THE UNITED REFORMED CHURCH
MEMORIAL WALL HANGINGS
Following a funeral service at the United Reformed Church in Knottingley early in 2006, Reverend Gill Brown was approached by a gentleman by the name of Mr. David Smith, a very talented local artist. David was very keen, in honour of the lady who had recently died and because he was so moved by the Service of Celebration and Thanksgiving for her life, to create a number of wallhangings marking different seasons and events, to hang in the Knottingley Church across the year. The four wall-hangings represent the four seasons; the religious ceremonies characteristic of those seasons; the history of Knottingley; the importance of the chapel in that history and to act as a memorial to the Howdle family, most of whom have been chapel members all of their lives. Small insignias of members of the Howdle family, as well as David’s own daughter, Frances Smith, can be found scattered in the pictures. All the Howdle family’s weddings and funerals have been held at the chapel. Frances Smith was a bridesmaid at the wedding of David and Anne. Sadly, she died in Pocklington at the early age of thirty. It was a joy and a priviledge for The Digest to be invited to the home of Mr. David Smith for a preview of the wallhangings so lovingly and passionately painted in acrylics in his private studio.
HE IS RISEN
Colours: The dominant colours are yellow and pale green signifying Springtime. Construction: The work is centred around the crucifixion in which the problem of including both death and resurrection in one scene is resolved by an image of the dead Christ being amalgamated with a figure rising out of his body symbolising his resurrection. The whole design can be seen to stem from the word ‘Risen’. Near the base of the cross is a scene taken from an early photograph of Aire Street in Knottingley in 1846. The spirit of Spring is emphasised by a border made up of stylised daffodils, willow-catkins, snow-drops and crocuses.
SUMMER SUNS ARE GLOWING
Colours: Reds, oranges and bright yellows dominate to give the impression of a hot Summer day. Construction: The design centres on one large circle enclosed by three smaller circles each representing a sun. The large central sun contains an image of the front of the chapel, dominating, as it did in the 19th century - the smaller, suns-cum-industries of the town. The illustrations of a carpenter, a wheelwright and a boat-builder, are taken from early wood-block prints.
THE LORD GOD MADE THEM ALL Colours: The predominant colours are deep brown, golden yellow and red; the colours of a sunny Autumn day. Construction: The word ‘Lord’ is placed at the top of the apex of a golden triangle which contains produce of the earth and symbol’s of Knottingley’s modern industries. At the top are two test tubes representing God as the chemist and Knottingley’s chemical industry. In descending and connected order come reference to the coal, electricity, glass and flour producing industries. At the base of the triangle stands a coal barge riding on water inhabited by a pike, a rainbow trout and a freshwater eel. The lower edges of the triangle are decorated by the ‘harvest festival’ fruits of pears, apples, carrots, grapes, plums and potatoes. A goldfinch, a tree-sparrow, a green-tit and a robin, perch in the four corners of the central area. The autumn season is re-emphasised by the border which contains stylised chestnut and oak leaves, conkers, blackberries, acorns and elderberries. Hiding amongst them cam be found a dormouse, a harvest mouse, a red squirrel, a pygmy shrew, a hedgehog and a rabbit, together with, as in all the hangings, small insignia’s of the Howdle family members.
LOVE CAME DOWN AT CHRISTMAS Colours: The dominant colour is blue to emphasise the cold of the Winter’s day. Construction: A ray of golden light shines down the canvas from “Love” to “Christmas” lightening the figures of Mary and the infant Jesus and the chapel font, made incidenatlly by Stephen Howdle. The words “Knottas People” are placed underneath the font to remind us of the origin of Knottingley’s name, its historic ‘christening’. The two angel figures and their titles are taken from a late nineteenth/early twentieth century banner kept in the chapel cellar. The nativity surround is copied from the chapel’s altar screen. The winter season is emphasised by the representations of holly, ivy and mistletoe, seen in the surrounding border.
The descriptions of the individual wall-hangings, as reproduced above, are taken from an accompanying pamphlet produced by Mr. David Smith.
DEDICATION SERVICE
The four wall-hangings were “Dedicated to the Glory of God” in a church service on Sunday 3rd December 2006, Advent Sunday, which is also the annual service for the church to remember all those who have died during the past year. After the initial dedication service, when all four wall-hangings were on simultaneous display, three of them will be taken down and stored until the relevant time of the year for each to be displayed in turn.
We would like to take this opportunity to offer our sincere thanks to Mr. David Smith for allowing us the honour of viewing the wall-hangings along with many other examples of his work. One can only begin to imagine how much time, work, effort and love has gone into each of these wonderful and unique masterpieces. He has such a passion for each of his subjects and as the saying goes, 'Every Picture Tells a Story' - which in Mr. Smith’s case is very true indeed.
Pamela Bower.