Photo-a-Day  (Wednesday, 9th July, 2025)

Absolutely beautiful stained glass windows. A couple of my 4 x Grt grandparents James and Alice Catterall married here in the early 1830’s. They came from Upholland and settled in Scholes. They seemed to get around these Catterall’s eventually some moving to Ince..there’s a bit of the ‘rover’ about them. Even if some fell on ‘hard times’. (Must be why I like my far flung holidays).

Yet again fascinating stuff Colin, I never knew this existed.

Well I suppose it is colourful, especially whan the Sun shines through it.
It's Sad that the numbers of Church attendance are dwindling year after year. We are seeing some disappear like pubs. St William Church in Ince has/is being converted in to dwindling.

The inscription reads:
‘To The Glory Of God And The Memory Of Edward Scott’.
Edward Scott was a Solicitor in Wigan who lived at Beech Hill Hall.
He died aged 64 and the window was commissioned in his memory by his 28 year old second wife Alicia.

Correction, his second wife’s name was Laura!!!!

I was named after the Archangel Michael, I don't know why but I do remember asking mother whe zi was young why my two brothers and two sisters al had two names.
And she said because Michael was an Archangel so I only needed one.

Beautiful windows; I particularly like the reds and blues.....such rich colours. William Morris prints are still popular today, on tapestries, curtain fabrics, cushions and even on birthday cards.

I haven't been able to find much about Edward Scott but came across this information for one of his sons Sir John Scott born in Standishgate..
Sir John Scott KCMG, DCL (4 June 1841 – 1 March 1904) was an English judge who became, amongst other titles, Deputy Judge Advocate-General and later Judicial Advisor to the Khedive in his adopted home, Egypt. A Khedive was the Viceroy of Egypt under the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.
He was also known as a cricketer in his youth, active from 1861 to 1863 when he played for Oxford University. Scott was renowned for wit, humour and humanity. His fame position in the exalted annals of imperial legal jurisprudence contributed to the successful legal defence of British Egypt during two world wars. A sure touch, and a deft hand, he articulated a source of justice residing in the everlasting verities of English common law.
In 1882 The Khedive conferred on him the Order Of Osmanie and was appointed puisne judge of The High Court in Bombay, his time in India makes a fascinating read,
Scott was born in Standishgate Wigan to Edward Scott, a solicitor, and his first wife Annie Glover. After the death of his wife Edward Scott married Laura Hill, the daughter of the headmaster of Bruce Castle School Arthur Hill. They had a further two sons and two daughters. From 1852 to 1860 Scott was educated at his stepmothers family concern, the Bruce Castle School in Tottenham. The school founded by Laura's grandfather Thomas Wright Hill instructed their students in science and the arts in such a manner to give a student the ability to continue self-education throughout life. His sons, who all taught there at some point, went on to reform some aspect of Victorian life, from prisons (Matthew and Fredric), the postal service (Rowland, devisor of the penny post and penny black stamp) to envelopes (Edwin, invented a machine to fold envelopes). Her father Arthur was headmaster during Scott's time at Bruce Castle and her brother George Birkbeck Hill became his lifelong friend. Matriculating at Pembroke College, Oxford, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1864 and became a Master of Arts in 1869. It was during this time his talent as a cricketer brought him recognition. He appeared in four first-class matches as a left-handed fast bowler. His batting hand is unknown. He scored four runs with a highest score of 2 and took 11 wickets with a best performance of five in one innings.

I agree with Sue fascinating colours.
Interesting too Mick.

Cyril, you'll have nothing to research now, because Colins done it all for you.

The church window is taking me back to when I was a child growing up in Bird Street.
I remember one day I was sitting in the church and the priest saw me and walked down the aisle, and then asked me what I was playing with under my jacket.
All the congregation went quiet, and their eyes were all on me.
I said Father, I'm sorry, it's just a pack of playing cards, he said What are you doing with them in a house of god, so I said.
Well, priesty, when I look at the ace in my deck of
cards, it reminds me that there is but one God,
And the deuce,
tells me that Bible is divided into
two parts, the old and the new testament.
When l see the three, I think of father, the son and the holy ghost.
And when I look at the four,
I think of four evangelists who preached the gospel.
There were Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
And when I see the five,
it reminds me of the five wise virgins, who trimmed their lamp,
There were ten of them,
Five were wise and were saved, five were foolish and were shut out.
When I look at the six, I know that in six days,
God made this great heaven and earth.
And the seven, tells me that on the seventh day,
He rested from his great work,
And called it holy.
And when I see the eight, I think of the eight righteous person,
God saved when he destroyed this earth.
There were none Noah, his wife their three sons and their wives.
And when I see the nine, I think of the lepers our Saviour cleansed,
And nine of the ten, didn't even thank him.
And of course when I see the ten,
I always remembered the ten commandments,
The ten commandments that God handed
down to Moses on a tablets of stone.
When I see the King Sir, I know there is but one King of heaven.
God the Almighty.
And when I see the Queen, I think of the blessed virgin Mary,
The Queen of heaven,
And the jack of knaves is the devil.
When I count the spots in a deck of cards,
I find 365, the number of days in a year.
There are 52 cards, the number of weeks in a year .
There are thirteen tricks, the number of weeks in a quarter.
There a four suits, the number of weeks in a month.
And twelve picture cards, the number of months in a year.
The priest said unto me have you ever thought of putting that to music Dorothy.

A stunning window indeed !
Sometimes & have looked at a stained glass window & just thought how colourful it was but not really looked hard at it. Once I looked at a window & saw angels but when I looked properly, all the angels were gaily playing various musical instruments....

Colin thank you. We really don't know what treasures surrounds us .Beautiful photograph..

Dorothy this was a song by Wink Martindale (How could you not forget that name?) back in the 60's 'DECK OF CARDS'

I think Max Bygraves sang "Deck of Cards" as well as Wink Martindale.

Colin has done a great job Mick; and you've been busy too I see.
A great photo Colin. Wonderful, historical and colourful stained-glass window too.
If anyone is interested in the buildings, architecture, and photos of stained-glass windows, etc, about Wigan's churches, Will & Pat Sharp, have an excellent ongoing project about them.
https://whobuiltwiganschurches.co.uk/

Of all the churches around the world that I have visited, I've never seen a window cleaner cleaning these big stained glass windows, but they always look clean in the sunlight to me.

Thanks to all for the nice comments and additional information today, all much appreciated.
Mick, I was in in the Grand Arcade earlier and had a word with George. Apparently, he pops over to the Parish Church once a week late at night and gave me these words of wisdom.
You've heard about my capers when windows I've to clean
Now I'd like to tell you of a few more things I've seen
I've seen Miss Thompson in her flat take off her shoes, her coat and hat
I've seen her take off more than that, when I'm cleaning windows
At a ladies school I call, and one girl flirts with me and all
But I'm insured in case I fall, when I'm cleaning windows.
He it make you smile.
You see I can be both serious and have a bit of fun.

Well done, Colin. But seriously, who cleans these large stained glass windows? They can't do the outsides because usually they are covered with wire mesh.