THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
A window on the North side of the nave, depicting St.Catharine and St.Dorothea, was given by the Dalrymple family in around 1900.
The present organ was installed in 1901, and was made by J.Porritt of Leicester. On the case is a memorial plate to Horace Webster, organist from 1930 to 1963.
In 1907 the heaviest of the church's three bells was re-cast. It weighs 7 cwt, 1 qr 5lb and sounds A Flat. It was dated 1606 and (like another dated 1609) was inscribed “Be in knowne to all that me see that Newcome of Leicester made mee”. When it was re-cast the additional inscription was added “In memory of Gilbert and Jane Mee”. The third oldest bell, dated 1636, cast by Hugh Watts of Leicester, is inscribed: “IHS Nezarenvs Rex Ivdeorum Fili Dei Miserere Mei”. In 1909 two new bells were added, each inscribed “This Bell was placed here by the United Effort of the Parishioners”. They were cast by J.Taylor & Co. of Loughborough. One is also inscribed “Praised be the Lord” and the other “The Lord's Name be Praised”. With the additional bells there was no room in the tower for the old dialless tower clock, made by William Davis in 1720. This is now in the care of Leicestershire Museums Service. In 1910 a table which is now in the vestry was made out of the old oak frame for the bell of 1606. (A sixth bell was added to the ring in 1970).
In 1912 stained glass was inserted in the north window of the sanctuary, in memory of the Rev George Postlethwaite, “curate” of the parish between 1894 and 1910. He is buried just outside the window. The window shows the Resurrection, with the angel telling the women “He is not here, he is risen”.
The watercolour painting shown on this website was painted in 1912 by Roland George Barker (1885-1958) of JW Barker and Son, a painting and decorating business on Belvoir Street, Leicester. It is not known whether this represents the actual decoration of 1912, or whether it is a proposal for a new scheme.
A new East window was inserted in 1920, in memory of the men of the parish who died in the First World War. It was given by Thomas and Beatrice Hollis, whose eldest son John Gordon Hollis died on the Somme on 14th July 1916. (See the separate article on the War Memorial). Thomas Hollis was a timber merchant, and the family lived at Barncroft in Kirby Fields. John Gordon had studied at the university of Dusseldorf, in Germany, before the war. He and two of his brothers all enlisted as private soldiers at the beginning of the war, but he was soon offered a commission as temporary second lieutenant in the 7th Battalion of the Leicestershire “Tigers” Regiment. There are two tigers high up in the spandrels of the outer lights of the East Window. Oak leaves also reflect the fact that on 15th June 1916 Lt. J.G. Hollis was “Mentioned in Despatches”. The window was made by the firm of Heaton, Butler and Bayne, from a design by Christopher Whall. The central panel shows Christ in glory, saying: “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life”. Saint George and the Archangel Michael reflect the theme of battle, and also represent England and France, and a small panel showing St.Andrew represents Russia, which fought on the same side.
A new boiler was installed in 1924. In 1925 the vestry was extended, at a cost of £495. The date '1925' on an oak beam there was carved by the builder and churchwarden, Mr.Armson.
On 29th July 1930 Kirby Muxloe became a separate parish, together with Leicester Forest. (Although Leicester Forest was formerly extraparochial - not part of any parish - its few inhabitants had been attending Kirby Church for centuries.) The population of Kirby village was then 1,500. The first Vicar was Canon Whorlow, who had been the Curate. A memorial to him in Hoptonwood Stone was placed in the Sanctuary in 1934.
During the second world war the glass of the West window was destroyed by the blast of two parachute mines in the evening of 19th November, 1940. It is generally supposed that the bombers were lightening their load as they returned from the raid on Coventry. One of the bombs destroyed the Free Church building at the end of Main Street, and for three months the Free Church congregation used St.Bartholomew's for their services.
In 1950 it was found that the west wall of the church was in very poor condition. So too were the rear pews, and the supports for the raised dais on which they stood were perished. They were all removed, and the remaining pews from the south west corner were moved to the north west, leaving a space into which the font was moved to create a baptistry area. The cost of these repairs was £195, 17 shillings and 1 penny, and at the same time the church was redecorated at a cost of £170 and ten shillings. Thirty wooden chairs were purchased at £1 each.
After the war the population of Leicester Forest East grew rapidly and an appeal was launched to build a daughter church there. This became St.Andrew's Church, which was opened on 21 September 1966.
