The York Glassworks of Hampston & Prince
Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 3:01 pm
Hi,
I came across this interesting piece concerning the glassworks that was opened by the York silversmiths John Hampston and John Prince.
GLASS MANUFACTORY.
We learn that the manufacture of bottles, and other vessels of glass, was not introduced into this country till 1557, and did not make much progress till about 1690, the reign of William the third. It, however, is certain that the art was early practised at this city ; and Drake observes, that a Glass- House was first erected in a lane near Marygate, that the manufacture was continued for some time; but at length was discontinued, about the close of the seventeenth century. This remark is strongly corroborated, by a local halfpenny having lately been found, inscribed " York Glass Manufactory" and dated 1666. The coin is now in the possession of Mr. Prest, one of the proprietors of the present establishment.
The Glass-House of which we are now treating, was established in 1797, by Messrs. Hampston and Prince, but the business is now conducted by Messrs. Prince and Prest. The chief manufacture is now flint glass vessels, and common phials ; and the particular process is extremely interesting; the glass being chiefly composed of fine Lynn sand, mixed with pearl ashes and red lead. Those are deposited in large clay vessels, or pots, which are placed in an immense furnace, and remain there exposed to an extreme heat, till the materials become like a liquid fire, of the consistency of paste, that can be moulded into any shape.
When in this state, hollow tubes are dipped into the pots, and the glass vessels are expanded by blowing through those tubes, and shaped by the external application of tools. The glasses being thus formed, are placed in a sort of oven, called a leer; where they remain a considerable time, and are gradually withdrawn from the heat; at which period, the excise officer, three of whom are alternately in attendance day and night, takes an account of the articles made, and charges the duty. Too sudden an exposure to the air, after the glasses are formed, would cause them to fall in pieces ; hence this gradual process is necessary.
The term flint-glass though still used, is improper, originating merely from glass having anciently been formed in part with calcined flints, a practice now no longer adopted here.
The fire in this furnace, is kept burning without intermission, day and night; indeed the pots in which the materials are melted, would otherwise soon crack and become useless. The metal requires three days to become completely fused, and therefore Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, in each week, are devoted to the purpose. Hence, the blowing of the glass occupies the remaining four days. This renders it requisite to have two sets of men, who change every six hours, and work alternately night and day.
The duties on glass are excessively heavy, and must, no doubt, tend to decrease the manufacture. For every Glass-House, it is requisite to procure an annual licence, which costs the enormous sum of £120 ; and in addition to this expense, a duty is demanded on all glass which passes through the leer, whether broken or whole, of £1-18s. per hundred-weight. The duty is regularly paid about every six weeks.
In the field near this place, is a fine spring of clear water; and it is ornamented by a stone fragment of a grotesque figure, lately placed here by Mr. Prince, who purchased it for the purpose. At some future period, perhaps conjecture may be excited, as to it's origin, the probability of which, calls for this observation. It formerly stood in the old collegiate hall, in the Bedern.
The Mr. Prest in question was Henry Prest, and it would appear from other references that he was the manager of the manufactory. He probably aquired his share in this business following the death of John Hampston on the 26th January 1805.
The reference to the three Excise Officers is interesting and presumably these men were also responsible for the collection of Duty at the Assay Office.
The date of the acquisition of the glassworks is not without note. 1797 was the year following the introduction of George Cattle and Robert Cattle as partners into the silversmithing business. This may have provided an influx of capital into the firm, and it became known as Hampston, Prince & Cattles until 1804 when John Hampston retired through ill health.
The firm was then known as Prince & Cattles until 1807 when the sudden death of George Cattle on the 29th September of that year, caused another change. It would appear that John Prince and Robert Cattle did not get on, for just over a month after the death of George Cattle on the 6th November 1807, John Prince and Robert Cattle dissolved their partnership, with John Prince leaving the business and Robert Cattle taking into partnership their former apprentice James Barber.
This partnership was to last until 1814, when following the dissolution by mutual consent, Robert Cattle left the firm and James Barber took into partnership William Whitwell who for several years had been an assistant in the business.
Source: History and Description of the Ancient City of York: Comprising All the Most Interesting Information, Already Published in Drake's Eboracum
By William Hargrove
Published by W. Alexander, 1818.
and
York Assay Office & Silversmiths 1776-1858.
By Martin Gubbins
Published by William Sessions Ltd 1983.
