This month’s object of the month is a watercolour painting which has recently been donated by family members to the museum’s social history collection.

It features an interior view of Holy Trinity Church which was on Church Street, Rugby. Holy Trinity was designed by architect Sir George Gilbert Scott. It was built between 1852- 1854 and closed in 1974 before being demolished in 1983.

The watercolour was painted by Elinor Stokes in 1918 at the age of 17.

Elinor was born 18th October 1901 at Osborne House in Rugby. Her Grandfather, William Sargent was a Master at Rugby School.

She lived the early part of her life in Rugby and also lived for a time in Gayton, Northamptonshire. She studied painting and drawing at school and Northampton School of Art. The family mentioned to us that she lost her sweetheart in the First World War.  She moved away from the area subsequently and never married. She died in 1992.

The watercolour expertly captures the gothic revival details of the church altar. In the lower right-hand corner of the painting, you can see a lectern in the shape of an eagle. This cast iron and painted lectern was kept at St Andrews Church for a time after the demolition of Holy Trinity and was later displayed at the museum.