Coventry school children from 1962 who donated thousands of pounds in pocket money to pay for a stained-glass window at the cathedral will be celebrated in a special ceremony – and are invited to attend
Sir Basil Spence’s iconic Cathedral Church of Saint Michael in the city centre was constructed 56 years ago but needed financial support to add the window.
A fund-raising scheme was set up across schools in Coventry and Warwickshire to fund one of the nave stained-glass windows – locally known as ‘the children’s window’.
The cathedral window design was sold to late poet John Betjeman who remarked: ‘I wonder if you will ever do anything as beautiful again.’
It is believed £3,000 was raised by up to 100,000 children – the equivalent of around £62,000 in today’s money.
The window’s designer Keith New was a young student at the Royal College of Art’s (RCA) stained glass department.
A newly published book named ‘Keith New – British Modernist in Stained Glass’ is available to buy at the cathedral shop.
Its authors Dr Robert Smith and Diana Coulter wanted to ‘resurrect his reputation’.
An event has been planned at the cathedral to celebrate Keith’s work and the city kids’ contribution.
The free event will take place on Saturday, July 7 at 2.30pm.
The children who contributed their ‘pocket money’ in 1962 were given a specially-designed bookmark.
If anyone still has one please contact Dianne Morris in the Cathedral Archives on 024 7652 1218 or
diannemorris@coventrycathedral.org.ukDianne is planning a new bookmark to be presented to everyone who comes to the event.
Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2018 7:31 pm