York Minster

40th Anniversary for York Glaziers Trust

Published Friday 9th November 2007 by Alix Peacock

York Glaziers Trust, the organisation which cares for, restores and conserves the world famous stained glass of York Minster is this year celebrating its 40th Anniversary.  York Glaziers Trust (YGT) is one of the most well respected Stained Glass Studios in the world and has completed much challenging, exciting and vital work during its 40 year history. These projects include conserving the Rose Window after the damage caused by the fire of July 1984 and the painstaking ten year restoration of the St William Window which was unveiled in June 2007.

Current and future projects offer the Trust further stimulating work: YGT are currently working on seven hundred year old glass from York Minster’s Chapter House Vestibule; some of the oldest and most fragile glass the Trust has dealt with. The essential restoration of the Great East Window, will see the skilled men and women of the York Glaziers Trust working on the largest conservation project of its kind in Europe.

York Glaziers Trust was formed in 1967-following suggestions put forward by the previous Dean (1941-1963) – Eric Milner-White.  The first secretary and superintendent of the Trust was world renowned Glazier and stained glass expert Peter Gibson, OBE.   Since its early history, YGT has grown in size, from its three craftsmen, to a staff of eleven  skilled glaziers and conservators.  In 2006, York Glaziers Trust was awarded a Heritage Lottery Fund grant for its “In the Beginning” project - to complete some of the work on the Great East Window at York Minster.

Although the York Glaziers Trust works primarily on the stained glass housed in York Minster, the independent nature of the organisation means that the expertise of those working at the Trust can be shared elsewhere. The Trust has worked on glass across the UK, including the conservation of medieval glass in a number of colleges at Oxford University. 

The Fortieth Anniversary Celebrations will include a dinner for the trustees and those who have been involved with the Trust in Bedern Hall on 6th November and an exhibition about the work of the York Glaziers Trust in York Minster.  This exhibition will run between Monday 19th November 2007 and Friday 1st February 2008.  Normal Minster admission charges apply.  York residents can use their Minster passes to come in and view the exhibition free of charge.  To obtain a Minster Pass, York residents can send an SAE to The Visitors Department, St William’s College, College Street, York, YO1 7JF or pick one up in the Minster.