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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => British & Irish Glass => Topic started by: Pinky on March 26, 2007, 12:31:10 AM

Title: Hidden Hartley Wood letter in Harry Powell Book
Post by: Pinky on March 26, 2007, 12:31:10 AM
Of all the astonishing things to find on a quiet Sunday evening is two historical scraps of paper used as separate page markers inside my copy of 'GLASS-MAKING IN ENGLAND' book by Harry Powell. I thought it might interest collectors of Hartley Wood and Powell glass.

Beloved and I are anticipating a house move so I've been making an extra effort to sort and pack things. I copped hold of the Harry Powell Book, was flicking through and noticed a scrap of paper tucked between two pages. I lost the page so held the book upright and gently shook it to release the loose paper. Not one but two torn scraps fell out - I took them up and noticed the tear lines on each scrap matched up. When put together they formed a letter to A. J. Wood Esq., C/o Hartley Wood & Co Ltd., Portobello Glassworks, Monkwearmouth. Sunderland. I was gobsmacked. I'd not read as far as the first scrap in the book which I've had for a couple of years? now.

Then I noticed the inscription inside the front cover of the book - Alfred. J. Wood. 1 Roker Park Terrace. Sunderland Co. Durham. Then I rang Pat Hogan to tell him and he suggested that Alfred Wood could be the 'Wood' in the Hartley Wood glasshouse name. Well then you could have knocked me down with a feather.

Onto the net I went and a BIG THANK YOU TO THE CAMBRIDGE GLASS FAIR ORGANIZERS AND THEIR WEBSITE there was a potted history of the Hartley Wood glassworks. I'll not reiterate what's been written except to briefly say that in 1837 the brothers, James and John Hartley started up their Wear factory in Sunderland. It shut in 1892 but a grandson, James Hartley Jnr. started up again in a bottle place in Monkwearmouth. In 1892 or 1895 (accounts differ) Alfred Wood, a Hartley colour-mixer joined up as a partner. That year their Antique Glass range came out - then - and now Hartley Wood famed for its lovely colours. I read somewhere that Alfred Wood had a secret recipe for a gorgeous ruby red which only he knew and when he suddenly passed away it took a while before the glasshouse could produce that same lovely ruby. Were there any other Alfred Woods at Hartley Wood?

Have a look at the pictures below to see the letter. I've also put in a picture of a Hartley Wood streaky ruby and amber vase (left) next to a Powell streaky ruby and amber vase (right). Harry Powell mentions the works in page 118 of his book but I haven't looked any further yet to see if there's any other references. What a privilege it is for me for this to happen. How extraordinary life is......here's links to the pictures - just scroll on down.........
http://whitefriarsorg.org/mf/index.php?showtopic=637
Title: Re: Hidden Hartley Wood letter in Harry Powell Book
Post by: Sue C on March 26, 2007, 08:41:00 AM
Pinky, Roker Park Terrace is still there i think.
there is a bit about the glassworks here www.wearsideonline.com
Title: Re: Hidden Hartley Wood letter in Harry Powell Book
Post by: Sue C on March 26, 2007, 10:52:03 AM
BTW meant to say congradulations, you must be chuffed to bits :)
Title: Re: Hidden Hartley Wood letter in Harry Powell Book
Post by: Pinky on March 26, 2007, 12:41:18 PM
....Dexter - thank you. I am chuffed and very, very surprised and full of wonderment, excitement and curiosity......lots of questions I'm asking myself. Did Hartley Wood invent streaky decoration - was there anything similar before? When did Alfred invent his ruby? etc....etc....The letter is from someone with lots of letters after his name - is he a doctor or some such?........
Title: Re: Hidden Hartley Wood letter in Harry Powell Book
Post by: nigel benson on March 26, 2007, 01:12:23 PM
Hello Pinky,

What a lovely find for you. Brilliant :)

I did find it a little difficult to read the letter, but factory inspector crossed my mind will I was trying to decypher it.

Anybody out there any ideas about the letters after the name?

