Subject

Light of the World

Text

Lead kindly light lead Thou me on

Inscription

HMAS Sydney To the glory of God and in loving memory of Stoker Thomas Charles Joseph Berry of HMAS Sydney A tribute from his comrades He did his duty and did it well

Description & History

Stained glass artist William Montgomery (1850-1927) reported to the Reverend FH Ingamells that he would be please to execute a window with Light of the World as its subject, up to a limit of £50, rather less than was usual for a window of that size. Because of the distance from Melbourne, he requested the vicar to ask a local man to measure up the window and to make a template. The Light of the World cartoon was based on the Holman Hunt painting of the same name, but it was necessary to severely simplify the detail to suit the narrow confines of this window. Montgomery kept the cost down by placing the figure against a backdrop of rectangular quarries, painted with a simplified cross motif. An account was issued on 8 September 1920 for £50 with an additional £1.5.0 a month later. The full amount was paid on 2 December.

Thomas Charles Joseph Berry was born on 20 October 1898, son of John Thomas and Sarah Elizabeth Berry of Lincoln Hill, Creswick, Vic. He was serving as Stoker 2nd Class on HMAS Sydney when he was accidently drowned on 6 Decmeber 1919 and was buried at sea. He was commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial, England.

References & Acknowledgements

AWM Roll of Honour; Record of Service (Petty Officers and Men), Navy records A6770/3, National Archives of Australia; Letterbooks 1/988, 1/1000 NGA Research Collection, Canberra ACT. Folios 146 and 147, Montgomery ledger William Montgomery Collection MS15414, State Library of Victoria.