The first Birmingham canalside glassworks was built on Birmingham Heath by Isaac Hawker in 1788. This shed-type glass house, was located on the Dudley Road near the canal loop and bounded by Heath Street South, the Birmingham Canal Old Line and the Birmingham New Line Canal.
The business passed to his son, John Hawker, in 1791 until John's death in 1804. By 1808-1810 the glassworks was sold to John Biddle and David Lloyd who specialised in stained and coloured glass at the premises.
John Biddle was running the Park Glass House independently by 1833. It was sold to Lloyd & Summerfield in 1843 and continued until the 1870s, later, being demolished in 1880.
Barker & Allen silverworks was built on the site in 1896.
In 2020 excavations took place on the site of the former Park Glasshouse, Birmingham. Reports are listed below:
(Birmingham Archaeology, ‘Park Glasshouse, Dudley Road, Birmingham: An Archaeological Desk-based Assessment, 2005’ (unpublished report PN1319, 2005); AJ Archaeology, ‘Soho Loop, Dudley Road, Birmingham. Archaeological Evaluation’ (unpublished report 14/3, 2018); Oxford Archaeology, ‘Soho Loop, Dudley Road, Birmingham. Archaeological Evaluation Report’ (unpublished report 24578, 2020); Oxford Archaeology, ‘Soho Loop, Dudley Road, Birmingham. Archaeological Evaluation Report’ (unpublished report 24578, 2020).
The business passed to his son, John Hawker, in 1791 until John's death in 1804. By 1808-1810 the glassworks was sold to John Biddle and David Lloyd who specialised in stained and coloured glass at the premises.
John Biddle was running the Park Glass House independently by 1833. It was sold to Lloyd & Summerfield in 1843 and continued until the 1870s, later, being demolished in 1880.
Barker & Allen silverworks was built on the site in 1896.
In 2020 excavations took place on the site of the former Park Glasshouse, Birmingham. Reports are listed below:
(Birmingham Archaeology, ‘Park Glasshouse, Dudley Road, Birmingham: An Archaeological Desk-based Assessment, 2005’ (unpublished report PN1319, 2005); AJ Archaeology, ‘Soho Loop, Dudley Road, Birmingham. Archaeological Evaluation’ (unpublished report 14/3, 2018); Oxford Archaeology, ‘Soho Loop, Dudley Road, Birmingham. Archaeological Evaluation Report’ (unpublished report 24578, 2020); Oxford Archaeology, ‘Soho Loop, Dudley Road, Birmingham. Archaeological Evaluation Report’ (unpublished report 24578, 2020).
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