Islington House and Glassworks Broad Street

[Vivienne14]

Islington House was located on Broad Street. It was built for Mr Rice Harris in 1814. His business was the Islington Glassworks. Examples of the products of the glassworks were displayed at the 1851 Great Exhibition

Originally Islington House comprised only the central section of the much larger building that still exists today.This was extended in later years to include two wings either side of the original house. With adaptations and extensions it became the Lying-in Hospital. Mr Rice was a subscriber to this hospital.

The history of the Hospital is explored in two threads - links below.

Lying-in Hospital Islington

Grade 2 listed 80 Broad Street and boundary walls to front Heritage Category:Listed Building Grade:II List Entry Number:1075733 Date first listed:08-Jul-1982 List Entry Name:80 Broad Street and boundary walls to front Statutory Address:80 Broad Street, Birmingham, B15 1AU

birminghamhistory.co.uk

Lying-in hospital 21 Whittall Street

The Birmingham Lying In Hospital and Dispensary for the diseases of Women and Children for Birmingham and the Midland Counties was founded in 1842. The aim of the charity was to 'supply proper medical and obstetric attendance to poor married women' and 'relief in the diseases incident to women...

birminghamhistory.co.uk

The c1906 image below shows the house with later wing extensions. By the time of this image it was a hospital.





Viv

 

[pjmburns]

Islington House was located on Broad Street. It was built for Mr Rice Harris in 1814. His business was the Islington Glassworks. Examples of the products of the glassworks were displayed at the 1851 Great Exhibition


Viv

That explains the number of entries on the 1841 census which refer to "glassworkers"

 

[pjmburns]

1841 census

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks Janice. Bill Dargue suggests : Islington Glassworks owned by Johnson, Berry & Rice was set up behind Berry's house which had been built c1830. I don't know where Berry's house would have been, presumably very close by. Viv

 

[pjmburns]

Bill Dargue's article makes it sound as if it was Berry's house which became the hospital. Which doesn't fit with Islington House having been built in 1814

Islington Glassworks owned by Johnson, Berry & Rice was set up behind Berry's house which had been built c1830.

The house became the Lying-in Hospital in 1842 set up to provide maternity care for the poor.

 

[Vivienne14]

I found that confusing Janice, but Berry's house was built c1830, later than Islington House. Or does it mean that the Glasshouse was built c1830. Confusing! Viv

 

[pjmburns]

I found that confusing Janice, but Berry's house was built c1830, later than Islington House. Or does it mean then Glasshouse was built c1830. Confusing! Viv

I was confused as well.
Just found another reference which says:

Islington House was built on Broad Street, Birmingham in 1814 for Rice Harris as the Islington Glassworks. A century later the Outpatients Dept of the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital

In directories around that date the glassworks is given as in Sheepcote Street which implies the factory was behind the house. Trying to find a map.

 

[Vivienne14]

Yes that sounds likely.

Rice Harris was bankrupt by 1842 - glassworks equipment and materials was all up for sale. Viv.


Source: British Newspaper Archive

 

[pjmburns]

To add to the confusion Birmingham Library catalogue has this entry

Yes that sounds likely.

Rice Harris was bankrupt by 1842 - glassworks equipment and materials was all up for sale. Viv.


Source: British Newspaper Archive

That must be when it was bought to become the hospital

 

[Vivienne14]

The glassworks was bought c1857 and Rice Harris had died by that time. So presumably Islington House had been sold too. Viv.

 

[Vivienne14]

Heres a notice from 1849 confirming the General Institution for the Blind were using the house (re post #9). Viv.

Source: British Newspaper Archive

 

[pjmburns]

Scan of part of an 1839 map - confusingly it doesn't mark Sheepcote Street but I think I have the right place (Ryland street is marked).

 

[pjmburns]

In Aris's Birmingham Gazette 13 August 1832

 

[Vivienne14]

Do you think the glassworks was part of the house Janice ? Not at all as I expected. The building looks like an 'L' shape with a drive and gardens to the front.

The map also confirms Islington as the name in use for Broad Street along that section down to the canal (St Peters [Place ?]) Viv.

 

[pjmburns]

Not what I expected. I thought it would show the house and behind it, fronting Sheepcote Street, the factory.
It looks as if the house was almost surrounded by the glassworks but it is difficult to tell. Still looking for a better map if possible.

