Box History

The life of Edward Payne (continued): He lived and worked in Box through most of his productive life. His work was split between repairs, the creation of new windows, teaching and his own paintings. There are about 70 of Edward’s windows recorded in locations throughout England and Wales – and also overseas. Two war memorial windows in Gloucester Cathedral are by Edward and there are many local churches which also contain his work. These include: Minchinhampton, Avening, Brimscombe, Chalford, Painswick, Randwick, Rodborough Tabernacle and St. Joseph’s RC in Nympsfield. The work of which he was most fond was the Pilgrim’s window at Newnham on Severn. He became a member of the Cheltenham Group of Artists and regularly exhibited paintings and children’s portraits.

In 1984 in recognition of his contribution to the Arts & Crafts movement and to stained glass, the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery commissioned a tape recorded interview for their Archives.
St. Barnabas, Box was the first stone church to be built after the Second World War and Edward was involved in its design. As his ‘home church’ it is fitting that it is blest with three of his windows. A window by him that also acts as a memorial to his life was installed recently by Edward’s former assistant Graham Dowding. Edward’s Christian faith and knowledge of the Bible is apparent from his work and he was very supportive of the work of the Parish of Minchinhampton with Box. For a number of years he provided a drawing every month for the front cover of the Parish Magazine.

Besides his window making and painting, Edward was closely involved in Box village life. He was a good friend and neighbour to all and would go out of his way to help those in need. Many have been in receipt of hand written notes or little cartoons. He did not use professional models but drew inspiration from his family, friends, art college students and village residents both young and old. Edward enjoyed teaching and watercolour painting. He founded the Box Art Group in 1985 which has always met in Box Village Hall. It is still going strong with currently about fifty members, including some of the original founding members.

Graham Dowding worked as an assistant with Edward from the early 1980’s and assisted with the conservation of glass at Gloucester Cathedral. He took over this responsibility in 1983 and in 1993 he established a studio in the refurbished Ruskin Mill. The Ruskin Mill Centre for Cultural Development was inspired by the work of John Ruskin, William Morris and Rudolf Steiner and provides educational opportunities amongst the studios of dedicated craftsmen.
Edward Payne’s first wife Molly died in 1974 and in 1975 he remarried. In the next fifteen years Edward remained productive, supported and encouraged by his second wife Mary. His daughter Caroline Swash is also a successful stained glass artist, writer and lecturer at St. Martin’s College of Art Design and freeman of the Worshipful Company of Glaziers and Painters in Glass. It is fitting that one of her windows can be found in Gloucester Cathedral.

One of Edward’s last drawings was of ‘the Scholar Gypsy’ and his last window was for The United Reform Church in Croydon, both completed in the year before he died.

The centenary of the birth of this leading stained glass artist was marked with the first major retrospective exhibition of his work, staged jointly at Ruskin Mill, Nailsworth and Box Village Hall (20/05/2006 – 04/06/2006) together with a lecture on his stained glass given by his daughter Caroline Swash. The concept of these exhibitions came out of the community in Box. Seed funding was obtained from local bodies, individuals and charities enabling successful application for a significant Heritage Lottery Fund grant. There was a gratifying response to requests for material for the exhibitions with over 300 items offered.  Many pictures were made available by a number of private collectors and local residents. Over 40 war drawings were loaned by the Regimental museum of the 4th/7th Dragoon Guards in York.

The Ruskin Mill exhibition explored his career as a maker of stained glass, and showed several of the original cartoons and studies, as well as examples of his glass and large scale reproductions of windows.

Edward Payne’s drawings and paintings were shown in Box Village Hall. This exhibition was curated by Malcolm Martin and that at Ruskin Mill jointly by Malcolm Martin and Graham Dowding. The exhibition in Box Village Hall was opened by Carolyn Elwes (President of the Gloucester Guild of Craftsmen). Over 2,500 visitors (including 125 children) attended these events.