Henry Thomas Bosdet

From Jerripedia

Henry Thomas Bosdet

Jersey's churches lost all their stained glass windows in the 16th century, destroyed in the Reformation by order of Henry VIII. It is largely thanks to the work of Jersey artist Henry Thomas Bosdet that such fine windows are again to be found in many of the parish churches

Henry Bosdet, aged five, with his parents

Family

Bosdet was the son of Captain Thomas Bosdet (Merchant Service) and Sophia Mary, nee Le Roy. Born at St Helier on 7 January 1857, he was educated at Boyer's School, Beaumont, University College School, London, and the Royal Academy. On leaving the Royal Academy he became Director of an Art School in Islington. In 1890 he returned to the Royal Academy as Curator of the Life School. He painted a number of portraits and French landscapes, but abandoned this form of art on becoming interested in stained glass through his friendship with Philip Westlake.

Among his numerous stained glass windows in England are those at Hexham Abbey, Northumberland. His windows outside England include one in the English Church at Dinan and nine in the English Church in Utrecht.

Jersey work

Examples of his work in Jersey are seven windows in St Brelade's Church, five in the adjoining Fisherman's Chapel, illustrating the life of St Brendon; the Last Supper in St Lawrence's Church, the Annunciation in the Town Church, the Marriage at Cana in St Aubin on the Hill, and the reredos in St Saviour's. There are also windows by Bosdet in St Andrew's Church, St Mary's Church, St John's Church, St Luke's Church and Gouray Church. His windows at St Ouen's Manor illustrate heraldically the history of the De Carteret family. He returned to the island in 1920, went to live in the south of France in 1927, but came back again in 1931. He married Mrs Julia Marion Reece Edwards of London and then Mary Catherine, daughter of William Brereton, of Queen's College, Galway. By his second marriage he had one son, Harry Westropp Bosdet. He died at La Patrimoine, St. Lawrence, on 23 May 1934, and was buried at St Saviour.