Church of the Transfiguration, Kempston, Bedford, Bedfordshire
Address
Church of the Transfiguration, 132 Bedford Rd, Kempston, Bedford, MK42 8BQRecommended by
Highlight
East windowArtist, maker and date
Alfred Fisher and James Powell & Sons, 1972Reason for highlighting
A striking window designed and made in the final years of the famous Whitefriars Studios (James Powell & Sons). It consists mainly of the unique quality glass produced by the firm and contrary to most stained glass, is unpainted, giving a great luminosity to the window. It completed a church built between the wars. Though virtually completed at the outbreak, World War two prevented the installation of its East window, giving a bleak appearance to the building until the window was installed. It was designed to demonstrate that conventional stained glass could equal the luminosity and brilliance of the new techniques then becoming popular, specifically the use of slab glass set in concrete, which the firm was also producing in great quantity.
Artist/maker notes
Alfred Fisher MBE FMGP FRSA (b. 1933) trained at Liverpool Arts College before joining James Powell & Sons (Whitefriars) Ltd, where he developed his own distinctive style. In 1973 he co-founded Chapel Studios and worked there until retiring, mixing new work with important conservation projects. Now retired, his legacy of work can be found across the country, including Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Chequers and the Guildhall.
Source: Alfred Fisher website
James Powell & Sons was formed when James Powell purchased Whitefriars Glass, an old established glass works, in 1834. His sons developed the business to be one of the major firms of the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Especially notable is their work with Charles Winston in the 1840s and 1850s to improve the quality of glass available, and the many fine designers with whom they worked. The company’s innovations extended beyond stained glass, with the company developing a formidable reputation in a number of fields, including tableware glass, where Whitefriars Glass remains highly collectable. The stained glass department finally closed in 1973, and the company in 1980.
Sources:
James Powell & Sons, Whitefriars by Jacqueline Banerjee, PhD, Associate Editor, The Victorian Web
Victorian & Edwardian Stained Glass by Marta Galicki (Historic England, reprinted by Morris & Juliet Venables, 2001)