Finding Lost Glasby Windows

We found 67 churches where William Glasby's work is displayed, but where we do have a vidimus. But we also have 37 numbers in the sequence for which we do have a vidimus. So, we presume the missing vidimuses are in all probability related to those 67 churches.

We thought we had discovered all the existing Glasby stained glass ... but in April 2024 we received a surprise email from David Chilton who had discovered a new Window at St Mary's Abbotskerswell. David discovered our website when he was researching the Window and kindly sent us the photographs:

(c) David Chilton 2024

(c) David Chilton 2024.

The Window is a typical Glasby style and also includes his signature and date (1935). To date we have not been able to contact the church and to find out any information. We do not have a vidimus for the church.

Glasby had a distinctive style and we suggest that Logs 57, 63, 64, 65, 73, 88, 148, 167, 176, 193, 194 are good examples to look for in churches.

If you see such a style without a date/artist please take a photo and get in touch: E. Szyszczak@sussex.ac.uk.

NEW INFORMATION FROM VIRGINIA, USA.

Erika asked a friend, Marianne Giles, who lives in Richmond, Virginia, USA if she could go to the local archive to retrieve the information on Log 145, St Mark. Marianne discovered 3 documents which shed new light on Glasby's marketing techniques. The documents would have been written around 1928/29 and Glasby lists Churches where he claims to have painted Windows - with testimonials from the person commissioning the works.

Subsequently in January 2026 we discovered two copies of this document in the Donald Green Archive at English Heritage, Swindon.

Many of these works are new to us and we are trying to track them down. However, we think they may be references to work Glasby carried out for Holiday and Morris & Co.

For example, we have corresponded by email with the Church at Halam in Nottinghamshire where the Window is ascribed Stained Glass Windows  from 1919 identified as designed by  Morris & Co? "The west window of the south aisle

and the single windows either side of the porch are by Morris &

Co., 1919. " When we looked at the website. On the Halam - Glass

website it states: "Nave north side west end; a single C13th lancet with glass by Morris and Co. of 1919 depicting St Michael with pennant.

Inscription beneath commemorates James Sidney Stubbs, killed in the Great War on 21 October 1918." The Budby Flickr Website also ascribes the Window to Morris and Co:

"St Michael the Archangel, Halam, Nottinghamshire.Commemorative Window to Mary Sturtivant & William Flint.Made by Morris & Co, 1919.Detail - The Ascension.A reused cartoon of Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898). Morris & Co (1861-1947). "

[15731] Halam : Ascension | St Michael the Archangel, Halam,… | Flickr

Similarly the Burne-Jones Catalogue Raisonné | St Michael stained glass design for St Michael's church, Halam, Nottinghamshire makes no mention of Glasby.

We are told that Glasby was very good at painting hands and it could be he contributed only a small part to the Window, and this was not worthy of mention by the Merton Abbey Workshop.

In the Donald Green Archive we found notes on Halam where the Faculty was presented for three stained glass Windows for Halam in October 1919 [PR 20, 531/3] and that Glasby painted the West Window in the Tower at Halam 19 January 1920.

This document is important because it confirms Donald Green's identification of the Window at Gorey as a Glasby Window,

Another Church in Ireland is mentioned: Kilgariff but so far we have not been able to locate the Windows.