Leonard Robin
Rev. Leonard Phillip Robin was
Vicar of Melbourne for 10 years. He was at St Aidan’s College, Birkenhead when in
1893 he was chosen to do missionary work in Melanesia by the Bishop of London.
On his return he became curate of St James’s Church, Buxton and was then
offered the Vicarage of Melbourne in 1908.
Unfortunately Rev. Robin seemed to
have quickly upset some in the parish because of his High Church views and
found himself in dispute with some of the parishioners with regard to
alterations he wished to make to the services and furniture of the church. He
applied to erect a second altar in a side chapel, which was opposed, and then
fell out with Mrs Snape, the Sunday School teacher. He then introduced wafers
instead of bread at communion, elaborate vestments and a bell. He also lowered
the altar step all of which actions were taken to the Consistory Court by the
parishioners.
At this point one of the
Churchwardens (see William Armson) resigned and Alfred Heney Snape was
elected as Churchwarden which seemed to have just fuelled the fire. An argument
between the vicar and Mr Snape, over a passage written by the vicar in the
parish magazine, resulted in a court case for libel at Derby Assizes which was heavily
covered by the local papers.
Rev. Robin died in 1918, aged 56,
leaving money for an oak panelled screen in the church. He must have still had
many of parishioners on his side for they subscribed to a stained glass window
in his memory.
The 3 light window, over the disputed altar in the side chapel, now the Lady Chapel is inscribed:
“Leonard Phillip Robin, Priest, at rest 12 December, 1918”.
It has St Michael in the central light with the Dove of the Holy Spirit above him, surrounded on both sides by angels. The Latin inscription on his banner says "Quis es sumus Deo", (Who are you? I am your God. Isaiah 41.10)
The Latin banners on either side say, "Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus", (Holy, Holy, Holy) and "Dominus Deus Omnipotens", (Lord God Almighty).
The oak screen, of six panels, which screens of the vestry, with the organ above it, is
carved with vine leaves and fruit.