A timeline of the Albert Glassworks, Wordsley (a summary based on Jason Ellis’s book). The involvement of Mills, Walker and Co. runs from 1882 through to 1896, but I have included the timeline from 1853 to set the glassworks and its proprietors in context, and extended it beyond 1896 to try and round off the scene.
1853: Richard Mills, Edward Webb, Frederick Stuart and Thomas Webb form the firm of Mills, Webb & Stuart, the partnership being for a term of 21 years. Richard Mills purchased the Wordsley Iron Foundry, behind the Red House glassworks, and changed its name to the Albert Glassworks (presumably named after the Prince Consort). The cone they build was the last of the traditional type to be built in the Stourbridge district.
1854: Thomas Webb leaves the partnership to build Dennis Glassworks.
1856: Richard Mills, Edward Webb and Frederick Stuart agree new articles of partnership for a term of 14 years.
1858: In response to the almost complete unionisation of labour in the glass industry, Frederick Stuart became a founder member of the Flint Glass Manufacturers Defence Association.
1860: Richard Mills dies. His wife, Elizabeth inherits his partnership in Mills, Webb and Stuart, but she renounces it as she was permitted to do under the terms of the will. Instead, their son, George Mill, becomes a partner. In the same year, Edward Webb dies, leaving his business interest under trust or mortgage to his brother-in law, Henry Smith.
1868: The 14 year term of the Mills, Webb and Stuart partnership expires, and the partnership is dissolved. Frederick Stuart and George Mills wish to carry on the business, but it has to be refinanced for George Mills to take on a 50% stake. Stuart and Mills buy the stock in trade of the Albert Glassworks. They establish a new partnership in September 1868, and to raise further capital they take out a mortgage secured on the Albert Glassworks.
1875: Contention develops between the partners concerning the style of glass they should make. George Mills prefers making chandeliers and lighting, whereas Frederick Stuart and his sons are fascinated by Philip Pargeter’s virtuoso glassmaking next door at the Red House. The relationship becomes so bad that they eventually refuse to speak to each other and only communicate in written messages.
1876: A trade directory entry shows the large range of products manufactured – “Stuart and Mills (late Mills, Webb and Stuart), manufacturers of cut glass chandeliers, lustres, wall lights, hall lamps, moons &c. & cut, engraved, etched and ornamental glass ware, Wordsley.”
Stuart and Mills supply a large order for the steam ship, the ‘Great Eastern’, and subsequently become major contractors to the shipping trade.
1881: Frederick Stuart takes over the lease of the Red House glassworks, and several of his sons become involved in his business there.
1882: Mills seeks a new partner familiar with chandelier manufacturing. In May 1882, he agrees with Philip Walker to buy the assets and goodwill of William Walker and Sons at the Heath Glassworks and to form a partnership with his nephew James Harry Walker as Mills and Walker. James Harry Walker is an experienced glassmaker and designer, and with capital from his father, forms the partnership of Mills, Walker & Co. George Mills buys Frederick Stuart’s share of the business in the name of Mills, Walker & Co.
The partnership between George Mills and Frederick Stuart expires on 25 August 1882. In September 1882, George Mills buys the Hatton gardens showrooms in London from Frederick Stuart. Stuart and Mills finally part company in October 1882, and Stuart moves to the adjoining Red House glassworks which he had leased the previous year.
1884: George Mills’ mental health begins to deteriorate. He had been entrusted with the financial management of the company, trade begins to decline, stock increases, and the financial situation of the company raises concerns. Mills quarrels with his partners, is unreasonable with customers, and is violent towards workmen. James Walker seeks to oust George Mills from the business and reduce his share of its profits. A meeting is held in September and it was agreed that the partnership should be dissolved. By 7 November, the partnership has still not been dissolved and the company has completely run out of cash.
1885: These problems are dramatically increased when George Mills shoots himself on 13 November.
1886: The glass trade is in the midst of a financial depression, and glassworks, tools and stock are virtually unsaleable. Liquidation will not raise sufficient money to clear George Mills’ liabliities, some of which were to members of the family, so a decision is taken to try trade out of difficulty. On 17 March, Mills’ widow conveys her interest in the Albert Glassworks to James Harry Walker, in return for which he undertakes to repay monies owing to the bank and his father. The business is saved and continues to trade as Mills, Walker & Co., though the agreement still recognises that capital due to the estate of George Mills remains in the business.
The firm introduces Corolene decorated glass called Verre de Neige, or snowflake glass that looks like coral. (It was described in Pottery Gazette and appeared in the Silver and Flemming catalogue of 1889).
1888: Carrara ware is introduced, an imitation of marble. A trade directory of 1888 shows the firm still to have an interest in lighting ware – “ Mills, Walker & Co., Glass chandelier and lamp manufacturers, Wordsley”
1889: A further deed of agreement and partnership is agreed on 26 February 1889. The various interested parties in the Mills and Walker families give their agreement for James Harry Walker to enter into partnership with John Bolton in the firm of Mills, Walker and Co. for a term of 21 years. John Bolton had been a partner in John Davis and Co. at Dial glassworks but dissolved the partnership in 1888.
1890: Trading in the first half of the year is profitable but the second half show losses.
1891: There is an unsatisfactory audit in January and February. The company’s insolvency and associated legal proceedings are presumably an unbearable burden for James Harry Walker, who shoots himself on 2 March 1891- the Albert Glassworks has claimed its second death by suicide. The business becomes insolvent on 18 April 1891, the creditors electing to try and salvage their money by supporting Mills & Walker as a going concern and trying to form it into a limited company. The business is saved but continues to incur losses.
1892 to 1894: The business continues to lose money. In the autumn of 1894, the bank decides to intervene and insists on the appointment of a new manager. On 26 November 1894 John Alexander Service is appointed co-managing director with John Bolton.
1895: The board of directors is reconstituted on 8 October 1895, and Service becomes general managing director, with John Bolton as a director.
1896: After 6 months in the job, Service makes a written report to the board of directors. This gives a fascinating insight into the strengths and weaknesses of the businesses. The chandelier business, which had been George Mills’ ‘speciality’, he considers to be a ‘perfect farce’ and ‘were it not for the large stock of finished goods and materials he would have recommended its immediate closure’. As to management, Service observes that Benjamin Robinson (a director) would be leaving at Christmas ‘having not shown much energy’ and that Mr Bolton (still a director) ‘has rendered him but little assistance’.
The bank applies for a winding-up order. A receiver is appointed on 21 August 1896 and he puts the business up as a going concern. The business comprises a twelve-pot furnace, two kilns, two winding lehrs, shrawer room, three glory holes, pot room and pot arch.
On 13 October 1896 Levi Silas and George Silas Hingley purchase the premises, business and stock in trade. They retain the entire workforce and set about remodelling and refitted the works.
John Bolton sets up a small glass manufacturing business in Brettell Lane with his nephew John Frederick Bolton Bowater. It trades as Bolton (John) & Bowater.
L & S Hingley continued to trade until 1948, when the Albert Glassworks was advertised for sale. A buyer was promptly found in the firm of W.H. Swingewood & Co. Ltd. The old twelve-pot furnace had not been used since the First World War, and, as part of a modernisation programme, the cone and furnace were demolished on 28 January 1949.
Topic: Mills, Walker & Co of Wordsley basket (Read 3890 times)
