Nick Checksfield  

Nick is one of the only maille (chain-mail) makers working in the UK today and is by far the most experienced. He has mentored, trained and inspired maillemakers around the world and is dedicated to promoting the craft, ensuring that the experience and skills he has gained over the past 30 years are not lost. Nick has worked with many prestigious organisations, conserving important historical artefacts and contributing to museum research. He conserved and restored every piece of non-European maille in The Wallace Collection, over 150 pieces, recording the process and making many remarkable discoveries – including that one of the original makers was left-handed. Nick has helped institutions expand their understanding of the pieces in their care and has also fashioned new armour pieces for some of the most famous competition jousters and historical martial artists. He has shared his experiences on television and has delivered many workshops and one-on-one tutorials. He has regularly taught in schools, brining another dimension to the pupils’ understanding of the aspects of medieval life that books can struggle to convey. Nick is intelligent, engagingly humble and choc-full of knowledge, a rare talent who not only creates beautiful pieces but has a wealth of knowledge that he is willing to share.  

Alfred Fisher MBE

Alfred has been involved in stained glass for over 70 years and, while now retired, still shares his knowledge by giving talks and informally mentoring young artists. Throughout his career, he has designed beautiful and inspiring stained glass windows, both in the UK and abroad. In 1957, Alfred won a scholarship to study art in churches across Europe which helped him to develop his own distinctive style of window design. He is a member of a number of prestigious organisations related to his work and, for 20 years, was the advisor on stained glass for the National Trust, reporting on stained glass in all National Trust properties. Alfred was awarded an MBE in 2011 for teaching and encouraging students in stained glass design, as well as for his own artistic achievements. He was meticulous in learning all aspects of the making process for stained glass windows and has been part of many changes in the field, from working in the post-war ‘boom’ years to witnessing a steady decline in commissions and a demise in formal stained glass training. Alfred strives to guide and encourage his fellow artists and craftworkers, hopefully inspiring a new generation to experience stained glass at a practical level to ensure continuation of this craft. 

Photograph credits to Stefen Jakubowski and Heritage Crafts.