Archives

Truncated Cone belonging to 1834 Pot Furnace

Image: Photo taken before demolition of number 4 Glasshouse on the north side of the works. The warehouse accommodation for number 4 Rolled Plate tank was built in 1946 on the site. The building shown was constructed in 1834 and is the truncated cone belonging to number 4 pot furnace which was built for making Crown window glass. It was later used for various types of sheet glass making which ceased in this house in mid 1920. The photo shows the outside of a typical glasshouse as constructed at Chance Brothers in the nineteenth century and different to the “English cone” type.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 37 by Arthur Reeves).

Various Buildings at Chances Glassworks

Image: The photo was probably taken in 1945 just before demolition commenced, and is the view from the upper window of the Old Hall. It shows a general view of “the plain” with railway trucks filled with cullet. Chimneys: left to right: number 10, south side boilers, number 5, number 22 and 23 (one chimney). The tall building half right is the Extra White warehouse and the lower building on the right was originally constructed in the 19th century to house the machines for grinding and polishing “patent plate” glass.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 36 by Arthur Reeves).

View of Coal-feeding Hopper

Image: Photo taken during 1945/1946 demolition and from the other side of the coal feeding hopper shown on photo 34 and facing in the opposite direction. Photo shows the temporary raw gas flue from the number 10 gas producer to number 5 and 22 furnaces.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 35 by Arthur Reeves).

View of No 6 Glasshouse

Image: Photo taken during the 1945-1946 demolition of part of the south side of the works. This is a foreshortening of number 24 (photo 31) with extra demolition shown. Note the coal feeding hopper of a gas producer (8 feet inside diameter) which fed raw gas to number 5 furnace.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 34 by Arthur Reeves).

Buildings before Demolition

Image: Photo taken from “the plain” just before 1945-1946 demolition and looking towards the road shown on number 25 (photo 32). The buildings on the right were demolished but on the left continued making “Hysil” glass in the glasshouse known as number 11 house. These were not demolished in 1945-1946.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 33 by Arthur Reeves).

Warehouses and Globe Department

Image: Photo taken during the 1945-1946 demolition of part of the south side of the works. In the far centre of the picture can be seen “the plain” from which position number 23 (photo 30) was taken looking in the direction at the spot from which this picture is taken. The buildings on the left are number 10 Rolled Plate Warehouses, and those on the right are the Globe Department. The road runs from “the plain” towards the camera and beyond to number 1 Rolled Plate Department, which was not demolished. Also see number 26 (photo 33) for the other end of this road which is “the plain”.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 32 by Arthur Reeves).

Back of No 6 Glasshouse

Image: Photo taken during the 1945-1946 demolition. It shows the back side of number 6 glasshouse, ie the opposite side to number 23 (photo no 30). Note the disused railway lines and the slope in the middle of the picture which led to the ashing areas of the raw gas producers.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 31 by Arthur Reeves).

Buildings Containing Furnaces

Image: Photo taken from the works “plain” during the 1945-1946 demolition. The old number 6 glasshouse occupies most of the picture. These buildings contained pot arches, a pot melting furnace, a flattening lehr and usually made extra white “spectacle” glass. In about 1918 the roof was destroyed by fire and the buildings were never used again for glassmaking. On the right can be seen the extra white warehouse comprising three storeys.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 30 by Arthur Reeves).

Demolition of No 10 Glasshouse

Image: Photo taken during the 1945-1946 demolition of number 10 glasshouse. It shows two of the pillars supporting the cone. The runner rails for carrying the ladle of molten glass to the rolling machines are shown. The pillars supporting the cone had to be stabilised by buckstaves owing to bulging.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 29 by Arthur Reeves).

Demolition of No 10 Glasshouse

Image: Photo taken during demolition of number 10 glasshouse in 1945-1946 on the south side of the works. Also see photos 17 and 18. It shows the glassmaking areas around the base of the cone, which was constructed in 1852-1854. Note the construction of walls and openings. Compare with numbers 13 and 14 of the exhibition, photos numbers 17 and 18.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 28 by Arthur Reeves).

Demolition of No 12 Glasshouse

Image: Photo taken during 1945-1946 of the demolition of number 12 glasshouse cone. It provides a view of the partially demolished cone from the inside. The cone was originally built in 1852-1854.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 27 by Arthur Reeves).

Demolition of No 12 Glasshouse

Image: Photo taken during the demolition in 1945-1946 of number 12 glasshouse. Note the inside of the cone with supporting pillars and the arches carrying the walls and cone. Under this cone was constructed the original coal fired furnace. The last furnace, built under the cone was in about 1928. It was a regenerative raw producer gas fired furnace and made Vita sheet glass.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 26 by Arthur Reeves).

