Post on 17-Nov-2014
Chance Brothers Limited ArchiveLaura Brett
History
• 18 May 1824: Robert Lucas Chance purchases The British Crown Glass Company glassworks on the Blakeley Farm estate
• 1832: Introduce method for sheet glass production to Britain with help of Georges Bontemps
1851: Glazing of Crystal Palace
1851: Lighthouse Works
• By 1951 centenary supplied 2,400 lenses and hundreds of complete lighthouse structures to nearly 80 countries around the world
Coloured and Ornamental Glass
• Established 1843• Bontemps takes control 1848 and
introduces enamelling• Department can not compete with
competitors and closes 1867; coloured glass production continues
• Alexander Macomb Chance moves on to manage Oldbury Chemical Works
Rolled Glass
• 1885 licence for Mason Conqueror Machine, developed into double rolling machine
Flemish Texture
Glasgow Plate Glass Co.
• Purchased 1907, small scale production of glass fibres begins 1930
• Renamed Glass Fibres Limited 1938 and Fibreglass Limited 1944
Optical Glass and War
• 1890: Collaboration with Sir William Crookes results in production of Crookes Glass and first UV protection lenses
• Chance were ‘the eyes of the Army, Navy and Air Force’ during both World Wars
Domestic Glassware
• 1929: First domestic pressed glassware produced including Orlak ovenware and pressed tableware designs
• 1951: Begin production of slumped domestic glassware, Fiestaware
CRTs and Laboratory Glass
• Developed some of the first Cathode Ray Tubes with John Logie Baird for television
• 1947: Malvern Plant built for the production of scientific glass
1956: Glazing of Big Ben
The end of Chances
• 1952: Pilkington assumes full control • 1954: Lighthouse works sold• 1957: Optical division re-located to St
Asaph• 1964: Glasgow works closed• 1976: Rolled-plate division closed• 1981: Spon Lane site closed
The project
• Funded by National Cataloguing Grants Scheme to catalogue around one third of the collection
• 30 cubic metres in total; consisting of around 300 records management boxes and 400 ledgers
Catalogue Arrangement
• 1 Corporate • 2 Share • 3 Employment • 4 Financial• 5 Legal • 6 Property • 7 Operational • 8 Administrative
• 9 Sales & Marketing• 10 Reference Material • 11 Chance & Hunt Ltd • 12 Lighthouse Works • 13 Glasgow Works • 14 Subsidiary
Companies • 15 Family Papers
Challenges
Interesting Finds
Blog and Contact Details
Laura_Brett@sandwell.gov.uk
www.chancearchive.blogspot.com