There is evidence that Glasby involved his family in the designs and glass-making business.
Barbara and Dulcima completed the Peachtree commission and would not have been able to do this unless they had acquired the experise and techniques over a period of years. Writing to the Rev. Burns in Atlanta, Barbara states that the daughters worked closely with Glasby and that Glasby involved the family in discussing designs:
Glasby's wife, Constance, [1 ] does not have a profession mentioned on the Marriage certificate, but an American clergyman has described her as a “playwright”. In the Collins' archive there are a couple of plays authored by "William Beaumont" and correspondence with theatres, as well as music directors, addressed to Mrs Glasby.
Writing on the Henfield Museum Blog Steve Robotham states:
“Although Dulcima assisted her father and sister with the production of stained glass, she was perhaps more famous as an actress, author and playwright, perhaps taking after her mother who was a successful author under the name of “William Beaumont”. [2 ]
Barbara Glasby reveals that Constance was behind the creation of the colours used in the glass works which distinguishes Glasby’s work. In the Obituary of William Glasby, published in the SDN (Sussex Daily News) on 29 August 1941 it states that Glasby was:
"assisted and inspired in his unique craft by his wife, who rediscovered colouring processes which had been lost since the 15th century. Mrs Glasby, under the name William Beaumont, is a playwright of note, and her daughters have continued the artistic traditions of the family."
It states also that "Miss Barbara Glasby is also an artist in stained glass..."
The Henfield Blog continues:
“With a small crucible and a selection of oxides, she delved into the secrets of colour-mixing and finally achieved and perfected many glorious blues and rich purples, comparable with those used by the craftsmen of the fourteenth century whose secrets and recipes had long since lain forgotten. “ [ 3 ]
There are also notes on how stained glass is produced, written in 1900:
Exerts from “Stained Glass” by Constance Glasby.
From “International Glass Notes. Nr 9. November 1900, p 260”.
“We must first make a full-sized cartoon, or working drawing, from the small coloured sketch. All details must be carefully drawn in…... and finally the lead lines must be well considered, and firmly added. Now a sheet of transparent linen is laid upon the cartoon, and the lead lines traced through with a brush in ink or sepia, to about one-eighth of an inch thick.
Next comes the choosing of the glass; in itself a most important adjunct to success. This part of the work is often left to the cutter alone: but unless he is himself an artist, or has been assiduously trained under an artist’s eye, it is impossible for him to take advantage of all the wonderful and, sometimes, subtle differences, in a single sheet of antique glass.
The glass now being cut, the various processes of painting can now be commenced.
First, Tracing. -
This again is a matter for artistic training, rather than mechanical reproduction. The pieces of glass are placed upon the cartoon, and the lines traced through with a pigment which is especially prepared from a mineral flux. All the different thicknesses of line must be strictly observed; the subtle ones of the drapery and face having particular care. When all these are finished……..the lines are fixed by firing in either a muffled or a gas kiln.
Next, Shading.
We will lay the pieces out in their respective places upon a sheet of plate glass and stick them to it by drops of molten bees-wax, so that we can raise the plate upon an easel against the light, then we can see for the first time what sort of effect our handiwork has produced.
A matt, in wash or stipple, is now painted over the whole surface. Out of this, lights are carefully brushed; the shadows which are left by this treatment should agree in depth with those shown upon the cartoon. This result is obtained by mapping out the broad shapes first, and then putting another wash most lightly over the surface of the painted work, and remodelling.
The glass must now be chipped off the plate and again fired, when most of the tone will be found to have vanished. This necessitates a repetition of the whole of the previous process. For windows that are to be subjected to a very strong light three paintings are often required.
There is now only the process known as staining to be done, and our window is ready for the glazier’s hands. Staining is painting the reverse side of the glass with a preparation of silver, which – when fired – gives it a surface of transparent yellow”.
At Henfield Museum there is a small watercolour drawing with the initial CG on the back and the date 1892. . We think this is one of Constance's paintings.
At Henfield there are also some waterclours of flowers in vases painted by Dulcima and Barbara.
In the Collins’ archive there is a small brochure entitled International Art Notes, November 1900 where Constance has written an Article entitled “Stained Glass. HOW TO MAKE A WINDOW”. [ 4 ] The Article contains a step- by- by step detailed description of how stained-glass windows are made. Constance is able to focus upon the artistic design the use of colours, as well as technical and practical issues, suggesting that she is very familiar with the processes involved, as well as the aesthetics. Constance uses three designs of figures by Mr. W. Glasby to illustrate her points:
“Music”,
“Air”,
“Earth”
(illustrated in the Brochure).
