Mary Ormond (nee Greeves), the wife of the Hon Francis Ormond, died at “Ognez”, Toorak, on the 6th of July 1881 and she was buried at the Geelong Eastern cemetery. In early 1882 Francis commissioned the Ferguson & Urie stained glass company of North Melbourne to create her memorial stained glass window to be erected in the liturgical west wall of the Toorak Presbyterian Church.
The Australasian Sketcher with Pen and Pencil, Melbourne. Saturday 25th March 1882, page 91.
“A VERY handsome memorial window has just been placed in the Toorak Presbyterian Church. The donor is the Hon. Francis Ormond, and it has been erected in memory of his late wife. Occupying as it does the gable of the church, it enhances the appearance of the whole interior. The whole work has been carried out with great taste by Messrs. Ferguson and Urie, of Collins-street.”
Photos taken 1st November 2010.
The window depicts the following biblical representations and text:
First light:
Pictorial representation: “HE HAD COMPASSION ON HIM” (Luke 10:33)
Quatrefoil with text: “I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD” (John 8:12)
Pictoral representation of Jairu’s daughter being raised from the dead with text: “DAMSEL I SAY UNTO THEE RISE” (Mark 5: 41)
Centre Light:
Depiction of the Good Shepherd with text: “I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD” (John 10:11)
Quatrefoil with Text: “THE GOOD SHEPHERD GIVETH HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP” (John 10:11)
Third Light:
Pictorial representation with text “I WAS SICK & YE VISITED ME” (Matthew 25:36)
Quatrefoil with text: “I AM THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE” (John 14:6)
Pictorial representation: “MARY HATH CHOSEN THAT GOOD PART” (Luke 10:42)
The memorial text across the bottom of all three lights reads:
“IN LOVING MEMORY OF | MARY WIFE OF FRANCIS ORMOND | OF BORRINALLOAK DIED 6th JULY 1881”
External Links:
Biography: Francis Ormond (1829-1889) ( Includes some detail about his first wife Mary).
This window was restored by Geoffrey Wallace Stained Glass Studio of Caulfield North in 2000.
Ferguson and Urie 