Three stained glass windows from City Hospital’s former mortuary are now on proud display in their new home at the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital.
The windows were officially unveiled in the People’s Gallery, located on level 5 of the hospital, to the delight of onlookers, which included the descendants of the founder of the stained glass firm who created them.
Swaine Bourne founded the Birmingham-based firm Swaine Bourne & Son in 1868, which was known for its decorative arts and crafts style stained glass.
Peter Hobbs, whose wife is the great granddaughter of Swaine Bourne said: “It’s an honour and a privilege that these works of art are here at the Midland Met.
“Inspired by her family, my wife Heather spent many years creating stained glass as a hobby, and we are so grateful to everyone who has worked on restoring these windows.”
The windows were removed from the mortuary when Birmingham’s 130-year-old City Hospital closed in 2024, ahead of the opening of the Midland Met.
Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, who ran the former hospital, received a £250,000 grant from National Lottery players and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, some of which went towards restoring the 100-year-old-stained glass windows.
The restoration took place at Ark Stained Glass in Droitwich by specialists Jon Watson and Louise Hemmings.
Together, they cleaned each section of glass, re-established the structural integrity of each window, replaced broken sections with beautifully replicated pieces, and replaced the compromised lead.
Louise Hemmings said: “We were privileged to be given the opportunity to contribute towards the preservation of the historic glass and to breathe new life into the windows for future generations to appreciate and admire.”
The windows were given to the hospital chapel by staff in 1931, where they had remained until City Hospital closed its doors.
Anthea Renshaw, Heritage Officer at Your City and Metropolitan Hospitals Charity said: “It feels really special to see these beautiful and historic windows in their new home in the Midland Met.
“These pieces of art hold a lot of significance for many people, and I’m proud that we’ve been able to preserve a piece of City’s legacy.
“This installation is part of ongoing work from the charity aimed at improving the experience of our patients and staff, and I’d like to thank The National Lottery Heritage Fund for all their support with these projects.”