Reading the Article one cannot help but wonder if this was an attempt to advertise the work of her husband. It is written when Glasby had moved to the studio of Henry Holiday, and the designs are very similar to designs ascribed to Holiday. Constance is focusing upon selling the idea of smaller, domestic commissions for stained-glass windows. She ends the Article:
“The design “Air” – also by Mr. W. Glasby – is a good example of a small decorative window for domestic purposes, the inner line of the wings making a most pleasing shape against the blue of the sky.” [5 ]
Earlier, at page 262, she makes some disparaging remarks about the wholesale commercial production of stained-glass:
“Of course I am speaking from the point of view of an artist, and not as a member of a manufacturing firm, where profit has first consideration, and where the stuff is turned out by the yard, all of which has been produced by the mere mechanic at so much per foot for painting drapery and perhaps another penny for heads and limbs.”
This is six years before Glasby began to move away from working with Henry Holiday and may indicate either a dissatisfaction of working on large commercial projects, or the desire to become independent. Stephen Tomkinson has shown us three panels of named Stained Glass Windows which are remarkably similar to the Glasby sketches but are attributed to Holiday. Thus it is difficult to know if Glasby was influenced by and copying the Holiday designs, or if these were Windows were unsigned Glasby designs.
The Henfield Museum Blogs states that:
“In later years, one of his daughters, Barbara, assisted him and she became a well-respected craftswoman in her own right.” [6]
But the 1946 interview with Barbara suggests that she was involved in his work from an early age.
“Their daughters, Barbara and Dulcima, were nurtured in this atmosphere of colour, and as children, spent many hours in the studio, watching their parents at work.” [7 ]
This is also confirmed in a newspaper article written by Barbara Glasby for The Star, on Thursday August 24, 1933, where she begins:
“When I was quite little, I played with the fascinating pieces of glass in my father’s studio. Now I have grown to be one of the few women in England engaged in the making of stained glass windows.” [8 ]
Barbara was born in 1886 and therefore would have been aged 47.
We do not know what profession she undertook in her earlier years, and it may be that she had worked in her father’s studio from an early age.
Richard Platell informs us that in In the 1911 Census, when she would be aged 25, she is described as " Daisy as “artist & stained glass painter”.. The 1921 Census should become available soon, and we can check her profession again.
In the letter written by Mr H.N.Colgate he states, “… Barbara worked with her father since she left school..” and he suggests that several black and white pictures held by Lucie Bishop, were drawn by Barbara. But also in the Article in The Star, and in the letter of Mr Colgate, there is the suggestion that Barbara worked mainly on the glass and that until his death William Glasby was the principal designer of the windows.
This is a photograph of Barbara mixing paint, found in the Collins' archive.
Another newspaper article, in the Australian The Daily News, [9] starts with the words describing Barbara Glasby:
“A London woman is just now engaged on one of the biggest commissions for stained glass work that has ever been secured from the United States by a European artist.”
The article moves on to explain the importance and significance of William Glasby but then returns to Barbara: “Miss Glasby, who has been assisting her father for some years past, is responsible for a considerable amount of the work.” https://www.henfieldmuseum.org/blog/the-glasby-fami
The rest of the newspaper article is very similar to the article later written by Barbara Glasby in The Star in 1933. Similar articles also appear in the Sunday Mail, Brisbane in October 1930 [10] and The Northern Star NSW, in August 1930. [11] In a letter in the Collins' archive written to the Rev. R.W. Burns D.D. on 7 October 1944, Barbara is discussing continuing the Peachtree project. She states that:
“We are, in fact, in the midst or preparations for returning to the south of England so that I can continue with the making of windows in the tradition in which I was proud to be associated with him. I shall also be repairing those that have unfortunately been bombed. It is sad that [some of] father’s original work should have been destroyed or damaged. But having always worked so closely with him, not only in [paiting] sic on the glass but in the planning of the designs which he always discussed with us so deeply, it is a joy to me to know that I shall be able to restore the spirit of his work to them more truly than would be possible for anyone else.”
From this letter, it suggests that Barbara did not live in East Sussex during the war years. The Entry in the Article, “The Artists of the Glass House” also suggests that Barbara moved to East Sussex after her parents:
“Glasby, Barbara Daisy Constance (1886-1961) Daughter of William Glasby and sister of Dulcima Glasby, Barbara Glasby carried on the business set up by her father. In 1946 she moved from London to Henfield, West Sussex. Barbara designed many windows for Atlanta, Georgia, and with Dulcima (1893-1975) designed the 1949 Nurses Memorial panel now in the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital. After the War, the Glass House carried out further work for Barbara Glasby, mainly for the USA until 1952; she retired in 1953.” [12]
This photograph is found in the John Collins' archive and is of Barbara working on a cartoon. We have yet to identify the Cartoon but it is most probably the Peachtree commission. .
Log 104 is a design for the Kensington Infirmary Mortuary and is the only Log with any reference to Barbara and Dulcima. A work carried out after their father's death.
Stephen Tomkinson has acquired pieces of Barbara Glasby's work. Welcome to Tomkinson Antique Stained Glass Ltd - Tomkinson Stained Glass (vitraux.co.uk)
Her work is different from the ecclesiatical themes of her father, featuring flowers: Ref: Ron450 - Roundel – 2 Stained Glass Panels - Primula & Daffodils - Tomkinson Stained Glass (vitraux.co.uk)
At the Henfield Museum there is an archive on the Peachtree, Atlanta commission which was completed by Baerbara and Dulcima after Glasby's death in 1941. The exquisuite detail of these Windows suggests that both were accomplished stainmed glasss artists and that they may have been very involved in Glasby's earlier works.