 

[Vivienne14]

I expected to see a the footprint of a cone too, but can't see anything remotely like it ! Maybe flint glassmaking is a different process. Viv

 

[mikejee]

Yes Janice, that is the correct street.. No better map available that I know of.
However I think that the glassworks was either a fairly small establishment immediately behind the house, or actually part of the house. Regrettably the results in directories seem garbled and I cannot make sense of them

 

[Vivienne14]

For general info. British History Online suggests a family connection with the Belmont Glass Works.
"Belmont Glass Works (founded by the Harris and Hawkes families c. 1810), the Islington works (eventually in the possession of Rice Harris; founded c. 1800)"


Viv

 

[pjmburns]

Yes Janice, that is the correct street.. No better map available that I know of.
However I think that the glassworks was either a fairly small establishment immediately behind the house, or actually part of the house. Regrettably the results in directories seem garbled and I cannot make sense of them

I thought it was just me who was confused.
Thanks Mike.

 

[Astoness]

i love looking for other things marked on these old maps..for instance top right of jans map..the name bingley who maybe owned that land hence the name bingley hall..the land was between king alfred place and king alfred place which i think is where bingley hall was..sorry bit off topic but just found it interesting...this could maybe start up another good thread

lyn

 

[Vivienne14]

There was an Islington Glassworks at Birmingham Heath (owned by by Owen Johnson) which was destroyed by fire in 1799. This came from the info attached below - don't know how accurate the info is but it shows Rice Harris in business with others before he built Islington House. Harris seems to have become partners with Johnson (and Berry) in 1815.

The info came from an attachment to post #1 in the "John Alfred Hawkins" thread and post #14 "Sauce bottle manufacturers" thread. This also throws some light on the Belmont glassworks connection where Rice Harris was a partner until 1814.

This doesn't enlighten us more about the Islington House history but it probably explains why he built the house in 1814 - making plans for his own, new glassworks perhaps ?. Viv.

 

[mikejee]

i love looking for other things marked on these old maps..for instance top right of jans map..the name bingley who maybe owned that land hence the name bingley hall..the land was between king alfred place and king alfred place which i think is where bingley hall was..sorry bit off topic but just found it interesting...this could maybe start up another good thread

lyn

Lyn
That on the map is Bingley house, on the site where the Bingley Hall was later built. An engraving of which is on post 153 at https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/bingley-hall.4150/page-8

 

[Vivienne14]

The glassworks (newly built) in Islington must have started up in 1816 and on a bigger scale than the Islington Glassworks at Birmingham Heath (destroyed by fire in 1799).

Perhaps the glassworks was where the buildings are behind the house on Janices map post #12? If it was on a bigger scale than the Birmingham Heath site I doubt it would fit the 'L' shaped building.

I've added 'Glassworks' to the title of this thread. Viv

 

[Vivienne14]

The Islington Glasshouse was a significant operation. It was situated on 3 acres of elevated land, with one tall, main conical chimney and 3 smaller ones. In 1848 it employed about 700 men, women and children.

Viv

 

[Vivienne14]

This newspaper extract helps us. There was a separate family home - this must be the middle section of what would later become the Lying-in hospital. The glassworks and workers' accommodation was separate. Nelson Street is mentioned as is Essington Street (but can't find Essington Street on Janices 1830s map post #12. Maybe it was formerly Mill Street? Would be useful to find that out)

It would name sense for the Glassworks to have land right across to the wharf/canal near Mill Street for its supply of coal and other materials including explosive materials used in the making of glass.

So I think the Glassworks was behind Islington House encompassing many of the buildings to the north of Janice's map, and even perhaps to the east of Nelson Street.

Viv

Source: British Newspaper Archive

 

[pjmburns]

Essington Street still exists. It doesn't join Broad Street (not sure if it ever did). It is between Ryland Street and Shhpcote Street and curves round the Islington House land
It isn't on 1839 map.

 

[Vivienne14]

This isn't the Islington Glassworks (it's Aston Flint Glassworks) but I think it comes close to the description in the second attachment in post #24. Its a drawing from Wrightson's Triennial Directory of Birmingham 1818.

Today it looks shocking that such young children would be handling hot glass in that way. Can imagine many injuries, even fatalities.

Viv.

 

[pjmburns]

From the same book (Wrightson's Triennial of 1818). Bottom right is that Islington House and Factory?

 

[Vivienne14]

Looks a strong possibility Janice. Nice find. The dates tie in too. It could be an illusion but the Works looks to join the House. Thanks. Viv

 

[pjmburns]

Examples of the work of Rice Harris and Son from Art Illustrated Journal about the Great Exhibition of 1851