James Powell & Sons Stained Glass

James Powell  in 1834 bought a firm of glassmakers, which had been at Whitefriars, East London since around 1700.  After he died it continued in the family, whose later members included Harry James (1853-1922) and James Crofts Powell (1847-1914).  Though the firm continued to make domestic glassware, after 1844 they became one of the most prolific of the leading British makers of stained glass. They were noted for producing medallions with figures set in patterned glass, which particularly for smaller parishes had the advantage of costing less.  By 1865 they developed ‘pot metal’ glass similar to the kind made in medieval times, with its variation in colour, streaks, bubbles and irregularities. This work was initiated by Charles Winston (1814-1864) , one of the first historians of stained glass.  The firm ceased manufacturing stained glass in 1973 and changed its name to Whitefriars Glass Ltd, but closed in 1980.