St Matthias war memorial shines proudly

August 30, 2019 Jackie Ambrosini No comments

St Matthias Church war memorial is restored

St Matthias Church in Stoke Newington has benefited from a grant of £3,000 from the War Memorials Trust towards the much-needed repair of the bronze plaque commemorating over 200 parishioners or church members who died in WWI.

Designed by famous Victorian metalwork artist William Bainbridge Reynolds, the very heavy plaque has been repaired, stripped of 100 years of patinas and dirt, and its original dark bronze finish restored by metal conservers Antique Bronze of Highgate.“The war memorial had deteriorated over the years but we are delighted it can once again take its place of honour on the wall of our church and pay homage to those who made the ultimate sacrifice, says vicar of St Matthias, Father David Lambert.“We take great pride in remembering all those who gave their lives during the Great War, and it is our privilege to remember those who once lived in this Parish. The church of St Matthias will continue to give thanks and to remember and hold in our prayers the names on the roll, once again welcoming families and friends searching for their loved one’s name.“It is only fitting that their names should shine out once again so everyone who visits St Matthias can read them, and we are grateful to the War Memorials Trust for recognising our need for funding and making this happen.The WMT has paid 80% of the restoration costs, the rest was raised through our team at St Matthias Halls working with Fr Lambert and the congregation to hire out the church for events, filming and recordings.Frances Moreton, Director, War Memorials Trust said, “War memorials are a link between previous generations, ours and those who follow us. They enable us to pay tribute to the sacrifices of so many. War Memorials Trust is delighted to support this project and assist the community to improve the condition of the war memorial.”See what the Hackney Gazette is saying

Categories: events archive