Object Description
A magnificent and very large reclaimed religious stained glass window made by Osborne and Phillips in 1949. This spectacular window stands at over 2.2m (7 ft) tall and features a religious subject, beautifully captured in stained and hand painted glass.
Jesus is depicted holding a child in his arms while blessing other children and their parents, dressed in vibrant shades of green, blue and red between two scrolls reading: “Suffer little children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:14). In this verse, Jesus is reaching out to children – a segment of society often considered insignificant – suggesting that, despite their vulnerability, children have as much to teach humanity as adults.
Provenance
Plymouth-based glassmakers Osborne and Phillips were established in 1941, but their history dates back to 1866 when the business was founded by John Thomas Fouracre as Fouracre & Son.
They created this window in 1949 for Greenbank Methodist Church, Plymouth. A newspaper report (pictured) from the Western Evening Herald from the 29th August 1949 details two stained glass windows dedicated to the church on the Rev. Rolley’s last address as minister.
When Greenbank closed, the two windows were relocated: the first to Lake Chapel in Shebbear and the second – this window – to Crockernwell Methodist Church.