Cheers, Nigel
Title: Re: Hidden Hartley Wood letter in Harry Powell Book
Post by: Sklounion on March 26, 2007, 01:46:58 PM
Hi,
These may not be that relevant, as the letter seems to be discussing social provision, however for what its worth....
First one may be AMInstT (Associate Member of the Institute of Transport), the second, (AMIBE) Associate Member of the Institution of British Engineers. The latter still exists in that form, the first is now the Chartered Institute of Transport and Logistics.
Regards,
Marcus
Title: Re: Hidden Hartley Wood letter in Harry Powell Book
Post by: Sue C on March 26, 2007, 01:51:12 PM
Hi Pinky, another thought crossed my mind, as the letter is dated 1947, and discusses women , children and nursery's, would it have something to do with the war widows welfare?
Title: Re: Hidden Hartley Wood letter in Harry Powell Book
Post by: Sklounion on March 26, 2007, 02:05:19 PM
Sorry,
hit a dead -end in the AMInstT line, as the new organisation kept NONE of the material prior to its creation in 1999. All members had to change their professional letters, and no year books regarding the preceding membership was retained.
Possibly one can find something through IBE, but information is scarce.
Regards,
Marcus
Title: Re: Hidden Hartley Wood letter in Harry Powell Book
Post by: Pinky on March 26, 2007, 07:53:40 PM
.....You're all so lovely with your help - it is very much appreciated - thank you. I spoke to Christina Glover of 'Circaglass' today who manages the Cambridge Glass Fair Website and provided the Hartley Wood article......here's the link http://www.cambridgeglassfair.com/exhibitions/pastexhibitions/2004-02-hartleywood.htm. The website will be changing shortly so please don't be surprised if you lose the link in the future.

In consideration of all your comments and advice I'm going to contact the Sunderland National Glass Centre and also see if I can find a lady called Susan Newell (thank you Christina and Patrick) who wrote an article on Hartley Wood for a Glass Association periodical in 2001 (Volume 6).

I'll keep you posted and in the meantime would be very grateful for any further news/comments. Best Pinky
Title: Re: Hidden Hartley Wood letter in Harry Powell Book
Post by: nigel benson on March 26, 2007, 08:19:33 PM
Hi Pinky,

Email me or give me a call, I believe I have Susan's email address for you :)

Nigel
Title: Re: Hidden Hartley Wood letter in Harry Powell Book
Post by: Bernard C on March 27, 2007, 04:00:32 AM
Quote from: Pinky
... I'm going to contact the Sunderland National Glass Centre ...

Pinky — Are you sure?   My experience is that it is Sunderland Museum that is the organisation with the responsibility for Sunderland's historic industry, not the National Glass Centre.

See http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/sunderland/collections.php

I don't know what glass is on display at this museum, and it's not clear from the website.   It's probably best to check before going.

About eight or so years ago we visited the former Sunderland Museum & Art Gallery in Borough Road in the centre of Sunderland.   My recollection is that there was no display of Hartley Wood art glass or Pyrex, but permanent displays of:-
  • The 1820s Londonderry cut suite
  • Sunderland Bridge rummers
  • Greener & Turnbull pressed glass
  • Jobling 1930s art glass.

    • Included in this display were three rare stunning Art Deco classics:-
  • The Jobling tall centrepiece figurine that never went into production
  • The box for a pair of Jobling 10400 Opalique squirrel carver rests*
  • A disparate pair of 1932 mounted pressed glass lighting panels by Allan Howes, glassworks unidentified (these classic Deco lighting panels were also made by Hailwood & Ackroyd and John Walsh Walsh.)

    • Bernard C.  8)

    * — I had a pair of these (no box) on display at a Bristol fair about four or five years ago.   Next to me was a French Lalique specialist.   When he saw these beauties, he did an imitation of the opening scene in 4 Weddings and a Funeral.    He spent much of the remainder of the day reading my copy of Baker & Crowe, putting fingerprints all over these knife rests, and muttering f-words with a French accent.   It was pretty obvious that he had never seen Jobling Opalique novelties before, and he was quite amazed and astounded by them.
    Title: Re: Hidden Hartley Wood letter in Harry Powell Book
    Post by: Sklounion on March 28, 2007, 06:00:38 AM
    Pinky.....
    Bernard's reservations regarding the National Glass Centre are well-founded, as it has, as I understand it (from discussions with them last year) no permanent collection of glass of any historical period, and certainly no budget, or particular desire to acquire individual pieces, or donated collections.
    Regards,
    Marcus
    Title: Re: Hidden Hartley Wood letter in Harry Powell Book
    Post by: Pinky on March 28, 2007, 10:57:21 PM
    .....thank you Nigel for the email address - very much. And for the lovely natter. It saved me a lot of time going round the houses. Thank you too, Mr Bernard C and Mr Marcus Le Casson....quite right - I'm not sure about anything most of the time and doubt an oft unwelcome but nonetheless very valuable old friend::)). With this in mind (not to mention Sunderland glass and pottery, a gliding reptile fossil and a tree canopy in Sunderland Museum floating tantalisingly through my head) I'll go slow anf follow the path of information directly.

