Church of St John the Baptist, Belmont, Sutton, South London
Address
Church of St John the Baptist, Northdown Rd, Sutton SM2 6DYTheme
Overview
Lawrence Lee (1909 – 2011) was one of the most distinguished stained glass artists of the 20th century. It is not surprising therefore that a number of contributors chose to include one of his windows in their selections. But there is much more to say and to celebrate about this wonderful artist.
A Theme has therefore been dedicated to the work of Lawrence Lee. The windows highlighted within the Theme have been chosen in conjunction with his son, Stephen Lee, to highlight some of his father’s best work.
A full list of the windows chosen can be found by following the link above or here. There you will also find two papers written by one of his former assistants, Philippa Martin, covering his life and his most famous achievement, the masterminding of the ten nave windows of Coventry Cathedral.
Highlight
East windowArtist, maker and date
Lawrence Lee, 1971Reason for highlighting
As noted above, this window is one of a selection made in conjunction with Lawrence Lee’s son, Stephen Lee.
The following description of the window is by Lawrence Lee. The words in brackets in the first paragraph are by Stephen lee.
Jesus is shown in the centre light as St. Luke described him at His baptism. Above is the Holy Spirit (a dove descending in a whirlwind). To his right is His mother Mary, and to his left is St. John the Baptist. In the outer lights are the trees of life. In the tracery is the Paschal Lamb superimposed on the cross of Christ and surrounded by tongues of fire, doves, lightnings, and suggestions of a mighty rushing wind.
Lawrence Lee quotes Revelation, Ch 22, v 1-5 (slightly ‘improved’):
Then he showed me the river of the water of life, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the street of the city that is the new Jerusalem. On either side of the river stood a tree of life which yields twelve crops of fruit, one for each month of the year; the leaves of the trees serve for the healing of the nations. There shall be no more night, nor will they need the light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will give them light and they shall reign for evermore.
Stephen Lee adds: In this window my father has brought together three biblical passages; the baptism of Christ, the appearance of the Holy Spirit to the apostles at Easter, and the vision of the new Jerusalem from St. John’s revelation. I leave theologians to ponder this combination.
Artist/maker notes
Lawrence Stanley Lee FMGP (1909 – 2011) trained at Kingston Art School and the Royal College of Art before the war. After the war he worked for Martin Travers, and it was Travers’ unexpected death in 1948, which led to Lee forming his own studio. A wide range of commissions followed, including his famous windows at Coventry Cathedral, with Keith New and Geoffrey Clarke, which established his reputation. Lee was also a teacher both formally at the Royal College of Art, and in his studio to a succession of assistants. He was notable in acknowledging the contribution of his assistants by including their initials on windows, along with his own.
Other comments
Lawrence Lee was assisted in the making of the window by Janet Christopherson.
The west window (1888) is a good example of the work of Lavers, Barraud & Westlake, and was brought here in 1967 when the Church of St Paul, St Leonards-on-Sea was demolished.