Manuscripts of William Peckitt, York glass painter

The collection comprises a printed edition of John Guillim's 'Display of Heraldry', owned and hand coloured by Peckitt, and correspondence and accounts relating to the business of William Peckitt.

William Peckitt was born in Husthwaite, a village near Easingwold, the son of William, a fellmonger and glove maker, and his wife Ann. He was baptised on 13 April 1731. At some point prior to 1752 the family moved to York, where Peckitt worked in his father's glove making business before establishing himself as a glass painter in Colliergate, York.

Whilst the majority of his commissions were for painted glass, Peckitt also produced a small number of windows which included stained glass. In 1780 he patented an invention for 'blending coloured and stained glass'.

On 3 April 1763 Peckitt married Mary Mitley, daughter of the sculptor Charles Mitley. The couple had 4 daughters. Peckitt worked throughout his life on the maintenance of the medieval glass in York Minster as well as painting new windows there. He also undertook commissions for cathedrals, churches and houses throughout England. He produced windows for a number of colleges including the Alma Mater window for Trinity College.

Peckitt died on 14 October 1795 and was buried in the church of St Martin-cum-Gregory, York.

Material is available subject to the usual terms and conditions of access to Archives and Local History collections.

More detailed finding aids for this collection can be found online by searching the Explore website ( www.exploreyork.org.uk)

Compiled by Laura Yeoman, Archives and Local History Public Services Manager, June 2015.

Images are supplied for private research only at the Archivist's discretion. Please note that material may be unsuitable for copying on conservation grounds. Researchers who wish to publish material must seek copyright permission from the copyright owner.