In a Zoom call to Dr Longbons we discovered that there is an archive of material at the Peachtree Church. Lucie Bishop shipped the preliminary material to Peachtree. There is evidence of visits to England by the church minister and also letters suggesting that the minister was happy with some of the work.
Barbara Glasby, is described as 'artist and shopkeeper' when she died on 20 October 1961, aged 75. The Henfield Museum Blog states that:
“Following the 1933 slump, the two sisters opened a wool shop in Putney and then in Horsham (East Street), and then later in Henfield High Street.”
The Henfield shop was called the "New Wool Shop".
In the John Collins' archive there is a a small piece of brown paper with the address: "Misses B+D Glasby, 14 East Street, Horsham, Sussex."
The address of a few of the earlier Glasby sketches is given as "Three Oaks, 65 Worthing Road, Horsham. [ Logs 82-85; 97, 134]. We have yet to discover if the latter was a studio address. Today it is a substantial house converted to a charity building and would have been large enough for a family home.
Dulcima, in contrast, carved out a name for herself as an author of children’s books and a playwright, alongside working at the BBC.
The Henfield Museum has a copy of Dulcima's first book, The Queen Who Came to Town which is inscribed by Dulcima:
For dear father and mother
the very first copy of
my very first book, from
their most loving Dulcima.
In the John Collins archive there is correspondence between Dulcima and the BBC as well as as theatres and muscians.
“In 1919, the Brighton Herald carried favourable reviews of a play “The Younger Generation” in which Dulcima was appearing at the Palace Pier Theatre. The play toured the UK to good reviews. The West End beckoned, and in 1921 she was described as an actress and writer, having written “Red Indian and Fairy Stories” for children. In 1922, the radio station ‘L2O London’ broadcast a show called “Children’s Corner”, this eventually became “Children’s Hour” which included a transmission of the first episode of Dulcima’s story “The Queen who came to Town”.
She became a prolific writer of plays, books and articles. In 1925, Dulcima joined the BBC and was the first person to adapt a play for radio. When she resigned in 1933, she had dramatised for radio over 200 plays. She then concentrated on writing her own plays, and in 1939 all the Glasbys moved to “Three Oaks, Worthing Rd, Horsham”, where they lived until 1942.” Dulcima provided administrative and secretarial services for her father, and was also responsible for the marketing of Glasby works. [ 13]
Dulcima, “wearing hand-knitted suits and with a spoilt cat for company”, survived until 22 March 1975. She died in a nursing home in Cowfold. This perhaps explains why the documents and the sketches are not complete. We have been told anecdotally that the sketches we have preserved here on this website were saved, last minute, from a skip.
But in 2024 we received an email letter from Polly Warren, from Peachtree Church, Atlanta, telling us of a letter written by Hugh Colgate in May 1975. His mother had been the housekeeper to the Glasby family. Hugh Colgate reveals that the family had struggled financially after Glasby's death.
Notes
]1] Constance died on 2 October 1953 and is buried in Hills Cemetery, East Sussex.
[2] “The Glasby Family”, https://www.henfieldmuseum.org/blog/the-glasby-family , based on an Article by Assistant Curator Steve Robotham, first published in the Henfield Parish Magazine, March 2019.
[3] Phyllis Buchanan Cooper, “William Glasby and his Daughter Barbara” Homes and Gardens, May 1946, 19. There is a copy of this magazine in the Collins' archive.
[4] Published by Crowdy & Loud, 7 Pall Mall, LONDON, S.W. No.9 November 1900.
[5] At page 264.
[7] Phyllis Buchanan Cooper, “William Glasby and his Daughter Barbara” Homes and Gardens, May 1946.
[8] “Windows For the World Stained Glass Work Gives Women A Career”, The Star, Thursday August 24, 1933. The Star was the first evening newspaper published in London from 1788 until 1960. A photocopy of this Article is in the Collins' archive.
[9] The Daily News, Perth, WA, Saturday 23rd August 1930, page 9.
[10] Sunday Mail, Brisbane, QLD, Sunday 12th October 1930, page 13.
[11] Northern Star, Lismore, NSW, Monday 18th August 1930, page 11.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article94147318. We are grateful to Gavin Merrington, Stained Glass Artist and Conservator, Tasmania for providing this information on the Australian Press.
[12] The Artists of the Glass House by Alan Brooks and Peter Cormack The Journal of Stained Glass, vol.xli, 15–54 2017 Series of brief biographies of artists with connections to Lowndes & Drury's Glass House.
[13] Stephen Tomkinson has shown us a letter written on the Glasby Business Notepare which is signed W. Glasby" but the handwriting is that of Dulcima.
(c) Erika Szyszczak 22 June 2021
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