Stourbridge Glass

It was a beautiful sunny day yesterday, so it was good to be out and about enjoying it. First of all we walked back to the Redhouse Glass Cone, to find out more about the glass making industry here in Stourbridge.

The Red House Glass Cone was built at the end of the 18th century and was used for the manufacture of glass until 1936.

Reaching 100 feet, Glass Cones within the Stourbridge area were commonplace. Today, it is the only complete Glass Cone in the area and one of only four left in the United Kingdom.

Inside the cone, the centre was where the furnace was kept burning at 1250'C  and around the furnace, the glassblowers would sit where they could work the molten glass into the wonderful glass wares of their day.

The Redhouse cone was the home of Stuart Crystal til they moved to newer premises in 1936.

There was a demostration of glass blowing, using a modern day furnace, a much smaller affair.

The molten glass being worked on the end of the blowers rod. It has to be kept moving to keep the glass an even shape.

Rather a blurred picture because of the movement, as the piece is finished, a bloodshot glass eye!, well, it is almost Halloween.