Trev.
.
I came across this interesting piece concerning the glassworks that was opened by the York silversmiths John Hampston and John Prince.
GLASS MANUFACTORY.
We learn that the manufacture of bottles, and other vessels of glass, was not introduced into this country till 1557, and did not make much progress till about 1690, the reign of William the third. It, however, is certain that the art was early practised at this city ; and Drake observes, that a Glass- House was first erected in a lane near Marygate, that the manufacture was continued for some time; but at length was discontinued, about the close of the seventeenth century. This remark is strongly corroborated, by a local halfpenny having lately been found, inscribed " York Glass Manufactory" and dated 1666. The coin is now in the possession of Mr. Prest, one of the proprietors of the present establishment.
The Glass-House of which we are now treating, was established in 1797, by Messrs. Hampston and Prince, but the business is now conducted by Messrs. Prince and Prest. The chief manufacture is now flint glass vessels, and common phials ; and the particular process is extremely interesting; the glass being chiefly composed of fine Lynn sand, mixed with pearl ashes and red lead. Those are deposited in large clay vessels, or pots, which are placed in an immense furnace, and remain there exposed to an extreme heat, till the materials become like a liquid fire, of the consistency of paste, that can be moulded into any shape.
When in this state, hollow tubes are dipped into the pots, and the glass vessels are expanded by blowing through those tubes, and shaped by the external application of tools. The glasses being thus formed, are placed in a sort of oven, called a leer; where they remain a considerable time, and are gradually withdrawn from the heat; at which period, the excise officer, three of whom are alternately in attendance day and night, takes an account of the articles made, and charges the duty. Too sudden an exposure to the air, after the glasses are formed, would cause them to fall in pieces ; hence this gradual process is necessary.
The term flint-glass though still used, is improper, originating merely from glass having anciently been formed in part with calcined flints, a practice now no longer adopted here.
The fire in this furnace, is kept burning without intermission, day and night; indeed the pots in which the materials are melted, would otherwise soon crack and become useless. The metal requires three days to become completely fused, and therefore Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, in each week, are devoted to the purpose. Hence, the blowing of the glass occupies the remaining four days. This renders it requisite to have two sets of men, who change every six hours, and work alternately night and day.
The duties on glass are excessively heavy, and must, no doubt, tend to decrease the manufacture. For every Glass-House, it is requisite to procure an annual licence, which costs the enormous sum of £120 ; and in addition to this expense, a duty is demanded on all glass which passes through the leer, whether broken or whole, of £1-18s. per hundred-weight. The duty is regularly paid about every six weeks.
In the field near this place, is a fine spring of clear water; and it is ornamented by a stone fragment of a grotesque figure, lately placed here by Mr. Prince, who purchased it for the purpose. At some future period, perhaps conjecture may be excited, as to it's origin, the probability of which, calls for this observation. It formerly stood in the old collegiate hall, in the Bedern.
The Mr. Prest in question was Henry Prest, and it would appear from other references that he was the manager of the manufactory. He probably aquired his share in this business following the death of John Hampston on the 26th January 1805.
The reference to the three Excise Officers is interesting and presumably these men were also responsible for the collection of Duty at the Assay Office.
The date of the acquisition of the glassworks is not without note. 1797 was the year following the introduction of George Cattle and Robert Cattle as partners into the silversmithing business. This may have provided an influx of capital into the firm, and it became known as Hampston, Prince & Cattles until 1804 when John Hampston retired through ill health.
The firm was then known as Prince & Cattles until 1807 when the sudden death of George Cattle on the 29th September of that year, caused another change. It would appear that John Prince and Robert Cattle did not get on, for just over a month after the death of George Cattle on the 6th November 1807, John Prince and Robert Cattle dissolved their partnership, with John Prince leaving the business and Robert Cattle taking into partnership their former apprentice James Barber.
This partnership was to last until 1814, when following the dissolution by mutual consent, Robert Cattle left the firm and James Barber took into partnership William Whitwell who for several years had been an assistant in the business.
Source: History and Description of the Ancient City of York: Comprising All the Most Interesting Information, Already Published in Drake's Eboracum
By William Hargrove
Published by W. Alexander, 1818.
and
York Assay Office & Silversmiths 1776-1858.
By Martin Gubbins
Published by William Sessions Ltd 1983.
Trev.
.