'Her story is part of the story of Chester' - uncovering the life and career of Trena Cox

By Dherran Titherington 24th Feb 2025

The exhibition will share the newly-researched story of Trena’s impressive career in an accessible and engaging way (Image via: Cheshire West and Chester Council)
The exhibition will share the newly-researched story of Trena’s impressive career in an accessible and engaging way (Image via: Cheshire West and Chester Council)

An exhibition and programme of activities celebrating the life of Trena Cox, a twentieth-century woman stained glass artist from Chester, is now open until Sunday 15 May.

Hosted by the Grosvenor Museum, the exhibition has been curated by Aleta Doran in partnership with Chester Cathedral, the Grosvenor Museum, University of Chester and Recclesia Stained Glass.

It will share the newly-researched story of Trena's impressive career in an accessible and engaging way, with commissioned art from local women artists and community groups responding to her glass in a variety of mediums.

Trena Cox's artwork adorns churches across Chester, the northwest, north Wales and beyond, and despite being well-known in stained glass and decorative art circles, the legacy of this important artist has been all but forgotten in the public realm.

Exhibition Curator and Chester Cathedral's Emerita Artist in Residence, Aleta Doran, said: "Trena Cox made a huge contribution to this area through her vibrant stained glass, and as an advocate for the preservation of Chester's heritage.

"Her story is part of the story of Chester; the city in which she lived and worked for over fifty years."

As a result of Doran's research, the significance of Cox's work has been raised, resulting in the conservation of her St Christopher window in Chester Cathedral's Slype: one of the most important windows in Cox's early career.

Cllr Louise Gittins, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, said: "This exhibition follows on from the hugely successful 'Trena Cox: Reflections 100' exhibition at Chester Cathedral in late 2024, featuring many of the same artist's interpreting Cox's work.

"The Grosvenor Museum exhibition will, however, focus more on Trena's interests in the city of Chester, and her advocacy for its heritage, especially on Watergate Street."

This conservation work was undertaken by Recclesia Stained Glass made possible with funding from the Couch Charitable Trust.

A programme of talks, workshops and family activities has been planned to take place as part of the exhibition.

For full details, please see here.

This project is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The wider project, of which 'Illuminated: Trena Cox in Chester' is a part, has received funding from the UK Share Prosperity Fund, Councillor Simon Eardley, The Ursula Keys Trust, The Megan Gwynne-Jones Trust and the Couch Charitable Trust.

     

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