisles are low open benches, having quaintly cut standards. The chancel is pierced on the south side by two three-light windows, and on the north side with one two-light window. The east gable is filled with a moulded window of five lights, supporting a circle containing six spherical triangles trefoliated. The clerestory walls are pierced, with ten circles filled with tracery of various designs. The aisles have two-light windows moulded, the tympanums being perforated in geometrical forms. The west gable is supplied with two two-light windows and a vesical above. In the east end of the south aisle there is a small two-light stained glass memorial window, executed by the St Helens Stained Glass Company. The walls are built with pitch-faced sandstone, from an adjoining quarry. The whole of the walls are diapered. There is a gables stone bell-turret over the chancel arch; height to the summit of cross 76 feet. The church will accommodate 600 persons (including 453 adults) all free. The persons who executed the works were Mr. Wm. Robinson, mason; Mr. Josh. Smith, joiner; Mr. M. Wood, plumber and slater; Mr. Barker, plasterer; and Mr. Chas. Rogers, painter. Mr Philip Boyce was the architect. The estimated cost of the building is upwards of £2,300.⁷

The Percy Bacon & Brothers windows.

Percy Bacon and Brothers would be responsible for a great many of the stained glass windows in St John's, most, if not all, installed in 1898, the first two in the chancel early in the year, and twelve additional windows in September. A comprehensive article in the Barnsley Chronicle of 17^th September 1898 has shed light on the subject matter of many of the windows, a list of which follows:⁸

Date	Location	Subject and other information
Pre 1895:	SAW	On the left of the entrance (SAW). Placed in memory of the first minister of St John's, the donors of the site and stone for the building of the church. Described as a, "Mathematical design with coats of arms".
1895:	Unknown	Adoration of the Magi. Inserted by Mr C. F. Seward of Lancaster in memory of his wife. Undefined location.
1896:	East	Ascension of Christ. Erected by the son of Mr. Seward's wife, in memory of Mrs. Lancaster of Keresforth
1898:	SC1 & SC2	Crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Given by Mr. E. G. Lancaster in memory of his father.

The Builder (see below) reported the chancel windows, and the Leeds Mercury that the other windows were executed by Percy Bacon and Brothers. However, although it is not clear who executed the first two pre 1896 windows, these are unlikely to have been by Percy Bacon and Brothers. Neither is it certain from the reports that the east window was by the Bacon Studios.

In the spring of 1898, Mr. Lancaster expressed a desire to fill the remaining windows in St John's, and was reported to have been so pleased with the designs and quality of the work done previously that he employed the same artists to complete the work.⁹ At the same time as the south chancel windows were being filled by Percy Bacon & Brothers, Mr. Lancaster also donated the reredos, which were manufactured by Ralph Hedley of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Date	Location	Subject and other information
1898:	WW1, 2 & NAW	The Law and the Prophets represented by Moses, and four of the greater prophets.
	South Aisle	Four windows: Scenes in the life of Christ. These would have created a series with those previously erected in the south wall of the chancel.
	North Aisle	Five windows: Scenes in the ministry of Christ, the great Christian graces and virtues.

Other reporting in the contemporary press

Chancel 1898:

Ascension (east)
Resurrection & Crucifixion in other windows.

The Builder Vol 74 1898 5 Mar, p239.

"New WINDOWS AND REREDOS, ST. JOHN’S CHURCH, BARNSLEY.— Two new stained glass windows and a reredos, placed in the chancel of St. John’s, Barnsley, were dedicated recently. The new windows depict, one the Crucifixion, the other the Resurrection of Christ. The windows are of three lights, and the reredos is of carved oak. The windows are by Messrs. Percy Bacon Bros., London ; the reredos by Mr. Hedley, of Newcastle."

Also comprehensively reported in Barnsley Chronicle - Saturday 26 February 1898, p6:

"NEW STAINED GLASS WINDOWS AND REREDOS AT ST.-JOHN’S. THE LATE MR. EDWARD LANCASTER. J.P.
Two new stained glass windows and reredos, placed in the chancel of St. John’s, Barnsley, by- Mr. E. G. Lancaster, in remembrance-of his father, the late Mr. Edward Lancaster, J. P. were dedicated on Sunday last. The new additions are a great improvement to the appearance of the church; they are in every way worthy of their object, and their place. Of their kind they are of the best. The large east window of the church was filled with stained glass by the late Mr. Lancaster in memory of his deceased wife, now fully visible to the people. It represents in five glowing light, the Ascension of Our Lord, a fine conception of the glorious scene admirably executed. The new windows, companion subjects, depict, one the Crucifixion, the-other the Resurrection of Christ. The windows are of three lights. The Crucifixion scene depicts the Saviour on His cross at the moment when His-mother and the loved disciple together meet in front of the Suffering One, and His words appear on shields at the base, Woman, behold thy son,” “Behold thy mother,” and the words His prophecy, If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto me.’’ The Resurrection scene shows Mary Magdalene at the tomb, the angels informing her, “He is not here; He is risen” Christ himself, unknown to the woman who had come to anoint his body, standing in-the background looking upon her. The colours are rich, the design and execution admirable. The reredos of carved oak. So far been-completed, it beautiful specimen of work. The centre piece, representing the Last Supper, when the-disciples in sorrowing wonder hear the words. This in remembrance of me,” in outline, the face of Christ being the really finished, but it promises to be in every tray a fitting centre to the very effective framework. The windows are by Percy Bacon, Bros., London. The reredos by Mr. Hedley, of Newcastle, whose work in some of the cathedrals of late years has won the highest praise".

Percy Bacon would again be working with Ralph Hedley in 1899 at North Creake, Norfolk, in 1903 at St Chad's, Bensham, and 1909 at Newcastle Cathedral.

12 windows: 1898

Leeds Mercury - Monday 12 September 1898 p3:

"At the morning service at St. John’s Church, Barnsley, the Rev. A Dawson, Vicar consecrated twelve new stained-glass windows, the gift of Mr. E. G. Lancaster, member of the congregation. The new windows, executed by Messrs. Percy Bacon and Bros, London, illustrate the Law and the Prophets, in the person of Moses and four of the greater prophets , the principal scenes in the life of Christ, and the Christian graces and virtues?. The new windows add greatly to the beauty and dignity of the church".

These windows and their locations are described above in more detail..

References: Use your browser's Back button to return to text.

New Parishes Act 1843: Available on the UK Government Legislation website.
Quote from the report on the consecration of the church in the Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 29 May 1858, p5.
Barnsley Independent - Saturday 27 September 1856, p2.
Barnsley Independent - Saturday 15 November 1856, p2.
Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 29 May 1858, p5.
The Times, 4th August 1859, p4.
Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 29 May 1858, p5.
Barnsley Chronicle 17^th September 1898, p6.
Ibid.

Location Map:

NGR: SE 34646 05803

The church, on the corner of Duke Street and Joseph Street was demolished in the 1960s and the site is now a modern housing development.

Map reproduced with permission of the National Library of Scotland, CC-BY (NLS) license.

St John's Barnsley. Map of 1932.
Reproduced with permission of the National Library of Scotland, CC-BY (NLS) license.