Edinburgh:Mayfield Salisbury Parish Church of Scotland, South Clerestory

Humility, Joy, Mercy

Window of two lancets with a round tracery window.

This window depicts the personification of Humility, Joy and Mercy. Humility is seen holding a bird to protect it from windy skies. Joy is holding a small flute with a singing bird above in a summer sky. Mercy, seen in a nurse’s uniform, is tending to an injured bird.

Inscription:
Lancet 1:
‘Humility’
Lancet 2:
‘Joy’
Round Window:
‘Mercy’

(Information provided by “The Mayfield Salisbury Windows- ‘Thy Story in Glass’.” Dr. Elizabeth Cumming 2010).

Artist/Designer:
Charles Lamb Davidson- (1897-1948) Davidson was born in Brechin and was a son of a monumental sculptor of stone and marble- Charles Davidson. He attended Glasgow School of Art gaining a PGDiploma in 1919. Davidson was a cartoonist for the Glasgow Evening Times, a painter in oil and watercolour and exhibited at the RSA and the Glasgow Institute. He designed stained glass and did interior designs for Guthrie and Wells.

Firm/Company:
Guthrie and Wells, Glasgow (1897-1960s) was created by the merging of J&W Guthrie, the sole partner- William Guthrie and Andrew Wells, a decorator. The company designed interior fittings such as decor, wallpapers, stained glass, tiles, carpets and furniture. The firm ceased creating stained glass in the 1960s. (RM 2010)