The Children's Corner

The Children’s Corner is at the west end of the south aisle and was set up as a memorial to F W Elam, Headmaster of St Michael’s Day School from 1900 to 1933.

A famous Yorkshire woodcarver, Robert Thompson of Kilburn (known as ‘the Mouseman’), carried out the work. His ‘signature’ was a carved mouse, of which several can be found here and elsewhere in the church. The small carved cross commemorates H A Sugden, Headmaster 1933-1948.

The window on the west wall depicts, in the upper scene, Jesus between St Luke and St Cecilia (who is the patron saint of musicians) and, below, the Good Samaritan (Luke ch.10), a figure that may be Caedmon of Whitby (who can also be seen in the reredos) and an angel choir.

On the South wall, the window is dedicated to John Wilkinson of North Hill, Headingley, who died 14th May 1885. The upper scene shows the Transfiguration of Jesus, with Moses and Elijah; Peter, James and John are below (Matthew ch.17). The lower scene shows the healing of a mentally disturbed boy (Matthew ch.17).

Hanging from a pillar near the Children’s corner is a painting of Jesus appearing to Mary on the first Easter Day. This is a reminder of a tragic event in the parish when one of a series of brutal murders took place not far from the church. The victim was Jaqueline Hill, a student at Leeds University. The picture was given in her memory by the artist K M Crossley in 1982.