    Thing is - and I knew instinctively I was heading for danger - this strange little torn letter is hinting at far, far more than the sum of it contents so I've not been thinking too coherently - at least - not coherently enough yet to ask Susan Newell lucid questions:). So today, with the help of a 'man on a boat' and another in a 'silication department' in Oxon I managed to locate an ex-Hartley Wood worker by the name of Mike Tuffey who is now the owner of English Antique Glass (EAG) - here's his link: http://www.englishantiqueglass.co.uk/

    Mike was lovely. Just lovely. He described himself as an engineer, an industrial furnace-builder now glass-maker, his career in the industry beginning in 1963. Mike maintained the furnaces at Hartley Wood, at Whitefriars, at Caithness - and has worked at glasshouses the length and breadth of the mainland (I forgot to ask about the Islands - pardon me). Initially there were 'multi-pot' furnaces says he, where different colours are under the same fire, therefore are heated at the same rates to the same temperature. As time passed there was a move forward to 'single-pot' furnaces which are far cheaper to run and allow for more flexibilty to heat certain colours at different temperatures. For instance, he built a single-pot furnace for Whitefriars that was never installed - the factory closed. There was a significant change in the glass industry in the mid 1960s but I don't know the nature of this - the furnace had gone out and bless him, he rang me knowing this - I did not want to press him.

    When Hartley Wood closed Mike bought much of the equipment which is in use at his Alverchurch works now. An ex-Hartley Wood glassmaker called Harry Pryor/or Prior travels down from Sunderland to give a hand one or two days a week (I can't remember exactly). Nowadays things are tough - Mike says he could not earn a living from streaky or coloured glass alone. On top of his usual he carries out an odd commission, will work to samples, is involved in restoration work. He talked about a clear glass at EAG - 'water white and sparkly'.

    That's as much as I know for now - it's rather wobbly - please forgive. Thanks to all of you and to Mike it has helped to clarify things a little - to be able to form the questions I need to ask first..........What does the letter mean? Who holds the Hartley Wood Documentation? And I noticed in one or two of the pictures of Hartley Wood vases the streaky colours are running through (to coin Mikes term - which spurred the question) 'water-white' glass. But in the two vases I have here - the one Hartley Wood and the other Powell, the streaky colours are running through a glass with a grey or very lightly smoked tinted glass and I wonder why this is - whether the tinted form is a deliberate manner of decorative treatment - to make the glass look a bit older or more authentic, the way there are deliberate bubbles in. Or whether it is something else or both. The ruby thing, too is fascinating.

    Mike says it's fine for anyone to go and visit and watch - it happens all the time::)) So I think I might pop along (if anyone fancies coming maybe we could arrange something). In the meantime I'll keep you posted and thank you again.

    Best Pinky

     




    Title: Re: Hidden Hartley Wood letter in Harry Powell Book
    Post by: Pinky on March 31, 2007, 11:51:51 PM
    ......am hooked on this thing and can't put down the Harry Powell. There was more than one Alfred Wood. Thank you so very, very much to Mike Tuffey who sent me Susan Newells article on Hartley Wood. There was;

    Alfred Wood (1854 to 1916) from the old Hartley factory - the colour mixer who joined James Hartley Junior as a partner in 1895 so the name became Hartley, Wood & Co. Since this Alfred passed in 1916 and since Powells book was published in 1923 neither the letter or book could have belonged to him.

    But he had two sons who succeeded him in the business - Gilbert Henry Wood (1886 to 1979).

