Jesus the Carpenter Window

“Jesus the Carpenter” Window, 1963 (Treadgold Memorial)

The longest-serving Churchwarden of St. Paul`s, Foster Threadgold, died at the beginning of 1959, in his 29th year of office, and well over 100 people contributed towards a memorial. His wife suggested that this should take the form of a stained-glass window on the North side of the Church, as near as possible to the churchwarden`s seat which her husband had occupied for so many years.

The window was made by the Faith Craft Company, and was installed in 1963.

The centre section of the window shows Jesus in the carpenter`s shop at Nazareth, surrounded by the tools of His trade.

On the left, there is a roundel depicting the Sower (the subject of our Lord`s famous parable); while a similar roundel on the right shows St. Paul (labelled ‘SP’) working as a tentmaker.

Many people are unaware of this fact about the Patron Saint being a tent maker, which is mentioned only in Acts 18.3.  Clearly, the theme of the whole window is the hallowing of practical work in God`s service, and the choice of Jesus the Carpenter is especially appropriate, since Foster Threadgold was himself a carpenter.

The inscription reads: ‘To the Glory of God and in loving memory of Foster Threadgold churchwarden 1930-1959’.  Unfortunately, the final figure ‘9’ was originally inscribed as a ‘7’; a ‘9’ has been painted over it, but this has partially worn away.

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