This information is from the Art Union Journal (Monthly) volume X (ten) so possibly/presumably
October 1848:
PAGE 327
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=47XlAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA327&dq=mr+Drayton+german+glass&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwibw_fpq43kAhVJ6KQKHfyHCPUQ6AEILDAB#v=onepage&q=mr%20Drayton%20german%20glass&f=false'We understand that
a very large assortment of the German glass is now in the process of manufacture, for the especial purpose of being subjected to the Draytonian process' (my words, i.e. silvered glass).
In the court case,
Frederick Hale Thomson says of his partnership with Drayton that he was in the business of silvering glass and had carried it on 'since the Autumn of 1848'.
The timing means that it is very likely Hale Thomson was involved with the import of 'a very large assortment of the German glass' in some way and would then have had access to it.We do not know at what point Hale Thomson (or indeed he and Drayton together) worked out that he could silver double sided glass and it would be better than having to make a liner for an existing 'normal single walled' vase. It might have been at the inkwell point as he says in the court case, but it may be he had already realised before that (i.e. the Autumn of 1848), that if they could silver inside two walls of glass rather than having to 'line' an existing vase (e.g. possibly the V&A example with the metal signed rim) it would be much better.
Hence the order for a very large assortment of the German glass. Ordered to meet the 'double walled' spec. perhaps? Where previously Mr Drayton had been using Bohemian glass items.
So in the autumn of 1848 /October 1848, Hale Thomson and Drayton were working on something together.
The German glass was ordered, Drayton went off the scene,leaving Hale Thomson to carry on the silvering business. Who then went into partnership with Varnish, a salesman.
The stock of 'a very large assortment of German glass'? Was it ordered in double walled variety because of Hale Thomson's idea? Did it stay with him when he parted company at some point from Drayton?
How long did it take to arrive in the UK? did it arrive in 1849?
Hale Thomson submitted the drawings including a double walled goblet for patent 12,905 on 19 December 1849.
Had they already been made? Did he already know by Dec 1849 he could silver them internally and the silvering would stick/not go get brown spots after a while as Drayton's original silvering method with cloves did?
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=lwsCQtrhxFkC&pg=RA2-PA3&dq=hale+thomson+silvered&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjytqKg27bjAhU0QUEAHUl-DzQQ6AEILTAB#v=onepage&q=hale%20thomson%20silvered&f=falseIf he did, then they must have already been made and designed and supplied for him to have tried it.
His and Varnish's agreement to hire Mellish (Mellish recommended by Mr Powell of Whitefriars Glassworks) appears to have been done on 26th December 1849.
That is AFTER he and Varnish had already submitted drawings of double walled glass including a goblet to the Patent office.
https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?id=t18520405-382&div=t18520405-382&terms=mellish_varnish#highlightIn the court case Hale Thomson talks about '
he (my words - he was referring to Mr Mellish) was to go to Mr. Powell's glass works to superintend the preparation of the glass for silvering'. He doesn't talk about glass being blown at Whitefriars. I wonder if Whitefriars were cutting the glass designs, i.e. the patterns onto blank pieces which had already been supplied - maybe that 'large assortment of German glass'?
or cutting holes in the bottom so they could be silvered internally through the hole - hence the numbers engraved on the bottoms of the glass centres to match the goblets.
The York Banquet was in October 1850 where silvered goblets were presented to Prince Albert and the Lords Mayor.