Art Edwards stands tall in more ways than one. He has to duck going through most doorways as he stands 6 feet four inches, give or take a couple of inches, in his stocking feet. At the moment he stands tall in the second cornet section of Jubilee Brass. Tutored by Tom Wilson Sr., for many years he stood tall in the famous London Citadel Band and he also stood tall as a marvelous vocal soloist. But his story doesn’t start here.

Way back in the year 1914 his dad was a farmer employed by a Mr.Hepburn, a former Premier of the Province of Ontario.
The farm was located near the village of Union, south of St. Thomas, Ontario.

His dad enlisted in the 1914-1918 war with the 19th battalion from St. Thomas. During the battle of Vimy Ridge Art’s dad had a leg blown off by a German shell. Upon returning to Canada and not being able to plow behind a horse he took advantage of a government plan joining the firm of Hobbs glass in London, Ontario. He began making stained glass windows for churches and homes. Business was brisk as they had 30 employees at that time. In 1920, after a year with Hobbs glass Art’s dad left to start a business of his own. A year or so later his farmer brother Samuel joined him with the business being known as ‘Edward’s Brothers Glass.’
As time went by the brother’s sons joined the firm and the name was shortened to ‘Edward’s Glass’.

Art and high school didn’t get along. After flunking 3 grade ten subjects and facing grade 11 with three subjects to carry over he approached his dad asking for a job in glass. Art had found his niche. He was a huge success retiring after 53 years. He has worked on windows from Glace Bay, Nova Scotia to Qualicum Beach in British Columbia spanning this great country, coast to coast.

One of his many calls came from the trustees of the Ancaster, Ontario United Church asking three Ontario studios to submit designs for 22 windows depicting the life of Christ. The winner would get the whole job. After submitting his design Art was called by the chairman of the board and told his quote was turned down because the crucifixion window was not a ‘happy’ window. Art suggested that the crucifixion was not a happy scene and he was given a chance to submit another design.
Art proceeded to ask his artist to prepare a sketch of Christ in the garden of Gethsemane and to show spots of blood on the cheeks of the Christ figure. He was also to design into the window flowering bushes and trees as well as flowers to present a ‘happy’ setting. The Church officials loved it and he got the order for all 22 windows.

Arts magnificent craftsmanship is evident in many Salvation Army facilities. London citadel boasts four such windows; “Christ and the children”,” “Upholding the Cross”, “ The Good Shepherd” and “Christ at the door”. Meadowlands in Hamilton have one as does Cariboo Hill Temple in Vancouver. Cariboo Hill’s window is of ‘Christ at the door” and stands in a lighted frame as part of an oak wall in the foyer. The stained glass window in Glace Bay Nova Scotia depicts two kneeling figures, the one being the Christ figure and the other a miner in work clothes including his helmet. This window was in memory of Joe Foster a good Salvationist and a miner who was murdered by a couple of teenagers for $ 40.00. His attackers may still be in prison today.
Art claims that his most successful endeavor was the three stained glass windows he put into the Georgina Salvation Army Corps at Jacksons Point, Ontario.
Art installed a very historic window in the Wesley-Knox United Church in London. It depicts a picture of Jack Addie and Joe Ludgate at the old London market where they held their first open-air meeting. The words “What hath God wrought?” adorn a monument near where that open-air took place. Addie and Ludgate met at a revival meeting in that Church and when they realized that they both had been members of the Salvation Army in England decided to start the Army in London.

Art proclaims the goodness of God in his life. One year business was slow, his staff was not busy and they needed work. Out of the blue he got a call from a local tavern called “The Beef Baron”. He thought that the least he’d get out of a visit there would be a good beef dinner. He didn’t know the reputation of the place at all but upon arrival all his sensibilities as a tea totaling moral Salvationist were attacked on all fronts. The lights were dim, the bar extremely long and red spotlights on bar and tables. We’ll blur the rest of the details as Art assures us he quickly suggested that he and the manager carry out their discussions in the ‘safe’ confines of the man’s office. There was not much change in the scenery and Art soon found himself home for lunch. He told his wife Marlene that they needed the work but that he could never put his name on a stained glass window in that establishment. He phoned the manager the next day to tell him he wouldn’t do the work. Only three days later he received a call from the largest United church in Leamington, Ontario requesting him to do all new windows in the church, upper and lower levels, which kept them busy for a whole year. “Praise God” says Art.
Art illustrates the goodness of his God with another anecdote:
It was July of 1983 and Edwards Glass was getting a lot of calls from churches in Newfoundland. In spite of the fact his first wife Vera was dying of an inoperable brain tumor she encouraged him to go. It was imperative from a cost standpoint to get set up with a Newfoundland glass company to do the installations. He arrived on a Friday and immediately set up a ten a.m. Saturday appointment with the manager of Pittsburg Glass. Around seven on Friday evening he received a call from his Corps Officer, Major Earl Birt telling him that Vera had gone into a coma and was only going to live for a few hours. Art had to get the next flight home. Art arranged the flight and cancelled his appointment with Pittsburg Glass. Art says that it is here where the story gets unbelievable. He was sitting in the waiting area at Pearson airport in Toronto waiting for a connecting flight to London. He noticed a young man sitting across from him in the waiting room and thought he should know him from someplace. He walked across the room and introduced himself. He enquired as to why he seemed familiar. Had he ever called on him at Edwards Glass? “Yes”, was the young man’s response. “I used to sell you cases of glass from Canadian Pittsburg.”
Art asked him if he still worked for them. “Yes”, he said, “I’m the manager for Pittsburg Glass in St. John’s Newfoundland. I had an appointment for this morning which was cancelled so I took the opportunity to visit my mother and dad in Sarnia”. Art proceeded to tell him he was the guy who had cancelled and why.
He was able to do the necessary business, for which he had traveled to Newfoundland, right there in the Airport. His connecting flight took him to London to the hospital and his wife Vera. He squeezed her hand. She squeezed his. Tears flowed from them both. Vera died the next morning.
Art says his heart cries out, “Dear God, thank you”.