Active: late 1800s. Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England.

Although Atkinson Bros. were a well-known firm in the north-east of England, few windows appear to have been imported to Australia. At St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Burwood, NSW, they were commissioned to provide a stained glass window in memory of the late Very Reverend Dean McCarthy, parish priest, who died after a railway accident at Redfern on October 31, 1894.

Cardinal-Archbishop Moran, of Sydney, unveiled the window after the close of 11 o’clock Mass on Sunday, September 5, 1897. The large three-light window was erected at the eastern end of the building, and the subject was the Crucifixion, at a cost of 120 pounds. At the same time, brass communion rails were installed as part of the memorial and these were supplied by Castle & Sons of Newtown, at a cost of 45 pounds.

St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Concord, NSW

At this time (Jan 2016) these are the only known windows by Atkinson Bros. in Australia, and are still extant, having been incorporated into a new St. Mary’s Church, Concord, NSW, to accommodate a larger congregation. The church was blessed by Archbishop Michael Kelly in 1929. The windows were extended and the format changed from Gothic lancets to round-headed windows, in keeping with the style of the new church. This work was carried out by John Radecki.

BEH

References: Evening News, September 6, 1897, p. 7.

Acknowledgement: The editors thank Jeffrey Hamilton for his information regarding this installation.