| AdminHistory | The Stourbridge area has been a major glassmaking centre for more than 400 years. The glass industry was established at the beginning of the 17th century, when glassmakers from Lorraine in north-eastern France settled in the area. They were attracted by the availability of coal with which to fire their furnaces, and fireclay from which they could make melting pots. In the early period, window glass and bottles were the main products of the industry. Later, in the 18th Century, lead glass was invented. This led to the glassmakers producing tableware and ornamental glass, for which Stourbridge is now famous. In the 19th Century, steam-powered cutting machinery was introduced, and cut glass became a significant part of the Stourbridge industry. In this period, the glass industry reached a 'golden age', as firms introduced a wide range of cameo, coloured glass and crystal that became famous all over the world.
In the 19th Century, many new firms were established, including Thomas Webb & Sons Ltd. This company was formed in 1836 by Thomas Webb, whose first glass factory was established at The Platts, Amblecote, in 1840. By 1855, the firm had moved to nearby Dennis Glassworks; Thomas Webb and family lived at Dennis Hall. Thomas Webb died in 1865 and the company passed to his son, Thomas Wilkes Webb.
Thomas Webb & Sons' products were displayed at the Paris International Exhibitions of 1878 and also 1889 (at which the Eiffel Tower made its first appearance), and both times won the celebrated 'Grand Prix'. Thomas Wilkes Webb was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, one of France's highest decorations to be awarded to a foreigner, which can be awarded for work that enhances the reputation of France through scholarship, arts, sciences, politics, etc. The Company also won first prizes and gold medals at the Australian Exhibitions of 1880 and 1881.
Two of the foremost workers at Thomas Webb & Sons were the Woodall brothers, Thomas and George. Thomas Woodall became Manager of Cameo operations at the factory in 1878, specialising in oriental designs and decorative borders. His brother George also joined the firm in the 1870s, as a draughtsman. He later went on to design and engrave important pieces of glass; to work on the rock crystal technique; and to refine the cameo process.
Thomas Webb and Sons continued to operate from Dennis Hall until the 20th Century. By 1920, Thomas Webb & Sons had been incorporated into Webb's Crystal Glass Company. The firm was bought by Crown House Ltd. in 1964; and in 1971 Crown House merged Webb's with Dema Glass Ltd, another of its subsidiaries. In 1987, Webb's was acquired by the Coloroll Group PLC, who also took control of Edinburgh Crystal. In 1990, production of glassware finally ceased at Dennis Hall, and the works were moved to Edinburgh Crystal.
The records in this collection also include records of H.G. Richardson & Sons, which were taken over by Thomas Webb & Sons c1930. Other records of H.G. Richardson & Sons Ltd. have been catalogued separately as D7. The records were deposited at Dudley Archives and Local History Service as Accession Numbers: 8784; 8813 (Ref: DTW/2/Y1/3-14); 8954; and 8959. They were catalogued as part of the 'Documenting the Workshop of the World' Project, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, in May 2005. |