Stained-glass damage ‘a cheap lesson’

Press, 21 January 1983, Page 3

Stained-glass damage ‘a cheap lesson’

The damage to the St John of God Hospital chapel's stained-glass windows in Wednesday evening's storm could have been avoided, according to a Christchurch glazier. The windows, believed to be the oldest of their type in New Zealand, were battered by hailstones. An initial estimate puts the cost of the damage at $25,000. "This is a cheap lesson for Christchurch churches." said Mr W. H. Walters, a Linwood glazier.

“I am continually warning these churches with priceless stained glass windows to put some kind of protective screen up in front of them." he said. "Of course, it would be a costly job. and many of the churches do not have the funds, but it would stop damage like this occurring." Mr Walters said the hospital administrator. Father Mark West, had also been concerned about the lack of protection for the windows. Mr Walters resealed the chapel windows in 1940. "in those times, they were the best set of stained-glass windows in Australasia." he said.

Father Mark said yesterday that the windows were

"virtually irreplaceable" and would take some time to repair. "The windows were all made by the same man in Germany more than 60 years ago and it is unusual for the same craftsman to make every window." he said. Some of the windows were hidden underground during World War I for protection, before being shipped to New Zealand from Germany. Father Mark said all of the 43 windows in the church were stained glass, which was also an unusual feature. "At first I did not think we had any insurance cover, but this is not correct. I was relieved to find out we had * some." Another Christchurch craftsman. Mr M. J. Hartigan. helped install the windows about 60 years ago. when he was an apprentice with Bradley Bros, glass merchant;.. "I am a bit upset about it." he said. "They were splendid windows, an exception, especially in the colour and design. Some of them seemed almost three-dimensional."

He said that, at that time, the German manufacturers were well known for their expertise in that field