There are hidden parts of Western Australia’s heritage of which many are unaware.
Yet they are often right before our eyes, ready to be acknowledged, assessed and, above all, admired.
This is the message that Ken Wildy, JP Churchill Fellow and current researcher of stained glass window history in WA, is trying to convey through a well-researched study on two pioneers of stained glass production in WA, Edward George Gowers and Albert Stanley Brown.
Gowers and Brown (G&B) arrived in Fremantle in 1954 and set up a studio in Greenmount where they mastered the modern use of English, thick-cast slab glass. They left a spectacular legacy of highly innovative methods in this age-old craft that can only fascinate those who appreciate a striking combination of artwork and architecture.
In fact, some of G&B’s remarkable “glass in concrete” work can be viewed in Perth’s own Trinity College Chapel and Anzac House on St Georges Terrace, Perth, not to mention the exquisite, heritage-listed Aquinas College Chapel.
Mr Wildy recently told Archdiocese of Perth Communications and Media Office journalist Marco Ceccarelli that, surprisingly, no history of WA stained glass exists and there is an urgent need for attention to be drawn to such a hidden yet incredibly rich tradition of architectural art.
“This visual art that exists is educational in that glass selections of the finest type ever produced in Sunderland, UK, are in WA due to Ted and Albert’s [G&B’s] dedication to doing their very best every time.
“Stained glass windows contain inscriptions and hand calligraphy fired into glass that contain names, dates, persons and events. All the dates, all the encryptions, carry an enormous amount of heritage and information, but also acknowledge the generosity of the donors who paid for these projects… this important WA work must be put into print, not only to stimulate many who enjoy it now but to be viewed by visitors and WA tourists.”
Mr Wildy, who studied and worked in England, Scotland and France under a Churchill Scholarship and whose family’s name is etched (both literally and figuratively) into the history of some of Perth’s greatest architectural accomplishments, has previously worked with and was trained by Edward Gowers and Albert Brown.
He is now intent on publishing a book which encapsulates the history of their stained glass work in Western Australia and attribute to the now deceased Englishmen the page of history they deserve.
“This book will teach and give insight into the history of what we have in WA and how it came to exist. Future generations will benefit from this,” he said.
“Stained glass is a greatly admired art form”, the origins of which “have been obscured by time and misunderstanding. This book will make others look and see what they have as now it’s just taken for granted. It’s a visual link of the Australian past that is in WA. Perth’s Battye Library is most keen that this book be printed, published and distributed!”
Mr Wildy is kindly seeking financial support for his publication, which is a work-in-progress, and is offering all donors a chance to be recognised in the acknowledgements of the book and become part of Australian history.
Ken Wildy can be contacted via email at kenwildy24@gmail.com or by phone on 0415 399 022.