"THE FIVE SISTERS."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19083, 30 July 1925, Page 13

"THE FIVE SISTERS."

This, as all travellers and lovers of English cathedrals know, is the name of ono of tho loveliest five-light windows in York Minster. It is on the north wall or the north transopt, and history tells that each light was copied in stained glass from designs in needlework done many years ago by five sisters. Hence the name. There is much 13th, 14th and 15th century glass in tho cathedral, but this Lancet window has always been the object I of special.admiration; noted for its graco i of tracery, beauty of design, and delicacy of colouring. During tho war York had realised tho need for protecting its precious glass, for the city was not froe from the risk of damage by bombs. It was accordingly removed for safety, and then came the discovery that the lead and tho glass of tho Five Sisters were in urgent need of repair. The inspiration camo from a lady well known in York, Mrs. Blakeway Little, that a3 in all the Empire there was no single memorial to all the women of the Empire who gave their lives during the war, the repairing and replacing of this window might be done to their momory. Tho machinery to roise funds was set going by -tho Lady Mayoress of York. Princess Mary, Viscountess Lascelles, sent a donation, and sums largo and small came from all sources, including the Dominions. In tho space of nino weeka tho £3OOO asked for had been received. The unveiling of the window—now again in placo and releaded with 13th century lead taken from Rievaulx Abbey, also m Yorkshire—is to bo performed by the Duchess of York. This war memorial is unique among war memorials, for it is to the memory of all tho women who gave their lives, and tho work has been paid for entirely by women of the Empire. A correspondent wrote to tho Time 3 in a special article: " Once more we shall bo ablo to see, instead of tho deal boards that have tantalised us these past ten years, tho graceful, somehow very feminine design, with its prophetically appropriate ivy leaves for lovo and its maple leaves for victory. Wo shall sec also, in tho chapel of St. Nicholas close under the window, a new and simple screen in York Minster's own oak (designed by the Minster architect, Mr. Tupper, and carved in tho Minster workshop), on the panels of which aro painted tho names of the more than 1400 women of Britain and the Dominions, who aro thys held in memory and honour. The list of tho bodies in which they served is too long to givo in dotail here. There are the titles once so familiar—"Waacs,' 'Wrens' and the li<e; there are doctors and nurses and V.A.D.'s, munition workers, stewardesses, motor drivers, canteen workers, land workers. The names on the screen ore divided up under sorvicesj each panel will be protected by a door, bearing the badge of the service; and all along tne top runs the inscription: ' This screen records the names of women of the Empire who gave their lives in the war, 1914-1918. to whose memory the Five Sisters Window was restored by women.' The success of the enterprise needs no comment. It tells its own tale of an inspiration that pierced to a powerful spring of proud ana loyal feeling.''