In 1889 a memorial window was unveiled by the young boy Archie Grundy to the memory of his mother Rosalie Grundy in St James’s Church Glenburn (now known as Delamere). The window was created by Ferguson & Urie of Melbourne and supposedly took two years to make.
There are actually three windows in the chancel of St James that are by Ferguson & Urie and all are of similar design and layout. The left window is of St James Major, the centre light is of Jesus Christ, and the right light is of St John. It’s not known whether there is specific memorial text below each window that identifies which particular window either side Christ is the memorial to William Gerrard or Rosalie Grundy as the lower portions are obscured from view.
I disagree with the mention in the 1929 news article that the Grundy window “…took two years in making, because of the difficulty of matching the two new lights with the centre figure of St James…”. This is obviously wrong as the centre figure is of Christ not St James (St James Major) which is the left window. It does suggests that that each window was made at different times in history which is not unusual. I would suggest that the statement about the window being “two years in making” has been misinterpreted over the 35 years that followed. It’s more likely that the funds for the window took two years to raise, or it was simply created two years after the other two windows or something similar. It would difficult to imagine Ferguson & Urie not being easily able to match their own work to something they created earlier unless they had completely lost the designs of their earlier work for the church or the time frame between correspondence with Melbourne and Glenburn/Delamere in South Australia was a contributing factor.
Photos kindly contributed by Mrs Noelle Nathan, taken November 2010.
Significant transcriptions:
The Register, Adelaide, South Australia, Wednesday 24th September 1924, page 12.
“… Rosalie Grundy died at the birth of her only son and child, now Archie Grundy, who has just sold his beautiful property at the Valley, intending to reside in town. In 1889 he unveiled a memorial window to his mother in St. James’s, Glenburn. The window was the work of Ferguson & Urie, of Melbourne, and took two years in making, because of the difficulty of matching the two new lights with the centre figure of St James.…”
Observer. Adelaide, SA, Saturday 11th February 1928, page 48.
“SOME OLD FAMILIES OF RAPID BAY.
By Miss L. Webb.
Among the old hands of Rapid Bay were the Grundy family, whose name has now passed out of the district. The late Joseph Grundy was a well-known pastoralist of the south, and his parents were there before him. His first wife was Rosalie, daughter of the late James Lord. She died a year after marriage, leaving a son, now Mr. Archie Grundy, of Glenelg. The second Mrs. Grundy was Miss Sophia Helen Shillabeer, of an old established family in the district. There were two daughters of this marriage. Mrs. Grundy was a keen war worker, and was on the committee of the Second Valley War Memorial. She was greatly attached to St James’s Church, Glenburn, in which she was confirmed, and in whose church yard she was buried. The east window of St. James’s is in memory of the first Mrs. Grundy, and was unveiled by her son, then quite a child, it was the work of Ferguson & Urie, of Melbourne…”
The Advertiser, Adelaide, SA, Wednesday 21st August 1929, page 15.
“ST. JAMES’S CHURCH GLENBURN”
“… The foundation stone was laid on September 19, 1870, by Dean Russell, assisted by the Revs. Green (Port Adelaide), Howell (Port Elliot), Howitt (Robe), and Morse. The building was designed by Mr. William Anderson, C. E., and was opened on May 4, 1871 by Bishop Short, the Governor of the Province (Sir James Fergusson) being present…”
“… The centre light of the east window represents our Lord. One of the sidelights is in memory of Mr. William Gerrard, a foundation member and benefactor of the church. He left it a sum which yields from £30 to £35 per annum. The other light was in memory of Rosalie, first wife of Joseph Grundy, of Second Valley, and was unveiled by her son and only child, Mr. Archie Grundy, then a boy. There are also windows in memory of Frederick William Collins and Egbert Bennett, both baptised and confirmed in the church, and who gave their lives in the Great War…”
Other references:
The Advertiser, Adelaide, SA, Wednesday 21st August 1929, page 15.
Publications not yet viewed:
The Anglican Church of St James, Delamere, 1871-2001 / Maurice V. Carter.
Ferguson and Urie 
I love these windows Ray. The boys made a real effort here. The church is spectacular too ! – Gavin M