Catriona Nunn York’s legacy as Britain’s stained glass capital is kept brilliantly alive by the work of two alumnae at the York Glaziers Trust, where craftsmanship and innovation meet every day. Alumni Voices speaks to Dr Marie Groll (James College, 2011/2016) and her colleague, Susanna Wyse Jackson (Wentworth, 2023), about their evolving careers, from pioneering hand-crafted tradition to embracing digital transformation and preserving York’s most radiant treasures for the future.
In a city where sunlight through coloured glass transforms history into living art, conservation is more than a job; it’s a vocation. Nowhere is this commitment more evident than in the work of Dr. Marie Groll (James College, 2011/2016), Director of the York Glaziers Trust, whose career traces the evolution of stained glass conservation from hand-crafted tradition to digital innovation and her colleague, Susanna Wyse Jackson, part of a new generation of conservators carrying York’s legacy forward in unexpected ways.
Marie’s journey began when stained glass conservation was a “rare discipline,” with York itself at the global forefront. “I started my time at York as an undergraduate in the History of Art department,” Marie remembers. “During my undergraduate studies, I heard that a new postgraduate course was being developed. I was part of the second intake of students on this brand new course, and graduated from this masters in 2011. I then completed a PhD here, utilising the skills obtained during my MA in Stained Glass Conservation.” The path, she says, was shaped by York’s “unique concentration of expertise, from inspirational lecturers to the city’s rich stained glass heritage. My time at York was extremely formative; without the course, the buildings, and people I met, I wouldn’t be where I am now. Stained glass windows are often regarded as the focal points of many of the most important buildings throughout the UK and beyond. They provide important vehicles of narrative, are rich decorative elements, but also on a very basic level, fill spaces with colour and light. Our clients (who deeply cherish their windows) serve as the constant reminder of the important work we do. We form part of the history of those windows, and our interventions ensure that these artworks can be enjoyed into the future”
Appointed Director of the York Glaziers Trust, Marie quickly learned that no two days are the same in a discipline both deeply historical and highly collaborative. “As the Director of the York Glaziers Trust, there is no typical day. I can be dealing with architects, surveyors, stone masons, scaffolders, clerks of works or parishioners. Meetings can be highly technical and specific, or can be more expansive, looking at the art historical significance, the budget, funding streams, and programmes of work. Equally, I may be off on site all over the UK surveying stained glass. This takes me to some of the most wonderful major historical buildings, but also to some hidden gems. Otherwise, I can be found in the studio, supporting the team in the work they do.”
The realities of heritage conservation are changing as quickly as the technologies that support it. “We are forward thinkers at the Trust,” Marie says, “always trying to adopt and integrate new technologies, even though we still value the irreplaceable role of traditional skills. Where once we painstakingly templated everything on paper, we now use digital scanners for the building façade, transforming the efficiency and the precision of our work. Still, there’s irreplaceable value in manual, hands-on conservation skills.”
Complex technical challenges are a constant companion. Marie’s proudest moments have often sprung from overcoming the unique demands each historic window presents. “A stand out project was the opportunity to examine in-depth a monumental window by American stained glass artist John La Farge. Its artistic genius and rarity, and unique construction made this a really interesting challenge to unpick. What makes me proud are those moments where the team has been recognised not only for the big things, like our recent Oxford Preservation Trust Award, but the small things too. We truly care about the work we do, and delivering the best possible service to our clients and to those artefacts that we have been trusted to take care of.”
Yet even as the industry has matured, real challenges remain. “Some of the main challenges facing the sector at present is access to funding for our clients. The work we do is highly specialised, laborious and painstaking. The materials and equipment we need to use are expensive. There are fewer and fewer funding bodies remaining who support the sector. The other major risk area is that there are too few people entering the profession and staying in the profession. The work is demanding and highly specialised, but it is immensely rewarding, and our interventions ensure that stained glass heritage survives for the future.”
Marie’s advice for the next generation is both realistic and encouraging: “My advice would be to work hard, turn up to conferences and get to know professionals in the field. Try and obtain workplace opportunities to grow your experience. These networks and experiences will be crucial for the rest of your career. Also, use the wisdom of your tutors. They will always support and nurture your passion and enthusiasm.”
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For Susanna Wyse Jackson (Wentworth, 2023), joining the Trust has meant stepping into a tradition while simultaneously charting new territory for the field. “Thanks to the support of my course mentors and the foundation of conservation instruction I received during my MA in Stained Glass Conservation and Heritage Management, I found the jump from university coursework to hands-on work smooth and successful. My 12-week placement in Ghent during my first year of the MA really brought the work to life for me. The MA’s focus on written work, especially the documentation required in conservation – condition reports, post-conservation reports, and site surveys – means the skills I built as a student now shape my writing and decision-making every day. The programme now is very practical, international, and driven by real industry needs.”
Susanna’s perspective is shaped by a conservation field that is more global, networked, and digital than ever before. “A core part of my job is digital documentation – every aspect, from mapping the pre-conservation condition using Adobe Illustrator to recording intervention. Our projects increasingly involve mapping and scanning software to create digital templates for resizing and framing glass panels, which I think will become essential for the sector’s future sustainability. The industry feels like it’s shifting to embrace digital documentation fully.”
She also notes the importance of learning by doing. “One real surprise was the physicality of this profession – the public may imagine an art conservator as a technician in a lab coat carefully cleaning objects, but a huge amount of our work is very hands-on. I spend a lot of time on scaffolding in cathedrals or churches, working in all weather, with heavy manual handling – definitely not a job for anyone with a fear of heights! There’s so much more practical, gritty work than many assume.”
Susanna shares her optimism about the future: “The stained glass conservation sector is proactive and passionate – there’s a network of like-minded graduates offering support and mentorship, and many York Glaziers Trust staff are fellow alumni. For graduates hoping to enter the field, I’d say: network! Make the most of the opportunities afforded you by the strong relationships forged during your studies. Attend conferences and other events, stay on top of emerging conservation literature, and keep in touch with your course mentors and fellow students. The stained glass conservation sector may be small, but it is proactive, engaged and dynamic, and it rewards the same.”
In the luminous workshop of the York Glaziers Trust, two alumni stand side by side: one shaped by the traditions and mentors of a growing field, the other driving digital transformation and new forms of collaboration. Their work ensures that when sunlight floods York Minster’s windows in decades to come, the city’s storied past and its innovative spirit will continue to shine through.