Demolition of Glasshouses No 3, 8 and 12

Image: Photo taken during the demolition in 1945-1946 of numbers 3, 8 and 12 glasshouses. This slide to be used in conjunction with slides 7 and 8, and shows the rectangular chimney of the Crown Glass Glory Hole. This image should be compared with numbers 6 and 7 of the exhibition – slides numbers 7 and 8.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 25 by Arthur Reeves).

The Last Cone No 12 built at Chance Brothers, Smethwick

Image: Photo taken during demolition in 1945-1946 of numbers 3, 8 and 12 glasshouses. It shows the partially demolished cone of number 12 glasshouse which was built in 1852-1854. It does not have the same construction design as the “Wordsley” cone. The original coal fired furnace was immediately beneath the cone. The glassmakers working away from the cone did not contract the bad effects of dust and smuts as under the “Wordsley” cone. This was the last cone built at Chance Brothers.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 24 by Arthur Reeves).

Demolition of Glasshouses No 3, 8 and 12

Image: Photo taken during demolition in 1945/1946 of numbers 3, 8 and 12 glasshouses. Note the construction of pillars, arches, walls and roof. The Pressed Department, including the packing and sorting buildings were constructed on this site in 1946.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 23 by Arthur Reeves).

Demolition of Glasshouses No 3, 8 and 12

Image: Photo taken during demolition in 1945-1946 of numbers 3, 8 and 12 glasshouses on the south side of the works. It shows the type of construction of a glasshouse during 1852-1854. All dividing walls and roofs are supported by a series of pillars and arches.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 22 by Arthur Reeves).

Demolition of House Cone No 10

Image: Photo taken during the 1945-1946 demolition. The furnace under No 10 Cone was originally built for making sheet window glass, but later turned over to making Rolled Plate manufacture. Note particularly the pillars and arches supporting the cone. It was built in 1852-1854.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 18 by Arthur Reeves).

Demolition of House Cone No 10

Image: Photo taken during 1945-1946 demolition. Number 10 House cone was originally built 1852-1854. The cone housed a four open-pot furnaces, each pot held three and a quarter tons of glass for making coloured patterned Rolled Plate glasses. Note that the construction of the cone is somewhat different to the “English” cone at the Red House at Wordsley. The difference in design is to get the space for swing holes and to avoid glassmaking under the cone.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 17 by Arthur Reeves).

Stonemason’s Shop: Mason’s Shaping Refractories by Hand

Image: Photo taken mid 1950’s. It showsmasons working on the bankers, shaping refractories by hand tools. Note the Tangye coke stove for heating the shop.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 16).

Stonemason’s Shop: Dressing a Rolled-plate Machine Sill

Image: Photo taken mid 1950’s. It shows the Stonemason’s Shop with the stonemason, George Farnsworth is shown dressing a rolled plate machine sill. The sills have to be flat; level and smooth as molten glass has to pass over them before rolling. The refractory sills are burnt to about 1300 degrees centigrade before dressing.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 15 by Arthur Reeves).

Globe Department: Testing Radar or Cathode Ray Tubes

Image: Photo taken about 1940. Testing “Radar” or “Cathode Ray” tubes in the Globe Department.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 14 by Arthur Reeves).

Globe Department: Welding a Cathode Ray Tube

Image: Photo taken about 1940. It shows the welding of a special metal button into a Cathode Ray Tube. This tube is a precursor to the modern television screen. The tube was used for radar detection during the 1939-1945 war years. Note that the tube has been made in one piece and not welded from three separate parts as at present. The tube was made in “Hysil” glass.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides.  Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 13 by Arthur Reeves).

Globe Department: the Glass Blower

Image: Photo taken about 1940. It shows the right foot of the glass blower ready to press the pedal to open the cast iron mould, thereby releasing the glass globe after manufacture. Of the other two pedals, one is for raising the mould out of the cooling water where it had fallen after opening; and the other pedal is for shutting the mould after the glass “gathering” was in position for blowing. This machine can only be used for making globes up to a certain size.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 11 by Arthur Reeves).

Rectangular Chimney for Glory Hole and Circular Chimney

Image: Photo taken during 1945-1946 during the demolition of Number 3, 8 and 12 glasshouses. The rectangular chimney for the Crown glass glory hole is seen and the circular chimney which dealt with flue gases from Number 12 furnace. The chimney was built after Number 12 was converted to raw producer gas firing. The entrance to the furnace caves can also be seen.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 8 by Arthur Reeves).

