Stained Glass of Percy Bacon Limited

Christ Church was designed in a quasi Early English style by Edward Buckton Lamb. Opened in 1854 to serve the growing population of Hartlepool brought in to work the rapidly expanding docks. Today the external fabric of the building is little changed from the original. Due to the dwindling congregation, possible as a result of the demolition of much of the housing in the parish, the church closed in 1973, the last service being held on 10th June.¹ Although plans seem to have been in place to turn the church into a municipal art gallery and museum as early as January 1974,² little seems to have been done. Much of the internal fittings were removed, and the church languished, falling into serious disrepair by the early 1980s, so much so that it was under threat of demolition. However, the building was saved from that fate when in 1982 it was listed grade II*. In August 1993 plans were finally approved to convert the church into a museum, art gallery and tourist information centre. Up until then the building had been used to store items from the local museum service.³ That transformation was completed by late 1995, and the building reopened on 5th January 1996. Thankfully, much of the stained glass has survived.

Right light: David and his confrontation with Goliath.

Right light: Figure of David.

Right light predella: David confronting Goliath.

All Photos © Dave Webster.

Left light. Samuel and a representation of the dedicatee in prayer.

Left light: Figure of the prophet Samuel.

Left light predella: Portrait of the dedicatee kneeling in prayer.

Left light predella detail: A faithful portrait of Lt. Heselton.

Right light: David and his confrontation with Goliath.

Right light: Figure of David.

Right light predella: David confronting Goliath.

Two light memorial window.

Posted 08 August 2025.

These two lancets form a single memorial to Lt. George Robert Hesleton, 13th Battalion Durham Light Infantry who was killed in action on 2nd June 1917 near Ypres..

The inscription across the two lights reads:

The left light represents the standing figure of the prophet Samuel above whom a scroll reads; "Speak Lord for thy servant heareth" (1 Samuel 3:9). Beneath the figure of Samuel, within a niche is a robed, kneeling figure - the face being a faithful portrait of Lt. Heselton. In the right light is a representation of David playing a harp above whom the scroll reads, "I come in the name of the Lord" (1 Samuel 17:45). At the base of this window, typical of Percy Bacon's war memorial work, and also within a niche is a narrative scene representative of David confronting Goliath. At the top of the lights are the insignia of the Royal Fusiliers (George Heselton is listed on the IWM site has having served as a private in the Royal Fusiliers, 19th Battalion, 2nd Public Schools), and the Durham Light Infantry.

The windows were dedicated by the Bishop of Durham on 18th October 1919.⁴

Although the attribution to Percy Bacon is fairly safe, no specific corroboration that these windows are from the studio of Percy Bacon has yet been found. Neither of the lights are signed. Bacon regularly used the likeness of a dedicatee in his war memorial windows; e.g. St Lalluwy's, Menheniot, and St Columba's, St Columb Major, both in Cornwall, and All Saints, Liddington, Wiltshire amongst others. The Menheniot and St Columb Major windows also have the same layout as those in Christ Church; a regimental insignia at the top, a standing figure in the middle panel, and a narrative scene in the predella.

Lt. Heselton is buried at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery at Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm), West-Vlaanderen Belgium.⁵

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1. History of Hartlepool Art Gallery. List Entry on Historic England website.
2. Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, 24th January 1974, p9. Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, 22nd February 1974, p13.
3. Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail - Saturday 07 August 1993, p4.
4. Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Monday 20 October 1919, p5.
5. Imperial War Museum: Lives of the First World War.