1883 – 1925

Born in Jersey in 1883, educated at home, then worked in a bank. Illness left him unable to manage continuous professional work but he was interested in history and started to research stained glass from 1904. He also learnt to re-lead glass. He volunteered for service in WW1 but was declared unfit and worked instead in a bank in Portsmouth.

He moved to Winchester after the war and commenced a survey of all the old glass in the city. In 1921 he undertook the re-leading of the stained glass from the west window of Winchester Cathedral, and then did the same for the glass in the chapel at Winchester College – a workshop was set up in the old Mill at Winchester College and Le Couteur worked with a team of assistants. He also searched out and reported on old glass in Hampshire churches, and provided advice to the Diocesan Advisory Committee. He was involved with the Archaeological Society at Winchester College and many of his books, journals and scrapbooks of photographs of stained glass were bequeathed to the society when he died.

His Ancient Glass in Winchester is essential reading for anyone interested in this subject .

Sources

Biographical note in English Medieval Painted Glass, 1926

‘Wally – Reviled and then revered’ by Mary Callé in Winchester Cathedral Record, 2015

Charles Stevens’ scrapbook, volume 5, G255/5 at Winchester College Archives

Portrait

Photograph and sketches of Le Couteur are held by Winchester College Archives

Contribution to county’s history

He described the stained glass in the Cathedral, Cathedral Close, Winchester College, St Cross and elsewhere in the city, with much detail about the history of the glass.

Relevant published works

• Le Couteur, J (1920) Ancient Glass in Winchester, Warren and Son.

• Le Couteur, J (1926) English Medieval Painted Glass

Critical Comments

Other Comments

Contributor

Suzanne Foster, archivist at Winchester College, Oct 2021

Key Words

Winchester, Winchester College, Winchester Cathedral, St Cross, Stained glass

Any queries or further suggestions for this part of the list should be addressed to celebrating@hantsfieldclub.org.uk.

 

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