Conserving St Michael's banner

About the banner

We're looking to conserve a banner which was presented to St Michael's at the end of the Second World War by

Mr and Mrs A.G. Sparkes in thanksgiving for their son returning safely from active service.

The banner depicts St Michael holding a cross, flanked by seven further angels. It also includes a cross and and set of scales (a symbol of St Michael).

The banner was embroidered by the Sisters of St. Margaret’s, East Grinstead, Originally known as a nursing order helping the rural poor, the St Margaret sisters, established in 1855, also ran a renowned school of embroidery.

The banner is still just about structurally sound but due to its age and the effects of light damage, the original laid threads, particularly the metal ones, are now starting to pop off and hang loose. The thread holding the lining onto the main banner is broken along the top edge meaning that the lining has dropped and now shows.

Work involved

The work will be undertaken by Zenzie Tinker Conservation based in Brighton and will cost in the region of £5000. We will also need to apply for a Faculty from the Chancellor of Diocese for the work to be carried out and to enable the banner to be moved to a new permanent position in the church where it can be safely displayed without risk of renewed deterioration.

The work will include removing the lining to enable full access to the existing interlining and to allow all loose sections to be repaired.

Couching stitching of the metalwork to the embroidery and the cross will be renewed. Some of the most damaged areas of embroidery will be further protected with an overlay of dyed conservation net as necessary.

The banner will also be surface cleaned and there will be further cleaning to the pole and metal ends.