    Alfred John Wood (1882 to 1948) passed in 1948 just a year after the letter is dated  so I'm thinking that this must be the Alfred J Wood - the owner of book and letter. Perhaps the fact of him passing so many years ago explains why the book was not in the glasshouse at it's closure.

    I don't know which Alfred passed away with the secret ruby recipe (both?).

    Or whether streaky vases started to be made and sold in the 30s or before the 30s - back before 1900.

    In fact I don't know anything. Only that Sunderland is calling. The first stop will be Sunderland Museum and Art Gallery - Mr Bernard C and Mr Marcus Le Casson you were right - Susan Newell found some information there.

    Thank heavens for Mike Tuffey and Susan Newells article and you all....Dexter....Roker Terrace is also calling::)). Will post again. PinkyXX
    Title: Re: Hidden Hartley Wood letter in Harry Powell Book
    Post by: flying free on December 31, 2012, 10:17:06 AM
    I've recently bought a vase I've been hankering after for a while.  No pics yet but it's from the 1930's Hartley Wood antique streaky glass range.
    In doing some research I came upon this information from the National Archives - it didn't seem to be linked here in any other threads. Makes interesting reading regarding the ownership history of Hartley Wood Glass.
    http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=183-dshw&cid=0#0
    m
    Title: Re: Hidden Hartley Wood letter in Harry Powell Book
    Post by: johnphilip on December 31, 2012, 05:37:19 PM
    Hi ya Jules (Pinky) you old sleuth nice to see you back again , sorry to butt!!!! in , your old friend Marie has been trying to contact you for some time , if you cant get her let me know  ,
     HAPPY NEW YEAR  you old Beastie . Please come to Cambridge but leave your purse at home  ::)
    I may have a Gingham Banjo for you . ;D ;D ;) Hobbsie to you .xxx  jp to others

    Title: Re: Hidden Hartley Wood letter in Harry Powell Book
    Post by: Lustrousstone on December 31, 2012, 08:47:58 PM
    Pinky's post was in 2007 JP!
    Title: Re: Hidden Hartley Wood letter in Harry Powell Book
    Post by: johnphilip on January 01, 2013, 12:13:32 AM
    OOOOPS Better late than never  :-[ :-[ :-[ must learn to read . HAPPY NOO YEAR ALL .
    Title: Re: Hidden Hartley Wood letter in Harry Powell Book
    Post by: essi on January 04, 2013, 08:04:48 PM
    Not sure what this brings to the discussion.
    looking at some dunne cooke vases in the glass association journal
    brought to mind a vase i bought recently which i believed to be hartley wood.
    Did dunne cooke have any connection with the factory?
    Is this vase hartley wood?
    Any comments wellcome.
    The vase stands 6 inches tall.
    Happy new year
    Title: Re: Hidden Hartley Wood letter in Harry Powell Book
    Post by: johnphilip on January 04, 2013, 11:51:31 PM
    Hi nice to see you on the forum as well as at all the fairs A HAPPY NEW YEAR to you and your lovely lady , hope you get some help with this , cheers john  Nice vase i like the colours .
    Title: Re: Hidden Hartley Wood letter in Harry Powell Book
    Post by: chriscooper on January 05, 2013, 11:16:21 AM
    Hi, cannot recall a connection with H/Wood. I have a signed streaky yellow piece of Dunne Cooke in my album. what is the base like on the vase? H/Wood would of this type would have a kicked out base with a crude snapped off pontil mark, the Dunne Cooke a lobed base a lot were signed but not all.
    https://picasaweb.google.com/107067405711297858658/Untitled06#
    The above link shows the Dunne Cooke vase.
    The link below shows some Hartley Wood vases....
    https://picasaweb.google.com/107067405711297858658/HartleyWoodVases2012

    Chris
    Title: Re: Hidden Hartley Wood letter in Harry Powell Book
    Post by: essi on January 05, 2013, 07:31:24 PM
    Thanks for  the speedy responce.
    The vase does have a kick up base and a snapped of pontil mark.
    thanks for the pictures chris,the signed dunne cooke streaky looks so similar.
    (newcomer, still not masterd uploading multiple images)
    Title: Re: Hidden Hartley Wood letter in Harry Powell Book
    Post by: chriscooper on January 06, 2013, 11:42:35 AM
    Hi, looks like it could be a Hartley piece then.
    Chris