Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Painter and stained-glass designer, of Dublin, for a full biography and study of whom, see John O'Grady, The Life and Work of Sarah Purser(1996).(1) Sarah Purser, a painter by training, had a keen interest in the development of all the visual arts in Ireland. She established and, until 1927, owned the stained glass studio, An Tur Gloine (The Glass Tower), at 24 Upper Pembroke Street, which opened on 1 January 1903 under the direction of ALFRED ERNEST CHILD ALFRED ERNEST CHILD . Although she was later at pains to stress that she was not a stained glass artist herself, in the early days of the studio she designed and at least partially painted a number of windows. However the division of labour did not accord with her Arts and Crafts philosophy, and, as she enrolled new recruits to her team of glassmakers, she gradually withdrew from design work. In 1927, when Purser had finally been repaid out of the profits of the studio the entire amount she had spent on establishing it, An Tur Gloine became a co-operative, with Purser as a shareholder. The co-operative was dissolved in 1944, a year after Purser's death.

See WORKS for windows designed by Purser.



References



(1) For her stained glass, see pp. 93-107, 'A practical patriot and her tower of glass'. See also Nicola Gordon Bowe, 'Early Twentieth-Century Irish stained glass in context' in Bowe, Caron & Wynne, Gazetteer of Irish Stained Glass(1988), 11-27.


16 work entries listed in chronological order for PURSER, SARAH HENRIETTA *


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Building: CO. GALWAY, LABAN (ARDRAHAN), CHURCH (RC)
Date: 1903
Nature: Window, 'St Andrew', designed and executed by SP.
Refs: John O'Grady, The Life and Work of Sarah Purser(1996), 243

Building: CO. DUBLIN, RATHMICHAEL, CHURCH (CI)
Date: 1903
Nature: Window, 'The Good Samaritan'', painted by Catherine O'Brien and Miss Townsend..
Refs: Bowe, Caron & Wynne, Gazetteer of Irish Stained Glass(1988), 53; John O'Grady, The Life and Work of Sarah Purser(1996), 245

Building: CO. TIPPERARY, EMLY, CHURCH OF ST AILBHE (RC)
Date: 1904
Nature: Window, 'St John the Evangelist, Madonna & Child, Cormac, King and Bishop, Coronation of the Virgin', painted by A.E. Child, Michael Healy & Catherine O'Brien.
Refs: Bowe, Caron & Wynne, Gazetteer of Irish Stained Glass(1988), 74; John O'Grady, The Life and Work of Sarah Purser(1996), 246

Building: CO. DERRY, BANAGHER, CHURCH OF ST MORESIUS (CI)
Date: 1904
Nature: Window, 'Blessed are the pure in Heart', painted by Catherine O'Brien.
Refs: Bowe, Caron & Wynne, Gazetteer of Irish Stained Glass(1988), 41; John O'Grady, The Life and Work of Sarah Purser(1996), 247

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, MARLBOROUGH STREET, NO. 002 (ABBEY THEATRE)
Date: 1904
Nature: Ground floor windows, for Annie F. Horniman.
Refs: John O'Grady, The Life and Work of Sarah Purser(1996), 246-7;  Christine Casey, The Buildings of Ireland: Dublin (2005), 176.


Building: CO. GALWAY, LOUGHREA, CATHEDRAL OF ST BRENDAN (RC)
Date: 1904;1908;1912
Nature: Windows, 'St Ita' (1904), painted by Catherine O'Brien; The Passion' (1908) and 'Nativity' (1912), both painted by A.E. Child; panel in porch, 'St Brendan', painted by SP herself.
Refs: Bowe, Caron & Wynne, Gazetteer of Irish Stained Glass(1988), 57; John O'Grady, The Life and Work of Sarah Purser(1996), 244-5,252-3

