| Along with churches, church furnishings have | | | | was used to keep all the parts of the church pews, |
| undergone changes too. An integral part of church | | | | stack chairs and other church furniture, was urea |
| furniture is church chairs. Over time, they too have | | | | formaldehyde glue. The reason for this was that this |
| evolved and now hold an important place among the | | | | glue was said to create the perfect bond between the |
| church furnishings. The style of chairs in the 17th | | | | joints and it was said to be helpful in increasing the life |
| century was of a very simple nature but nowadays | | | | of the furniture. The strut of these church chairs was |
| you find church chairs with a variety of designs. | | | | angled to provide the required strength to the struts. |
| The liturgy actually discouraged a lot of people from | | | | The legs of these chairs were also braced with glue |
| attending the congregation and their thinking was that | | | | so that it would counteract the high-pressure, which |
| more people could be accommodated when everyone | | | | was created when people leaned back on these |
| was standing rather than sitting. Another reason was | | | | chairs. The angle or curve was either cut with a |
| that church funds were scarce so a lot of churches | | | | handsaw or at times even by hand. In earlier times |
| were in a state of dilapidation and disrepair. So they | | | | chairs were either oiled or waxed whereas in modern |
| were unable to have repairs done and also couldn't | | | | times, an acid lacquer polish is used for the finishing of |
| afford new furniture. | | | | these church chairs. This was the typical structure and |
| During the period between the 17th and the 19th | | | | creation of church chairs in those times. |
| century, churches having pews and chairs were | | | | In the early times, the laborers who created these |
| charged rent. This rent was to be paid by the | | | | church chairs and church pews were nomadic turners |
| occupant of the pew or chair. For those whom this | | | | who were also known as "bodgers". These bodgers |
| rent was heavy on their pocket, had to make do with | | | | mostly resided in the village situated near High |
| standing at the side aisle or gallery. This rent was | | | | Wycome. |
| charged as a tax for those who wanted the privilege | | | | Going according to history, the skilled laborers used for |
| of being accommodated on a seat next to the main | | | | making these church chairs was basically acquired |
| aisle. | | | | from various manufacturing industries which actually |
| Around the 18th century, a revolution came about | | | | handled the production of items like spoons, bowls etc. |
| where changes started to creep in and the social | | | | these workers found making chairs as a good |
| barriers were also starting to disappear. Now in this | | | | part-time job as this industry was on a rise. And so a |
| era the church encouraged everyone to join in the | | | | group of skilled workers of wooden articles was |
| congregations held in the church. This called for new | | | | formed who provided services for making chairs for |
| seating arrangements and a higher number for seats | | | | the church. |
| for the increased population attending church. So now | | | | The increasing need for a larger number of church |
| most of the chapel or church chairs were similar in | | | | chairs is felt through out. For example, The Basilica in |
| shape and sizes. For this reason, the raw material, | | | | Rome is one of the most popular churches in the |
| namely wood which was used to create church chairs | | | | world. It has a lot of space and can accommodate |
| and stacking chairs, also had to be the same | | | | unto 90,000 people. But the sad part is that it doesn't |
| throughout. As a result the manufacturing of these | | | | have enough chairs to have everyone seated for the |
| chairs grew and about 100 workers were roped in to | | | | congregation. When the Pope presides over the |
| do this job. | | | | ceremonies in the church, only a maximum of 11,500 |
| Now for making wooden chairs, the most important | | | | people can be accommodated in the seats available. |
| material is timber. Beech, Elm, Oak and sometimes | | | | The rest have to stand throughout the ceremony and |
| American ash was the popular timber desired by all | | | | keep craning their necks to get a feel of what is going |
| the manufacturers and was brought in from various | | | | on. But the 11,500 chairs have been strategically |
| specialized brokers. With the limited technology | | | | positioned so that everyone gets a view of the |
| available then, the timber had to be taken good care | | | | proceedings at the central altar. |
| off. So when the delivery of the timber was made to | | | | It is said that at one point of time in history, the best |
| the workshop, it was kept in a hot-room so that the | | | | quality church chairs and pews were produced in |
| moisture content of the timber would be reduced by | | | | England. The records show that in 1939, the number of |
| 10%. After this process, the timber was checked and | | | | workers working in this industry under different |
| various defects were removed. Then the remaining | | | | manufacturers was almost 10,000. But now due to the |
| timber was cut according to the specifications for the | | | | advance in technology and the available machinery, the |
| chairs and then it was ready for the finishing touches. | | | | number of workers has been greatly reduced and the |
| This was the manufacturing process for church chairs | | | | number has come down to 8000 workers. Now it's a |
| that was in use a few centuries back. | | | | new era in the manufacturing of church chairs and |
| After the planks or the post hand turning was ready, | | | | other furniture. And now what was unthinkable in the |
| the church furniture just needed assembling. For this | | | | 20th century has been achieved in the 21st century, |
| purpose all the parts were transported to the | | | | namely, the availability of church pews and stacking |
| assembly area to have them assembled together by | | | | chairs over the Internet. |
| hand pressing or with the help of jigs. The glue, which | | | | |