York Glaziers' Trust Archive

Records of York Glaziers Trust, comprising business records, job files, and photographic materials, 1967-2007.

The York Glaziers Trust was founded on 20 July 1967. It is the largest and oldest specialist stained glass conservation studio in Britain.
It was established with the support of the Pilgrim Trust and the Dean of York, Eric Milner White, who had overseen the restoration and reinstallation of eighty of the stained glass windows of York Minster after the Second World War.
Prior to the Trust’s foundation, work on the Minster windows was carried out by a private stained glass studio run by the Dean and Chapter of York on Deangate. Dean Milner White took a great interest in the work and hoped to see an independent stained glass studio established in York dedicated to the care of the Minster windows and historic stained glass nationwide. Milner White died in 1963 but his wish was realised four years later with the foundation of the Trust.
The Trust was based in the studio on Deangate. The first superintendent was Peter Gibson, who began his apprenticeship at the Deangate premises in 1945 when it was still operated by the Dean and Chapter.
Since its foundation the York Glaziers Trust has carried out extensive restoration work on the York Minster windows, including the Rose Window, the Great East Window, and the St William Window. In 2016 the Trust initiated a 20-year rolling programme of conservation and environmental protection in partnership with York Minster, beginning with conservation of the famous fourteenth century nave aisle windows.
The Trust have also carried out numerous projects beyond York, including conservation work for over a quarter of Oxford University’s 38 colleges, work at Selby Abbey, and restoration of the Jervais Window in Agher parish church in Ireland.

Records are open to the public, subject to the overriding provisions of relevant legislation, including data protection laws. 24 hours' notice is required to access photographic material.

The archive was deposited at the Borthwick Institute in 2017 by the York Glaziers Trust. A further addition was made to the archive later the same year.

The York Glaziers Trust was founded on 20 July 1967. It is the largest and oldest specialist stained glass conservation studio in Britain.
It was established with the support of the Pilgrim Trust and the Dean of York, Eric Milner White, who had overseen the restoration and reinstallation of eighty of the stained glass windows of York Minster after the Second World War.
Prior to the Trust’s foundation, work on the Minster windows was carried out by a private stained glass studio run by the Dean and Chapter of York on Deangate. Dean Milner White took a great interest in the work and hoped to see an independent stained glass studio established in York dedicated to the care of the Minster windows and historic stained glass nationwide. Milner White died in 1963 but his wish was realised four years later with the foundation of the Trust.
The Trust was based in the studio on Deangate. The first superintendent was Peter Gibson, who began his apprenticeship at the Deangate premises in 1945 when it was still operated by the Dean and Chapter.
Since its foundation the York Glaziers Trust has carried out extensive restoration work on the York Minster windows, including the Rose Window, the Great East Window, and the St William Window. In 2016 the Trust initiated a 20-year rolling programme of conservation and environmental protection in partnership with York Minster, beginning with conservation of the famous fourteenth century nave aisle windows.
The Trust have also carried out numerous projects beyond York, including conservation work for over a quarter of Oxford University’s 38 colleges, work at Selby Abbey, and restoration of the Jervais Window in Agher parish church in Ireland.

The archive includes audio cassette tapes, photographs and negatives, and slides. Access to this material may be restricted due to technical requirements, please contact the Borthwick Institute for further information.

The catalogue was created by Zoe Harrigan and imported into Borthcat by S. A. Shearn, 03.01.20.

A reprographics service is available to researchers subject to the access restrictions outlined above. Copying will not be undertaken if there is any risk of damage to the document. Copies are supplied in accordance with the Borthwick Institute for Archives' terms and conditions for the supply of copies, and under provisions of any relevant copyright legislation. Permission to reproduce images of documents in the custody of the Borthwick Institute must be sought.

The archive was catalogued and all items assigned a reference number prior to its deposit at the Borthwick Institute by Zoe Harrigan of the YGT.

Further accruals are expected.

Published

GB 193