Kilmore Church, Dervaig, Isle of Mull

By great good fortune, the architect had sought the help of Stephen Adam snr. to design the glass for the new church at Kilmore. By 1902, the Adam workshops in Glasgow were very well known for their exceptionally fine stained glass, having carried out many prestigious commissions for large Churches, mansion houses, and other secular commissions all over Scotland.

Stephen Adam was born in 1848 at Bonnington, Edinburgh, and his early class-mates included the artist Robert Gibb and Robert Louis Stevenson. His early promise was encouraged by his parents, and he was sent to study with James Ballantine, whose studio then was a haunt for all most noted members of the Edinburgh community.

With the publication in 1877 of his pamphlet Stained Glass- Its History and development, his fame as the foremost stained glass artist in the west of Scotland was assured. As the basis for his modern style he advocated a subtle blend of the ‘form and sweet simplicity’of the work of the 12th and 13th centuries, with the colour harmonies of the 15th century. The commission for Kilmore Church consisted of five tall panels, and two smaller rectangular panels for inclusion in the Apse. Just prior to the Dervaig commission, Stephen Adam snr. was helped in his studio by his son, also a Stephen, and a young protégé called Alfred Webster. By the time the Dervaig panels were being worked on, Stephen jnr. had had a violent disagreement with his father, and he resigned from, and dissolved the business partnership with his father, moving into a separate studio, from whence he worked until his death in 1967.

‘The Good Shepherd gives his life for the sheep’

The ‘Good Shepherd’ is signed with the studio signature of“Stephen Adam, glass stainers.”
The design has many features which were to appear as the hallmarks of Alf. Webster, and this may well be more his work than his master’s. The younger man’s technique of acid etching is seen on this panel.

detail of above right

Nathaniel

Signed in the glass by Stephen Adam snr.

detail from ‘Faith’

detail of LH picture

‘It is I, be not afraid’

detail of what Adam’s friend and colleague, Daniel Cottier called “wibble-wabble” glass

Bread of Life

details of Nathaniel

The background landscape is a feature of Adam’s work.

‘I am the True Vine’

'Mary hath chosen’

The influence of Daniel Cottier, another older Glaswegian Glass maker, and Byrne Jones is evident in his use of white glass and yellow stain for the drapery and hair.

detail of above

Faith

Detail of “Bread of Life”

Burne-Jones inspired flowers from ‘Faith’

In 2003, all of the glass was cleaned and restored where necessary, re-leaded, and replaced behind weather-proof secondary glazing. The specialist work was carried out by Patrick Ross-Smith, Fairisle, Shetland. The glass looks well enough through the medium of photography, nothing beats a visit on a bright day, and we hope that you will come and visit the church for yourself, and enjoy these beautiful panels in situ .

(The photographs were taken using a fully automatic Olympus C40 Zoom Digital Camera and may be reproduced, without permission.)