Whitby Doors Open 2016 this May celebrated the life and history of John Hamar Greenwood. The window on the west wall of All Saints is dedicated to his memory and to that of his wife, Charlotte Churchill Hubbard.

The couple was married in 1865 in Pickering by the Incumbent of All Saints’, the Rev. J. D’Arcy Cayley. The church building was in the process of being constructed at the time.

Mr. Greenwood (1829-1903) was a lawyer, a mayor of Whitby, and an active member of the church. Mrs. Greenwood was the daughter of a United Empire Loyalist family.

One of their sons, born 1870 and originally named Thomas, but later taking Hamar as his first name, emigrated to England and eventually served as Chief Secretary for Ireland, 1920-1922. He was created a Baronet in 1915 and later became 1st Viscount Greenwood” in 1937.

In 1938, Viscount and Lady Greenwood visited Whitby and All Saints for the dedication of his parents’ memorial window. He is named in the window along with his six siblings, Mary, Charlotte, William, Florence, Margery, and Gladys.

 In the circular window is the Greenwood coat of arms, with the family motto, “Law and Loyalty”. In the main panels, the left one depicts a figure of “Faith” and the right one “Charity”. The plaque also bearing the Greenwood coat of arms was placed beneath the window by the congregation after the Viscount Greenwood’s death in 1938.

 

Above the Rev. E. Ralph Adye, Rector of All Saints’ Church, Viscount Hamar Greenwood, Viscountess Greenwood (with children Eric and Doborah behind her), and the Most Rev. Derwyn T. Owen, Archbishop of Toronto and Primate of all Canada, stand in front of All Saints’ after the unveiling of the Hamar Greenwood memorial window on September 4, 1938.

Below the Greenwood family poses with R.S. and Mrs. McLaughlin who hosted the Greenwood at Parkwood, the McLaughin residence  in Oshawa. See more images in the Whitby Digital Archives.

Twenty-five years passed between the time the Balcony Window was reserved and a memorial window was installed and dedicated in that space. In January 1939, Vestry was asked “to approve of, and order the reservation of the space at the South end of the church above the Front doors, for the erection, at some time in the future, of a memorial window.” The donor desired “The Ascension of our Blessed Lord in Heaven to be the subject depicted in stained glass.”

At Vestry in January 1963, the Rector reported on the bequest from the estate of Mrs. Christian, which allowed for the commission and installation of that memorial window over the front doors. The window was dedicated on March 8th, 1964.

The scene falls naturally into two zones, an upper heavenly part and a lower earthly part. The circular window above depicts an angel holding the golden crown of life. The main panels show Christ ascending, flanked by angels, one with a banner reading “Praise the Lord,” the other with a banner reading “For the Lord is Good.” The lower earthbound scene features the Virgin Mary, who is traditionally placed at the centre of the grouping, with her head bowed. She is surrounded by the upward-looking apostles.

“Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.        

To the glory of God and in loving memory of  Arthur Edward Christian who died July 4, 1931.

And his wife Clarissa Elmina Christian who died July 6, 1962.”

 

The two windows on the east side of the church and closest to the chancel are memorials to Daniel Betts and his wife Eliza Almond Betts.

The Daniel Betts window depicts seven Christian symbols. Above all is the Pentecost dove of the Holy Spirit. Below that are (on the left) the intertwined Greek letters, alpha (Α) and omega (Ω), the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet and the Revelation identification of Christ. Opposite this is the Christogram, “IHS” which are the first three letters of the Greek name of Jesus, IHΣΟΥΣ, iota–eta–sigma, or ΙΗΣ. Centrally, on bright red backgrounds, are a golden cross ribboned with the words “Take up thy cross and follow me” (Matt. 16:24), and a golden crown and lilies with the words “I will give thee a Crown of Life” (Rev. 2:10). At the bottom are the three interconnected loops of the trefoil (the three-lobed shape) superimposed on the triangle denoting the Holy Trinity. Together they emphasize the eternity or unifying love of the Trinity. Opposite this is the crown of thorns and three nails of the Crucifixion.

The Eliza Betts window is an elegantly understated, pale-toned window with two nearly mirror-image panels (noting the differences in the angels makes for nice game to pass the time with little ones in church).

Although Mrs. Betts lived into the 20th century, and she herself, in her will, gave instructions for the installation of the window, the archaic term “relict” is used instead of “widow” to describe her relationship to Daniel, her husband. Notable also, is how precisely her age at death is measured.

Winter sleigh rides were a common Christmas pastime at All Saints, with horse-drawn sleighs  carrying 25 or so children at a time, north on Cochrane as far as Taunton and back again.