This is a brief guide to using the Knowles Family Papers [KNO] collection held at Explore York Libraries and Archives.
J.W. Knowles & Sons was a family firm of church decorators, glass painters, and stained glass restorers based in Stonegate, York. John Ward Knowles (1838–1931) founded the business in around 1861 and was later joined by his two sons, John Alder Knowles (1881–1961) and Milward Knowles (1889–unknown). Together, they worked on designs and restorations that are still admired today. One of the firm’s major projects was St Lawrence Church in York, but they were also known for their work on the St William and St Cuthbert windows in York Minster. The St Cuthbert window, which John Ward Knowles restored in 1887, saw him create 10 of the 75 episodes from the life of the saint. He was also a key member of The British Society of Master Glass-Painters, founded in 1921.
Following the death of John Ward Knowles in 1931, John Alder Knowles continued the business, and spent time studying new glass manufacturing methods in the United States before the outbreak of the First World War. Like his father, he had an interest in the history of stained glass, and published widely on the subject, including on famous works of stained glass and the lives of glass painters such as William Peckitt. Whilst Knowles and his sons focused primarily on glass, his daughters contributed to the family business by producing embroidery and tapestry for churches the firm worked on.
Please note that the business records of J W Knowles & Son are held by the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York.
Local history research papers
- KNO/1 – York scrapbooks of John Ward Knowles
- KNO/2 – Exercise books of John Ward Knowles
- KNO/3 – Volumes and papers relating to York arts and artists, compiled by John Ward Knowles
- KNO/4 – Volumes and papers relating to Yorkshire Churches (including York Minster), compiled by John Ward Knowles and John Alder Knowles
- KNO/5 – Volumes and additional papers relating to stained glass compiled by John Ward Knowles and John Alder Knowles
- KNO/6 – Volumes and additional papers relating to York people and places, compiled by John Ward Knowles and John Alder Knowles
- KNO/7 – Volumes and additional papers relating to music and York musicians, compiled by John Ward Knowles
- KNO/8 – Volumes and additional papers relating to acting and the theatre, compiled by John Ward Knowles
- KNO/10 – Manuscripts of John Ward Knowles, glass painter
- KNO/11 – Manuscripts of John Alder Knowles, glass painter
- KNO/12 – Documents created or retained by either John Ward Knowles or John Alder Knowles, glass painters
- KNO/13 – Volume entitled ‘Heraldic notes’
- KNO/22 – Articles and illustrations compiled by John Alder
Photographic and pictorial material
- KNO/24 – Glass plate negatives and postcards
Original artwork for business projects
- KNO/15 – Artwork for projects carried out by John W Knowles & Son
Personal and family papers
- KNO/25 – Personal papers of John Ward Knowles
- KNO/26 – Personal papers of John Alder Knowles
- KNO/27 – Papers relating to Christopher Milward, relative of J W Knowles
- KNO/28 – Papers relating to Christopher Milward, relative of J W Knowles
- KNO/29 – Documents associated with the Knowles family
Business papers
- KNO/9 – Correspondence files of John Ward Knowles and J A Knowles, glass painters
- KNO/23 – Business Papers of J W Knowles and Sons
Artefacts
- KNO/14 – Box of seals
- KNO/20 – Printing blocks for etchings of stained glass windows
Our archive collections can be searched and browsed on the archive catalogue: https://archives.exploreyork.org.uk/index.php/
You can find more information on how to search the archive catalogue on the ‘How to Search’ webpage: https://archives.exploreyork.org.uk/how-to-search
To book an appointment to access our archive collections and find details of our opening times and how to book an appointment, please refer to our ‘Visiting us’ webpage: https://exploreyork.org.uk/archives/visiting-us/
- Knowles, John A. Essays in the History of the York School of Glass-Painting, London, Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1936 [Shelf mark: Y748]
- Knowles, John A[lder]. An Inquiry into the date of the stained glass in the Chapter House at York, Yorkshire Archaeological Journal, pp.451-461 [Shelf mark: ALH JOURNALS]
- Knowles, John A. The York School of Glass Painting, Oct 1923 [Shelf mark: 748]
Our local history and special collections can be searched and browsed using our library catalogue: https://catalogue.exploreyork.org.uk/client/en_GB/default/
- Transcripts of select items are available to download from the archive catalogue: https://catalogue.exploreyork.org.uk/client/en_GB/default/search/results?qu=knowles+transcript&te=
- J W Knowles & Sons Flickr album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/127532267@N05/albums/72157718169308561
- Borthwick Institute for Archives hold the business records for J W Knowles & Son: https://www.york.ac.uk/borthwick/
- York Glaziers Trust resources: http://www.yorkglazierstrust.org/resources/