Rectangular Chimney built for Glory Hole

Image: Photo taken during 1945-1946 during the demolition of Number 3, 8 and 12 glasshouses. It shows the rectangular chimney built to serve the glory hole shown on photo 6 (number 5 of this exhibition). The chimney was an integral part of the glory hole and built immediately above it.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 7 by Arthur Reeves).

Glory Hole (1852-54) for Crown Window Glass Production

Image from: Photo taken during 1945-1946 demolition. It depicts the glory hole which is integral to the rectangular chimney shown on photos 7 and 8 (numbers 6 and 7 of this exhibition). The glory hole was originally built during 1852-1854 in conjunction with No12 house for making Crown window glass. A partially built protective wall was integral with the front wall, and the hole was used for heating the “piece” before the final spinning on the iron rod or punty which produced the finished item. The glory hole was coal fired and had incorporated at right angle to it a “bullion” hole for initial heating of the piece.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 6 by Arthur Reeves).

Works Fire Engine

Image: Photos taken about 1950. The works fire brigade was formed in 1848 and this example of a hand-operated fire engine dates from the 19th century.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 5 by Arthur Reeves).

Optical Department: Open Pots after Cooling

Image: Photo taken about 1940. The photo shows two full open pots after cooling and just prior to being broken up. Open pots are used in old fired furnaces using 200 secs (Redwood NI) fuel oil. The refractory “Robinsons” used for stirring the glass when molten are seen sticking out of the solid glass. The pots are taken out of the furnace immediately after the stirring phase and when the “Robinsons” have been parted from the stirring machines. Note the metal bands and chains around the pots. These bands and chains have to be put into position immediately the pot is taken out of the furnace in case of premature breakage of the pot.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 4 by Arthur Reeves).

Optical Department: Pot being set into a Furnace

Image: Photo taken about 1940. The same furnace as on photo 2. This shows an empty pot being set into the furnace by a sample pot-setting machine which is hand operated by a team of three or four men. The pot has been taken out of a pot arch at about 800 degrees centigrade. The covered pot has an outside diameter of 38”. The hand chain for operating the door is shown on the right side of photo. The image also shows the balance weight rod (note the pair per door) which appears to be between two vertical R.S. joists. These rods are each side of tease hole to clear the pot setting machine wheels and the pot.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 3 by Arthur Reeves).

Optical Department: Two Pot Furnace

Image: Photo taken about 1940. This two pot furnace accommodated 38” diameter covered pots. The furnace number is either 32 or 33. The tease hole side of the furnace is shown with one door partly raised and shows the regenerative furnace fired by raw producer gas. This is the side of furnace on which the empty pot is set and the full pot withdrawn. The operations of filling the pot, stirring the glass and tending the melt are done from the other side of furnace. The hole shown in each tease hole door is for temperature checking and enables the teaser to get a good idea as to the condition of the furnace firing. Doors are operated by hand chains through a series of gear wheels and chain wheels with counterbalance weights in caves. The door is constructed with Stein’s 42% alumina low spalling refractory bricks. The original furnace was built in 1916 when tease holes were built by hand and broken down manually for each pot change, but modifications have been made since that date.

Image from: Chance Brothers Glassworks, Smethwick Slides. Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley (Slide and Transcript no 2 by Arthur Reeves).

The Smethwick Glass Works of Chance Brothers, West Midlands

Image: The Glass and Lighthouse Works at Smethwick in the early 20th century. Glass cones can be seen at various locations across the site. Chance Brothers & Co., Limited, 100 Years of British Glass Making 1824-1924 (Smethwick and Glasgow, Chance Brothers & Co., 1924).

Following images from: Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley, West Midlands

Summary:

These photographs were taken by Arthur Reeves, a former employee of Chance Brothers Smethwick in the 1940s. They were digitised from 30 slides which Mr Reeves deposited at Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, Dudley in the West Midlands during 1984. Mr Reeves provided descriptions to accompany the images which are included in this exhibition with minor alterations. Most of the images show glass houses, furnaces and other factory equipment at the factory dating from the mid 19th century. Demolition in the 1940s provided a record of their internal construction and the industrial processes they housed to make crown glass, plate glass and optical glass.

Chance Brothers was founded in 1824 in Spon Lane, Smethwick. During the 19th century it became one of the most important glassworks in Britain. It manufactured sheet glass, including the panes for the Crystal Palace of 1851, window glass in different colours and optical glass including the lenses for lighthouses. Chances pioneered new ways of making glass and many of the images provide evidence of innovative practices. One 20th century example shows the welding of a cathode ray tube used for radar detection (number 9). Fire was a constant hazard and Chances created a fire brigade at the works in 1848 (number 4).