Monument to William Marsden St John’s Church

MARSDEN MONUMENT - The monument, though in high relief is still a mural one, which may be described as a canopied shrine, placed on the south wall of the church. The gothic style has been selected as affording the greatest scope for developing the design. The monument is divided in its width into three elaborate arched and canopied niches, filled with sculpture in high relief. The centre, and largest, contains a figurative representation of the shrouded body of the deceased being conveyed heavenwards by angels, the earth being indicated by mountains carved at the base, behind which the sun is represented as setting; and the firmament above, by the upper portion of the background of the figures being studded over with stars. The niches on either side contain sculpture intended to represent mental and physical improvement, the chief objects for which the half-holiday was obtained. On the one hand a figure of venerable aspect is engaged in the delivery of a lecture to a number of youths surrounding him; and on the other, young men are represented playing the game of quoits, which, besides its classical associations with sculpture, is a very appropriate type for active recreation. The monument is entirely executed in the fine white stone from the quarries at Caen, in Normandy. The canopies surrounding the niches are highly enriched with carved foliage, pinnacles, and crocketted finials, and are delicately groined underneath with ribs and bosses, crenelated battlements etc, the whole crowned with a cornice, enriched with carvings. The tablet with the inscription in illuminated old English characters occupies the whole of the base of the monument:

“In memory of William Marsden, who presided over the committee which obtained for Manchester, in 1843, the Saturday half-holiday. He died May 1843, aged 22 years. In affectionate remembrance of his private worth, and in commemoration of the cause in which he felt so deep an interest, this monument is raised, by the contributions of those who have benefitted by his efforts – Cast thy bread upon the waters, and thou shall find it after many days.” The monument has been designed by Messrs Travis and Mangnall, architects, and executed under their superintendence by Mr John Mowbray junior of Cheetwood.

MONUMENT TO THE LATE MR. W. MARSDEN— The labours of Mr. W. Marsden, as chairman of the committee which seven years ago achieved for the warehousemen of Manchester the privilege of ceasing their work on Saturday at noon, have been gratefully remembered and acknowledged tho3e who have been benefited by the successful exertions then made. Mr. Marsden died in May, 1848, and a beautiful monument to his memory has just been erected in St. John's Church by the warehousemen of the town, and others participating in the advantage of the half holiday, who have raised sufficient to pay for it in contributions of not more than a shilling each, many of them considerably under that sum. The number of subscribers, therefore, is necessarily very large. The Gothic style has been adopted for the monument, and the material used is the stone so much in request for sculptures this kind from Caen, in Normandy. It is divided into three elaborate niches its width, filled with sculpture in high relief. The centre and largest contains figurative representation of the shrouded body of the deceased being conveyed heavenward by angels—the earth indicated by mountains carved at the base, behind which the sun is represented as setting, and the firmament above by studding the upper portion of the background with stars. The niches on either side contain sculptures intended to represent mental and physical improvement, the chief objects for which the half-holiday was obtained. In one a figure of venerable aspect engaged in the delivery of a lecture to a number of youths surrounding him, and in. the other young men are represented playing at the game of quoits. The canopies surmounting the niches are highly enriched with carved foliage; they are delicately groined with crockets and pinnacles, ribs and bosses, the whole crowned with a cornice enriched with carvings. The tablet, with the following inscription in illuminated Old English characters, occupies the whole width of the bottom of the monument. In memory of William Marsden, who presided over the committee which obtained for Manchester, in 1843, the Saturday half-holiday, he died May, 1848, aged 28 years. In affectionate remembrance of his private worth, and commemoration the cause in which he felt so deep an interest, this monument is raised by the contributions of those who have been benefited by his efforts. "Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days." The monument has been designed by Messrs Travis and Mangnall, architects, and executed under their superintendence Mr. John Mowbray, jun., of Cheetwood. [Manchester Courier 13 July 1850 page 9]

Reference    Manchester Guardian 13 July 1850 page 6
Reference    Manchester Courier 13 July 1850 page 9