Blue Plaque to Kate Bunce
10 Sep 2015 • General news
On Thursday 10th September the Birmingham Civic Society installed a blue plaque at St Alban's Church commemorating Kate Elizabeth Bunce (1856 – 1927), a prominent artist of the Birmingham School at a time when Birmingham was a leading centre of the Arts and Crafts Movement.
Following speeches, the plaque was first unveiled in St Patrick's chapel by The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Ray Hassall, and Bishop Mark Santer (representing the Right Reverend David Urquhart, Bishop of Birmingham) aided by pupils from St Alban's Academy and Chandos Primary School.
St Patrick's Chapel is home to a magnificent reredos made by Kate Bunce and her sister Myra. Plaques on the reverse of the right-hand panel reveal that it was given in memory of their father John Thackery Bunce (1828 – 1899; for many years the influential editor of the Birmingham Post), their mother Rebecca Ann (1824 – 1891; née Cheesewright), their sister Edith Ann Bunce (1850 – 1878) and Myra Louisa Bunce herself (1854 – 1919) who died in the year that it was installed.
The picture of the reredos above is by Andy Mabbett.
The reredos consists of five tempora panels painted by Kate Bunce in a hand-beaten copper frame. The central panel, depicting the infant Jesus cradled by the wings of angels before the kneeling figure of Mary is flanked by two panels of adoring angels, while the outer panels depict St Patrick and St Alban. The cenral three panels include realistic images of many different birds. The copper surround, made by Myra Bunce has a border of shanrock pattern and roundels including emblems of the four evangelists and of Christ.
After photographs in front of the church, the plaque was installed beside the south door at the foot of the church tower on Conybere Street.
