South Yorkshire Times July 23, 1966
Two Boys Design an Altar Rail
As an end of term project two Conisbrough Northcliffe High Schoolboys have done for Sprotborough Methodist Church a job which could have cost up to £150 if it had been tackled by professionals.
John Tuffrey and Finlay King, both 16, have designed and built in wrought iron a 25 feet long altar rail for the church and it has been installed this week.
Full-time
The boys have been working on the altar rail full-time since they completed their “O” level exam three weeks ago, some nights working until 9 pm. The total cost to the church will be £17 – the cost of the materials.
Among the processes involved in the construction were forging and welding.
The rail consists of an open framework, deliberately designed so as not to create a barrier between the congregation and the alter, and a centrepiece which is a simple fishshape – the early Christian sign -with the Greek work for fish formed inside it. The letters of the word symbolise the words, “Jesus Christ, God’s son, saviour.” When complete, the rail will be painted Matt black and the centrepiece will be picked out in gilt stop
How It Began
The project started when the reverent D Macdonald, superintendent minister of both Sprotborough and Conisbrough Messages Churches, mentioned to the school’s metalwork master, Mr G Copley, that the Sprotborough church was undergoing alterations to make it more “church like” after 80 years of serving as a dual purpose church and church hall.
Mr Copley, in turn, mentioned it to the two boys and they offerd to tackle the job.
Mr Copley said “this is a worthwhile project for the boys. They have enjoyed doing it, and it will also count as the “hobby” section of their Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award.”
“Just a hobby”
Neither of the boys, who start Sixth Form courses at Mexborough Grammar School next term, want to take up metalwork as a career. “It is just a hobby,” said John, who wants to go in for engineering. Finlay, who wants to become a journalist, added, “I enjoy metalwork, but I shouldn’t like to do it full time.