pew kneelers

During a St Mary's parish pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1985 the group visited the cathedral of St George in Jerusalem. One of the first things they noticed was the beautiful kneelers which had been made and donated to the cathedral by individuals and parishes all over the world.

Following on from this, Heather Sinclair (wife of the then vicar of Davyhulme), launched an appeal in the october 1985 issue of the parish magazine for families or individuals to make or donate a cross-stitch tapestry kneeler for St Mary’s.
It was estimated that about 300 would be required and it was hoped to complete the scheme within two years.

There were numerous designs available – for every occasion – baptism, confirmation, marriage, in memory – or depicting the badges of scouts, guides, brownies, the services etc. The standard kneelers initially cost £12, personalised kneelers £15, from which it was hoped to make a profit to go towards the church hall building fund. The first batch of completed kneelers was dedicated at the parish eucharist on 12 January 1986.

A painting was produced by Madge Harvey from which the studio design was created for the St Mary’s centenary kneeler and the prototype, worked by Ruth Earnshaw, was finished in the summer of 1986. This proved to be a popular design with twenty eventually being worked.

The scheme was completed by february 1988 with over 250 kneelers being worked and the sum of £1,000 having been raised towards the church hall fund. To quote Heather’s words in the final kneeler update published in the February 1988 parish magazine: “These kneelers have not only beautified our church, but are fitting and lasting memorials to loved ones, living and dead.”

Here is a full list of the pew kneelers at St Mary's :-