oseph Bell & Son was the name of a firm established in Bristol in 1840 by Joseph Bell (1810-1895). Bell was born in Stoke-on-Trent, where he became a painter in the potteries. With this background he developed his skills in stained glass design very quickly, and Jim Cheshire, who has a whole chapter on him in his book on Stained Glass and the Victorian Gothic Revival, believes that he acquired the necessary skills to set up on his own account without undergoing further training. Cheshire traces this development with the help of Bell's extant notebooks, which contain early sketches, researches into the composition of the glass and the materials needed for the colouring process, and studies of heraldry and Gothic forms — studies which predated even A. W. N. Pugin's Contrasts, making him a very early exponent of the Gothic Revival in this medium.
By as early as 1843, Bell was skilled in his new profession, but he continued to develop. Cheshire goes on to show how in a few more years he moved from "archeological reference" that was "quite fanciful" (119) to more authentic forms and an altogether more medieval manner, largely, he suggests, through the Bristol and West of England Architectural Society, which brought him into contact with stained-glass historian Charles Winston (1814-1864). According to Elizabeth Lomas, Winston worked with both Bell and James Powell to analyse medieval glass, with the results of their researches helping Bell to restore medieval windows, such as the fourteenth-century east window of Bristol Cathedral, with a new accuracy (24).
Many stained glass designers were involved in the firm's long career: "Each generation was involved in the design and painting of the glass, with additional artists brought in to design and make commissions" ("Joseph Bell & Son"). According to Lomax, this happened "increasingly" (24). There were more practical developments too: the company moved several times, from its early premises at William Street, Bristol, to 27 Trinity Street, Bristol, then in 1856 to College Green, Bristol. Over the years, Joseph's son Frederick Henry Bell (1847-1899) succeeded him in the business, and Frederick's son, Frederick George (1878-1967) carried it on into the twentieth century, before selling it in 1923 to Arnold Robinson (1888-1955). It moved to 68 Park Street in Bristol, where it continued in operation right up until 1996. — Jacqueline Banerjee
Works
Bibliography
Cheshire, Jim. Stained Glass and the Victorian Gothic Revival. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2004. 107-141.
"Joseph Bell & Son (1840-1996)." Gwydir Lliw Nghymru: Stained Glass in Wales Web. 6 February 2023.
Lomas, Elizabeth. Guide to the Archive of Art and Design, Victoria & Albert Museum. London and Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn in association with the V&A, 2000.
Norgate, G. and Shepherd, S. "Winston, Charles (1814–1864), barrister and stained-glass historian." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Online ed. Web. 6 February 2023.
Created 6 February 2023