Stained Glass Windows

The stained glass windows of Whitechapel church mainly date from the late 1800s and early 1900s.

A newspaper article from Saturday 26 Aug 1876 reads:
At a preliminary meeting of the pew owners attending the Old White Chapel, Cleckheaton, on Sunday evening, a number of gentlemen undertook to obtain approximate estimates of the cost of replacing the present church windows, the condition of which subjects the congregation to draughts in winter and to the glare of the sun in summer.
Several specimens of glass were inspected by the Vicar and those present at the meeting, and it was left an open question whether the windows should be painted diamond pattern or intersected with transverse lines of lead or iron. The meeting unanimously desired that the new windows should be in strict harmony with the style and character of the church.

The “main” window is that on the east side and is above the altar. It is dedicated “to the Glory of God” and in loving remembrance of Thomas and Martha Armitage of Cleckheaton and their children, by their only surviving daughter Betsy Row – 1878. Not a great deal is known about Thomas Armitage and his link to Whitechapel. He was born about 1788 and was a machine maker by trade living at Tofts Villa in Cleckheaton. He married Martha Porritt at Birstall in 1819. One of their daughters married the Rev. George Roberts who at the time was vicar of St. James church in Bradford. This could be the link with the Whitechapel church? 

The next window is that of the Baptistery and is dedicated to Samuel and Martha Sharp by their children William and Mary. Samuel was a card maker by trade, born in 1811 in Scholes and married Martha Swires at Birstall in 1834. They had just the two children mentioned above and sadly Martha died at the young age of just 24. Their son William, resided at Sunnybank, Scholes and became a J.P. 

The Hodgson window is dedicated to man named William Hodgson, also from Scholes and born in 1810. He married Martha Sellers at Birstall in 1834.
William was affectionately known as “T’owd Clerk.” He had been a Clerk at Whitechapel for upwards of 60 years when he died in 1892. He was also an author of two books: Index of Time and Time’s Telescope.

The Hyde window is dedicated to two sons of the then Rev. Tom Dodsworth Hyde, who were killed in action during the Great War.
A tablet on the windowsill reads:
In memoriam – Sec. Lt. Charles Stuart Hyde, 16th W. Yorks Regt., killed in action 16th July 1916. Battle of the Somme, aged 25 yrs. Lt. Eustace Emil Hyde, 4th Royal Irish Fusiliers. Killed in action at Le Transloy 12th Oct 1916, aged 24 yrs. The beloved sons of Rev. T. D. Hyde, vicar of Whitechapel 1894-1926.

The Pearson window:
The caption for this window reads:
To the glory of God and in memory of Samuel Pearson and George Pearson of Scholes. Erected by Sir Weetman Pearson, Bart., grandson of Samuel, March 1908.
Samuel Pearson was born in 1813 in Scholes, married in 1834 at Birstall to Elizabeth Asquith and in the same year their son George was born.
Samuel was an uneducated man but had a good head for business. In 1844 he founded the firm of S. Pearson and Son who were quarrymen, brickmakers and construction workers. Samuel retired in 1879 and the firm was put in charge of his grandson Weetman Pearson at the age of 23. He being much more business minded than his father!
The company built railways, Dover tunnel, Blackwall tunnel as well as numerous foreign contracts. The company moved to London in 1890.
Weetman Pearson traveled extensively and built up the firm to become one of the world’s leading public works contractors. He was Knighted in 1894 and in 1910 became the first Viscount Cowdray. He died in 1927 leaving a multi-million pound business, which by then was mainly involved in publishing and which still continues to this day as Pearson PLC.

The Jowett window commemorates the lives of Nurse Lizzie Jowett and 2nd Lieut. Tom Jowett, siblings who died as a result of injuries received during the Great War.
Tom, although signing up for the Army, ended up transferring to the Royal Flying Corps. He was in the 6th month of his training when his plane developed a fault and was involved in a crash, fatally wounding him and his instructor.
His sister Lizzie was a nurse and served at various hospitals throughout the campaign. She sadly passed very soon after the end of the war after contracting influenza from the epidemic that swept Europe.
Tom are Lizzie are remembered on gravestones located at Cleckheaton New Cemetery. Lizzie is also the only woman to appear on the War Memorial in Cleckheaton’s memorial park.
Their father was Leonard Jowett who was another Scholes resident and who had his own leather business. It may be also worth noting that one of Leonard’s cousins was Thompson Jowett who funded the building of the Memorial homes at Scholes.

The Tetlow window is dedicated to the life of Lieut. Luke Mallinson Tetlow who was killed in action in France 29 May 1915. The window actually contains an image of the man himself which can be seen on the left panel about half way up. He was the son of John Tetlow and Florence (nee Sharp). Florence being the daughter of William Sharp, J.P. mentioned earlier.
John Tetlow was part of the trio, Critchley, Sharp & Tetlow which was a well known company name around Cleckheaton. 

The Hirst window is another dedication to a fallen soldier.
Captain Charles Hirst, 1/4th Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment was killed in action 3 Sept 1916 at the Somme, aged 22 years.
Charles was regarded as an officer of exceptional ability and promise and attained the rank of Captain aged just 21.
Charles is the son of Robert and Sarah Jane (nee Scott). Robert’s father was Charles Hirst the well-known wire manufacturer from Exchange Mills at Moorend. 

The Wright window is dedicated to Benjamin Wright (1815-1874) and Martha Wright (1812-1868).
This window was fixed in place in May 1877 and features the raising of the widow's son and the raising of Lazarus. It is a gift of their relatives and was designed by Booer & Co. of Leeds.
It isn’t known what connection this couple have to Whitechapel but they are both buried in the graveyard.
Benjamin was from Wyke originally and married Martha Sugden in 1838 at Birstall. Martha was from a large family from Oakenshaw.
Benjamin was a woollen manufacturer and they lived in Horton in Bradford. He died 28 September 1874 and left a Will with an estate valued at £40,000 which in today’s terms would amount to over £4.5 million!!