Building: CO. DUBLIN, RATHFARNHAM, COLLEGE ROAD, ST COLUMBA'S COLLEGE
Date: 1904;1912
Nature: Windows, 'The Good Shepherd', 1904 window painted by Michael Healy, 1912 window painted by Ethel Rhind.
Refs: Bowe, Caron & Wynne, Gazetteer of Irish Stained Glass(1988), 5; John O'Grady, The Life and Work of Sarah Purser(1996), 247,256

Building: CO. MAYO, CASTLEBAR, CHURCH STREET, CHRIST CHURCH (CI)
Date: 1905
Nature: Window, 'Christ with SS Philip & James', painted by Micahel Healy and Catherine O'Brien.
Refs: Bowe, Caron & Wynne, Gazetteer of Irish Stained Glass(1988), 67; John O'Grady, The Life and Work of Sarah Purser(1996), 248-9

Building: CO. FERMANAGH, ENNISKILLEN, BELMORE STREET, CONVENT OF MERCY
Date: 1905
Nature: Chapel windows, 'St Michael' and 'St Elizabeth', both painted by Catherine O'Brien.
Refs: Bowe, Caron & Wynne, Gazetteer of Irish Stained Glass(1988), 54; Alistair Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North West Ulster (1979), 279; John O'Grady, The Life and Work of Sarah Purser(1996), 248

Building: CO. DONEGAL, RAPHOE, CATHEDRAL OF ST EUNAN (CI)
Date: 1906
Nature: Window, 'St Eunan', painted by Ethel Rhind.
Refs: Bowe, Caron & Wynne, Gazetteer of Irish Stained Glass(1988), 42; John O'Grady, The Life and Work of Sarah Purser(1996), 250; 

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, PATRICK STREET, ST PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL (CI)
Date: 1906
Nature: Window by An Túr Gloine, 'Cormac of Cashel', painted by A.E. Child. Cartoon by SP.
Refs: Bowe, Caron & Wynne, Gazetteer of Irish Stained Glass(1988), 46; John O'Grady, The Life and Work of Sarah Purser(1996), 251;  Christine Casey, The Buildings of Ireland: Dublin (2005), 619.

Building: CO. SLIGO, LISSADELL, CHURCH (CI)
Date: 1907
Nature: Window, 'Harmony & Fortitude', for Lady Georgina Gore-Booth.
Refs: John O'Grady, The Life and Work of Sarah Purser(1996), 251

Building: CO. LOUTH, KILCURRY, CHURCH OF ST BRIGID (RC, FAUGHART PARISH)
Date: 1908;1909
Nature: Windows, 'Scenes from the lives of SS Patrick, Columba and Brigid' (1909), painted by Catherine O'Brien; 'Scenes from the lives of SS Fainchea and Enda' (1908), painted by Barden
Refs: Bowe, Caron & Wynne, Gazetteer of Irish Stained Glass(1988), 66; John O'Grady, The Life and Work of Sarah Purser(1996), 252

Building: CO. ROSCOMMON, COOTEHALL, CHURCH (RC)
Date: 1917
Nature: Stained-glass window, for Sir Thomas Stafford. Window opening reduced in size because larger window would have been too expensive.
Refs: J.P. Wrenn letter-book, 1913-19, ff.489,493,507,511,518,520,530,532,560,564,586,588

Building: CO. WESTMEATH, KILLUCAN, CHURCH OF ST ETCHEN (CI)
Date: 1926
Nature: 2-light window, 'The Good Shepherd' and 'The Good Samaritan' (painted by Ethel Rhind)
Refs: Bowe, Caron & Wynne, Gazetteer of Irish Stained Glass(1988), 77; John O'Grady, The Life and Work of Sarah Purser(1996), 273

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DALKEY, SORRENTO PARK, DOWLAND MEMORIAL
Date: 1937a
Nature: Memorial to John Dowland, opus sextile, executed by H.V. McGoldrick.. (Rectangle of mosaic work set in granite outcrop near SE corner of park.)
Refs: Bowe, Caron & Wynne, Gazetteer of Irish Stained Glass(1988), 51; John O'Grady, The Life and Work of Sarah Purser(1996), 276