On the 10th September 1919 permission to build this window was granted by the Archbishop of York, Cosmo Gordon Lang, to Holy Trinity's vicar Rev Buchanan and churchwardens Edwin Ryley and Thomas Fawley Judge.
Permission was given for the insertion of stained glass into the first plain window on the south side of the nave and for the following small plain brass inscription:
‘To the Glory of God and in memory of Robert Thomas Brook, a citizen of Hull who died Feb. 4th 1907. The above window has been erected by his widow in accordance with the terms of his will’.
Brooks had bequeathed £1,500 for two windows in Holy Trinity. The second one would later be the Freedom Window.
This is the second Walter Crane-designed window in the church, and it was made by Frederick George Christmas. It is a study from the Bible of John 14 depicting Calvary, with the Father and the Holy Spirit (in the form of a dove) symbolised above the head of the crucified Saviour, Jesus. It was dedicated 23rd September 1919 by Rev Canon Lillingston. Unfortunately, Crane died in 1915 and wasn’t there to see his design completed.
However, he said that it was:
‘A symbolic Trinity. Adoring figures; angels, wreath of immortelles enclosing RTB. Scroll with the text "In My Father’s house are many mansions" with symbolic tiers of canopied balconies. The Central subject represents the Trinity in the traditional symbolic manner, though treated in my own way’.
Christmas had been described ‘as not a very interesting designer’ and by another as ‘intriguing’. A further comment was that like many small designers, virtually nothing is often known about them. After the war there was a great demand on stained glass designers for memorial windows. Neave, in The Buildings of England (1994) describes Walter Crane’s design as ‘Not his best but very colourful and not at all like Morris or Holiday glass’.
Some experts question whether Crane would have actually used Christmas to make his design. There is no Crane hieroglyph to be seen – his signature is missing.
To appreciate the strength of feeling for the window you need to sit in the nave on a bright sunny morning between 11.00am-12.00.
This window was installed in 1919 to commemorate Robert Brook, a citizen of Hull who had left money in his will for the creation of stained glass at Holy Trinity.
The window depicts the scene of the crucifixion, from the Bible chapter John 14. This shows the hill of Calvary outside Jerusalem, with the Father and the Holy Spirit (in the form of a dove) symbolised above the head of the crucified Saviour, Jesus.
Like the neighbouring Earle Window, it was designed by artist Walter Crane. He sadly died in 1915 before he could see his design realised. Crane was born in Liverpool and became a prolific and influential artist, author and book illustrator. He also designed tiles, wallpapers and textiles. He was a member and President of the Arts and Crafts movement, a close friend of William Morris, and a Fabian.
