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William Wailes (1838-1914)

Stained Glass firm established by William Wailes in Newcastle-on-Tyne in 1838. It quickly became one of the two largest workshops in England with a vast output (the other was Hardmans of Birmingham), and by 1851 William Wailes was employing 76 workmen. From 1838-45 he made windows for A.W.N. Pugin. Windows by Wailes are characterised by bright colours. Later work was more 'factually' Biblical, and even pictorial. After the death of William Wailes in 1881, the firm continued to make stained glass under the leadership of Thomas Rankine Strang, the son-in-law of William Wailes, using the name Wailes and Strang. Waile's daughter and Strang's wife, Margaret Janet Wailes, was probably the chief designer in the later stages of the firm's life.

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	Christ with the Virgin Mary and St John firm/studio: William Wailes 1849 Church of St Gastyn, Llangasty-Talyllyn, Powys east wall of the chancel
	Scenes from the Life of the Virgin Mary firm/studio: William Wailes 1852 St Beuno's Jesuit Spirituality Centre, Tremeirchion, Denbighshire chapel
	Scenes with St Winefride and St Beuno firm/studio: William Wailes 1852 St Beuno's Jesuit Spirituality Centre, Tremeirchion, Denbighshire chapel
	Christ, Virgin Mary and Saints firm/studio: William Wailes 1852 St Beuno's Jesuit Spirituality Centre, Tremeirchion, Denbighshire sanctuary of the chapel
	The Four Evangelists firm/studio: probably William Wailes about 1860 Church of St Tydecho, Mallwyd, Gwynedd east wall of the chancel
	Scenes from the Life of St Peter firm/studio: William Wailes 1866 Church of St Peter, Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire north wall of the north transept (window number: nV)
	Scenes from the Life of Christ firm/studio: William Wailes about 1868 Church of St Beuno, Bettws Cedewain, Powys east wall of the chancel
	The Crucifixion with Saints firm/studio: Wailes & Strang 1879 Church of St Elvan, Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taff east wall of the chancel

Ronald Torbet, The Wonderful Windows of William Wailes (Lancaster: Scotforth Books, 2003).

Paul Thompson, William Butterfield (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1971), p. 463.