Charles Booth

Thank you for sending me the pictures of your church. They (the windows) are indeed by Charles Booth.

Mr. Booth was born in Liverpool, England on August 19, 1844. He was married to Emma Smith on December 4, 1866. A daughter, Harriet, was born to the union on August 30, 1867 before Emma died of peritonitis on September 24, 1868. On October 18, 1869, Charles married Sarah Roberts, also born in Liverpool, in St Luke's Protestant Episcopal Church, Brooklyn, New York. The family moved to Orange, NJ where he had his workshop in a shed at the rear of his home. His showroom and "office" was in New York City. The family evidently returned to England in 1880 and settled in London. Booth opened his glass business at 98 Gower Street but also was represented in New York City by Charles Hogeman. Booth died of influenza and pneumonia on December 13, 1893 at his home in London and on December 16, 1893 was buried in Highgate Cemetery, London. Hogeman had moved into the house in Orange and continued to operate the business in both Orange and New York City as late as 1912.

Booth's documented stained glass windows beautify a number of churches throughout the United States from Michigan to Georgia and from Texas to Connecticut as well as a home in Colorado. Other windows which give evidence of his style and workmanship have been found par ticularly in the New York City and northern New Jersey areas.

In addition to his work as a glass stainer, Booth was an artist working in both watercolor and oils. An advertisement in his book "Hints On Church and Domestic Windows Plain and Decorated" of 1876 offers Ecclesiastical Stained Glass, Domestic Stained Glass, Art Tinted Tiles and Decorative Panels for all purposes.

Window "click" A1 ("Bless the Little Child") is unique. I have not seen a copy of this. Windows "click" A2, ("Saint John the Apostle") "click" A3, ("Jesus Blessing the Children") and "click" A7 ("The Calling of the Disciples") of the Chancel area are really to small for me to see detail. "click" "The Good Shepherd" (and right and left lancets) window looks to be very similar to those in other churches. Window A4, the "click" "Cherubs" is not Italian, but was done by Booth. There are several very like to it. Window "click" A5, ("Saint Luke") A6 and "click" A8 ("Cross and Crown") are not known to me in any other churches although "click" A6 ("Young Disciple John"), may be a duplicate of one that was removed from our church. The only picture we have of it is very indistinct. Window "click" B1 ("He Gives His Beloved Sleep") must have been one of his favorites. There are six or eight copies of it all across the country. Window B2 is one of the five "click" "Nativity" windows Booth created. This one, however, appears not to have been duplicated. (More on this window in a later addition to the site.) Window B3 is repeated in another church along side a window that has the other "click" "Wise Virgins." Window "click"B4 ("Angel of Faith") is typical of his work. Window "click" B5 (Mary, "The Magnificat", the only window not created by Booth) is rather unusual for Booth. I must compare it more closely. And Window "click" B6 ("Jesus Appears to Mary in the Garden") is another of his most popular works. However, the figure of Mary M is somewhat different and while the pose of Jesus is the same, the garment is of a different color and with many more folds.

How lucky you are to have these windows. Only now is his work becoming recognized in the stained glass field. You have been so kind in giving me these pictures. Would it be possible to have a close up picture of "The Good Shepherd" and the left and right lancets? What is the inscription on these? And please, any correspondence, billings, mentions in minutes of official boards, etc., please share them with me. Do you have any dates on these windows? I would much like to date these installations in light of his sure and certain death in December 1893!

Again my thanks for sharing them with me. I do look forward to hearing from you!

Cordially,
Donald L. Clapper