• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Union Glassworks

Vivienne14

Kentish Brummie Moderator
Staff member
This - Union Glassworks - is the Fawdry, Stone & Fawdry glassworks in Dartmouth Street. Any ideas as to how long the glassworks was on the site? Viv.

image.jpeg
 
This - Union Glassworks - is the Fawdry, Stone & Fawdry glassworks in Dartmouth Street. Any ideas as to how long the glassworks was on the site? Viv.

View attachment 109469

Just to give an idea the firm are mentioned at Dartmouth Street from 1826 to 1874. They could well stretch back to before 1822.

For the record, in 1866/1867 there was also the Victoria and the Stephenson's Glassworks in Dartmouth Street.
 
Last edited:
A couple more photos of The Union Glassworks on the first photo of Dartmouth Street in 1895 the factory is on the right. The second image shows a yard inside the premises in 1892 and the third image is the showroom in 1890. One of the Stone's in the Stone, Fawdry & Stone was the renowned photographer & politician Sir Benjamin Stone 1838-1914.
 

Attachments

  • img452.jpg
    img452.jpg
    165.5 KB · Views: 38
  • img453 - Copy.jpg
    img453 - Copy.jpg
    159 KB · Views: 38
  • img453.jpg
    img453.jpg
    155.7 KB · Views: 37
April 1869 the firm started a school for the purpose of educating the boys in their employ.

In 1872 an envoy from the King of Burmah was sent to Birmingham and made a visit to several firms, including The Union Glassworks. His excellency Mengyee Maha Sathoo Kenwoon Mengyee saw the making of a wine glass and a large vitriol bottle, and several Prince Rupert's Drops were cast.

A tumbler was roughly engraved with a peacock, the national emblem, and presented to him, but he said he would prefer a finished one!
 
The Union glassworks in Dartmouth St (presumably on the same site) was run by Bacchus, Green & Green in Wrightson's 1818 Directory, but is not mentioned in the 1815 edition
 
Last edited:
Spanner in the Glassworks!

The 1841 Pigot's gives Geo Bacchus and sons, Glass Manufacturer, Union Glass Works Dartmouth St.

Also in White's Directory of 1855.
 
More spanners....1881 Kelly say Stone, Fawdry and Stone, flint glass mfctr, Dartmouth Street.
 
National Archives seem to list records for Bacchus from about 1817 to 1882. I would think that Stone, Fawdry and Stone then took over the site at about that date. They ceased to trade in 1896.
 
Sorry. misstyped in post 6. should have read Wrightson's 1818 directory , not 1881 directory. Have now corrected it
 
The key to this may lie with the infamous Sir John Benjamin Stone. His old man Benjamin Stone must have had some reasonable share in a glass works near Lupin Street around 1851. When the chief owner retired Benjie saw his chance became the main man, and his son John went with in the offices. By 1861 John is shown as a glassmaker (master).

John would go on to far better money making concerns but his father, who died in 1882, was listed in the 1881 census as living in Sutton Street as a glass manufacturer employing 90 men, 5 women and 3 boys.
 
The key to this may lie with the infamous Sir John Benjamin Stone. His old man Benjamin Stone must have had some reasonable share in a glass works near Lupin Street around 1851. When the chief owner retired Benjie saw his chance became the main man, and his son John went with in the offices. By 1861 John is shown as a glassmaker (master).

John would go on to far better money making concerns but his father, who died in 1882, was listed in the 1881 census as living in Sutton Street as a glass manufacturer employing 90 men, 5 women and 3 boys.

Benjie's will was proved by two of his sons, one being John, who in 1882 is referred to as glass manufacturer in Dartmouth Street. He £14,375.
 
"Father and son were partners in the business of Stone, Fawdry and Stone, which had recently taken over the Bacchus business. The third person involved was Frederick Fawdry, who was married to Stone senior’s oldest daughter, Catherine.

Fawdry’s father, James Goodwin Fawdry, was well known in Birmingham as a baker, having premises in Aston Street, Great Hampton Street and Navigation Street. In 1855 it seems that he retired and the partnership he had with his sons was dissolved."

Carl Chinn writing in Birmingham Mail January 2015.
 
Apparently their were eighteen glassworks in Birmingham - not to be confused with those in Smethwick and other Black Country towns - from the late 18th. century until late 19th. century. Bill Dargue suggests that the first glassworks in Birmingham 1757 was in the Snow Hill (formerly Sandy Lane until around 1749) area.
 
That would have been Mayer Oppenheim's works. He certainly had a works in Snow hill area. In 1755, when he lived in London, he gained a patent to last 14 years for the manufacture of red transparent glass. By 1770 he was in Birmingha, The site of the glassworks is believed to be about where the old terminus platforms for the trasm were at Snow Hill
 
just picked up on this interesting thread...i think i had a rellie who was a glass blower living in dartmouth st.... it could have been around 1851/61...will have to check my notes on this but if he did it could be he worked at this glassworks

lyn
 
Back
Top