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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => British & Irish Glass => Topic started by: BohaGlass on October 05, 2012, 07:24:34 PM
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Hi Guys,
We live just a few miles from the original Nailsea Glass factory and have been saddened by the fact that it has been pulverised to make way for a new Tescos.
We have gathered some information to create a potted history of the Nailsea Glass complete with pictures of the original glassworks. Please click on the link to see the Nailsea Glass (http://www.bohaglass.co.uk/nailsea-glass/) History article.
Best regards
Barnaby
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Many thanks for sharing this. I also have this link (http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/nailsea_avon_2004/index.cfm?CFID=2620888&CFTOKEN=43955331) which if you click the downloads link (http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/nailsea_avon_2004/downloads.cfm) gives a full history of the archaeology dig.
Hope it is of interest.
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[Mod: Separate topics on same subject merged into one]
Hello,
I have been trying to gather information about Nailsea Glass and managed to locate some photos of the old Nailsea Glass Factory. This is what I have gathered so far:
http://www.bohaglass.co.uk/nailsea-glass/
It would be great to add even more information about Nailsea Glass, as there is nothing much in Nailsea (about 4 miles from here) as Tesco built on top of the old factory.
Any information will be given author credit.
Kind regards
Barnaby
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I did give you a link here that was unacknowledged:
http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,49719.0.html
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We need to rename Nailsea Glass to Bolsterstone glass, examples can be seen in the University of Sheffield glass collection. Bolsterstone started in 1650s and closed down in 1758 but were a major glassworks making every type of glass including various items now called Nailsea glass. They also used colours. The white enamel they used for the marvered in blobs and streaks in Nailsea type was 52.8% lead oxide. Bolsterstone was also highly innovative with pre-heating and closed pots... not seen again for a long time after their demise or known about until the 1980s. (Ashurst - South Yorkshire Glass)
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Nice one Frank :) thanks
m
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Had Bolsterstone surfaced in 1890s would that be todayś term? And as a result Nailsea lost as just another Bolsterstone style maker? Instead Nailsea glassworks has proven enigmatic with research that might never have happened without is name coming to the fore as it has.
Bolsterstone was clearly a more important works for many reasons, hopefully it will benefit from modern archaeology one day too.
Strange turns of history.
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It's a shame about the specks of glass drops not being able to be investigated at Nailsea. But I have to say I have bought a few pieces of glass that have literally come from the Nailsea area, none seem to tally with what the Nailsea history is so far, but I find it hard to believe that having been bought in that literal area, there isn't some connection.
I'm keeping quiet for now :)
m
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As much as as our fantasies might wander the reality is that some will have been made at the Nailsea glassworks and others at the glassworks down the road. So a label is assumed. But what you have is a piece of glass history and unlike many of the history books you can touch it and know it is real. Somehow to me that seems so much more important than knowing exactly who it was made by and on what day. The story of the works is of course a different kettle of fish for me.
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quite. Strangely, I was watching a program on Napoleon and the Duke of Wellington a couple of weeks ago - and whilst they were discussing the Duke of Wellington dying (1852) I was sat looking at a Clichy paperweight, unpolished with all it's pits and grazes. I picked it up and held it remarking to OH that it actually carries the DNA of people who were making it at more or less exactly that time. Amazing.
m
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I love the fact that most of my glass has history, even if I don't know who made it. When we were in Scotland we went on a Land Rover safari up Glen Tilt along the very track Queen Victoria trotted on her pony. Now I've plenty of places I know she's been, but this made/and still makes her seem real to me.
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Cool! I remember on my one (and only so far) trip to Scotland, I was in Holyrood Palace. An American (as evidenced by their accent) behind me excitedly asked the guide where the blood stains from Rizzio's murder where. After he told them where, they scurried off to see them. I quipped to the guide that he had neglected to tell them it was really from the cleaning lady who had hurt herself the previous week. I mean really, who believes blood stains wouldn't get faded after 430 years.
Carolyn
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Hi David E
Apologies! I didn't see that post. The downloads link looks absolutely fact-filled, so thank you very much for pointing me towards this treasure trove of information, and I am soo sorry it has taken me 4 years to respond!!
Better late than never :-)
Kind regards
Barnaby
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I found this Nailsea snippet when doing some research which I will append here for posterity.
In my personal copy of Manchester Faces and Places magazine c1890s, there is an article on Councillor Frederick Smallman (photo attached). In his bio it states that he was born in November 1845, in the "little Somersetshire village of Nailsea."
"One of the few Nailsea industries was that of glass making, in which his father was engaged. The trade being at the time in a depressed condition in the district, Mr Smallman senior, soon after the birth of his son, removed to the neighbourhood of Birmingham, which promised fuller employment and better wages than the Somersetshire village afforded."
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There is information online on Nailsea glassmakers but it's local info and I'm not sure there is copyright permission to pass on links.
There is a long list of Baptisms at Christ Church- amongst them:
There was a Clement baptised 12 May 1844 born to William and Ann Smallman occupation glasscutter
There was a Samuel baptised 16 June 1844 born to Brittan and Albinia Smallman occupation Glass worker.
I presume the occupation relates to the father.
There are a couple of other occupations listed as Glass worker on the list, some Glass man,and some Glass cutter.
There are lots of baptisms with occupations of fathers listed as Glass maker in the 1852 and 1853 and 1855 baptism list in both Nailsea and Christ Church. And some listed as Glass blower. So at that time there seems to have been some occupation in Glassmaking.
On Sep 16 1866 there seems to have been a group baptism of loads of Glass makers children.
The occupation of the father linked to glass making seems to come to a halt completely in 1873! Thereafter none that I could see.
There is also a huge amount of information here:
https://www.b-i-a-s.org.uk/BIAS_Journal_31_NAILSEA_GLASSWORKS.pdf
AT some point late 18th they converted from Bottle blowing to window glass according to that.