A Walk in Camden

When I visited Philadelphia in the summer of 2012, I persuaded my cousin Suzy to take a walking tour to search out locations our ancestors had lived and worked in downtown Camden.  Maybe not the best idea, as you know, Camden is not the safest place in the world.  After seeing tennis shoes hanging off the electric wires (a sign for drug dealing?), being glared at by men on a porch, and finally stopped by a police officer who told us this was not a good street to be on, we finally reached the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and decided to go inside for a little respite.  The large stone building at 642 Market Street was just blocks from Arthur and Margaret Bonsor’s home at 706 Market.  We walked in and felt the cool air and the quiet of the church, a nice change from the busy street outside.  After our eyes adjusted to the dim lights, we walked around looking at the beautiful stained glass windows.  They were large, about 8’ tall set into both side walls of the church.  As I gazed at one, I noticed at the bottom of each window names were formed with pieces of the stained glass.  These names must have been the parishioners that donated that particular window.  I looked at each one as I walked down the aisle and there it was, “Arthur H and Margaret Bonsor” in large stained glass lettering inserted into a beautiful window.  

The scene was the ”Wedding at Cana”, where Jesus conducted his first miracle. In the biblical account, Jesus and his mother, Mary, are invited to a wedding, and when the wine runs out, Jesus performs a miracle by turning water into wine.  Suzy rushed over and we both stared in wonder, that was our Great-Grandparents names, they donated this window.  I did some research on the church of the Immaculate Conception and found it was built in 1864 after Irish immigration accelerated and the current church building became too small. This church was built of stone and measured 60 by 165 feet.  It was finally finished in 1888 when the tower and spire were completed.  The interior was extensively renovated in 1890 when the marble alters were added.  Arthur and Margaret must have donated the window at this time, just as they were married. Perhaps Arthur gave Margaret the “Wedding at Cana” window as a wedding present.  This was the church the Bonsor Family attended during the time they lived in Camden.   Arthur wrote in a letter that he became a Catholic to marry the love of his life, Margaret since she was a devout woman. He seemed to take his religion seriously and participated in this parish, even giving a window. Their two children Ethel and Alice and other members of their family must have been baptized, and received the other sacraments within these walls.  I will continue to research to find out more family history.  It was wonderful to find this family treasure in the midst of Camden.