Published: Thursday, 11th December, 2008 10:25am

Retro: Font of no-knowledge

by David Cliffe

Comments (0) | Print | Email

TODAY'S picture, for a change, is a watercolour painting, rather than a photograph.

It shows a font on a plinth and an open church door, and has been in the box of pictures needing research for as long as I can remember.

Since I began writing these articles in 2003, I've produced well over 200, and there is no sign of running out of material. Sometimes I choose a picture because it's interesting or extraordinary, and I feel it ought to be seen, and sometimes I choose one because there's a problem which Retro readers may be able to solve. More often than not, my questions are answered. Let us hope that this is the case with the font.

This font is rather plain, with fluting round the edge of the bowl, which is supported on four round pillars with scalloped capitals. There is a monogram in the bottom left-hand corner of the painting - the initials M.W. and the date, 1895. It's likely that the font is still in use in a church somewhere near here.

Anyone with information can contact the Chronicle newsdesk on 0118 963 3152.