The fifth of the virtual'meetings in the 2020-21 session of the Antiquaries is a talk by Canon Jeff Hopewell entitled 'The Stained Glass of Douglas Hamilton and the Stephen Adam Stained Glass Studio'. In this video, Jeff describes Hamilton’s early life and training with Alf Webster and the Stephen Adam Studio in Glasgow, and his ten years at Guthrie & Wells before he started his own business in 1938, which he ran until his death in 1959. This subject is also of local interest as windows made by the Stephen Adam Studio and Douglas Hamilton can be found in Kirkintilloch's St Mary's and St David’s Memorial Park parish churches.
Jeff is a retired Church of England priest based in Leicestershire who has long been interested in church buildings and furnishings, with a particular bent towards stained glass. His first book on this subject, ‘Orchestrations of Colour’, covering the life and work of Douglas Hamilton, was published last year, and he is currently researching the work of the Victorian firm of the Horwood Brothers, Frome. He also has a knowledge of Japanese woodblock prints and modestly claims to be a world expert on ganjifa, the traditional hand-painted playing cards of India.
The talk can be viewed directly by clicking on the above image of the front cover of Jeff's book on Douglas Hamilton, or by going to the Society's YouTube channel which can be accessed by clicking here.
