Charles William Kelsey
1877-1975
He was born in London, England. He studied arts at the prestigious Royal College of Art. He learned the techniques of stained glass manufacturing at Clayton & Bell, a company of great reputation throughout the Commonwealth. He moved to New York in the United States from 1911 to 1919 where he produced windows at the Gorham Manufacturing Company.
He emigrated to Canada in 1922 where he lives with his brother Leonard upon his arrival in Montreal. He was then 45 years old, he had thirty years of career and his reputation is supported by valuable letters of introduction from well-respected architects from England. His workshop is located on Clandeboye Avenue in Westmount.
Charles W. Kelsey stands out among stained glass artists on the theme illustrated by his windows: his works are for a large part memorial windows of both World Wars. The artist has not sought to illustrate scenes of victory and glory. Instead, he insisted on the bravery and sacrifice of the young Canadian soldiers who helped the war effort in large numbers. His iconography shows soldiers in uniform from Army, Navy and Air Force, flags, battalion badges, maple leaves, Angels and Saints.
In Canada, Charles W. Kelsey produced stained glass windows for 68 churches, for public places and for private buildings. He delivered windows in the United States, England and Australia.
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Serge Rodrigue |
Below you find some places in Quebec where there are stained glass windows from Charles William Kelsey.
- Westmount Park United Church, Montreal
- St. Matthias Anglican Church, Montreal
- St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, Montreal
- St. James United Church, Montreal
- St. Matthew's Anglican Church, Montreal
- Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (formely Erksine and American Church)
- St. George's Anglican Church, Granby
- Grace Church, Sutton
- St. Columba's Anglican Church, Montreal
- The Ascension of Our Lord Church, Montreal
- St. Barnabas Church, Saint-Lambert
- St. Andrew United Church, Trois-Rivieres