Fabian Window facts for kids

The Fabian Window

The Fabian Window is a beautiful stained-glass window. It shows the people who started the Fabian Society. A famous writer named George Bernard Shaw designed it. This special window was stolen in 1978. It disappeared for a long time! Then, it showed up again at an auction house called Sotheby's in 2005.

In 2006, the window was brought back home. It is now on display at the London School of Economics (LSE). The Prime Minister at the time, Tony Blair, was there for its return. This showed how important the Fabian Society's ideas were to the New Labour party.

The Fabian Window: A Stained-Glass Story

Who Designed This Special Window?

George Bernard Shaw designed this stained-glass window in 1910. He wanted it to celebrate the Fabian Society. The window shows other members of the Society, like Sidney Webb and Edward R. Pease. They are shown helping to "build the new world."

Four important Fabians helped create the London School of Economics. These were Beatrice Webb, Sidney Webb, Graham Wallas, and Bernard Shaw. They used money left to the Fabian Society to start the school. This decision was supposedly made during a breakfast party in 1894.

What Does the Window Show?

An artist named Caroline Townshend made the window based on Shaw's design in 1910. She was a cousin of Shaw's wife. The window includes Shaw and Townshend themselves. It also features many other important Fabians. Some of these include H. G. Wells, Annie Besant, E. Nesbit, and Emmeline Pankhurst.

Where Did the Window Go?

For some reason, Shaw never picked up the window from Townshend's art studio. People believe it stayed there until 1947. That year, Townshend's niece, Eva Bourne, gave it to Beatrice Webb House. This house is a place for conferences and learning. It was officially opened by Clement Attlee, who was a former lecturer at LSE. He also unveiled the Fabian Window at LSE.

The Mystery of the Missing Window

How Was It Found?

The window was stolen from Beatrice Webb House in 1978. It was seen briefly in Phoenix, Arizona, but then vanished again. It suddenly appeared for sale at Sotheby's in July 2005. The Webb Memorial Trust bought it back.

Now, the window is on loan to the London School of Economics. It sits next to a painting of LSE founders Sidney and Beatrice Webb. This painting was done by William Nicholson. The window is in the school's Shaw Library.

Why Is This Window Important?

What Did Tony Blair Say?

Tony Blair talked about how much the Fabians influenced the Labour Party. He said they shaped its ideas and development. He felt that many of the values the Fabians stood for are still important today. He admired how they questioned old ways of thinking. They were very good at challenging common beliefs.

LSE's Connection to the Window

Howard Davies, who was the director of LSE, also spoke. He said it was a great honor for the school to have this important piece of history. He explained that the window reminds everyone of LSE's links to Shaw, the Webbs, and other Fabians. Their ideas still influence how we think about society, money, and politics today.