Glassworkers’ memories come to life in new history project
THE Ruskin Centre in Stourbridge will host a unique event dedicated to the area’s glass heritage on the evening of Saturday October 11.
The Voices of the Cones project, set up recently to collect the memories of local people who worked in the glass industry, has been steadily building up an archive of recorded interviews. There are now almost a hundred spoken accounts of life in the glass industry in the collection, and they will form the basis of a performance which will take place at the Ruskin’s Glasshouse Arts Centre.
Collection
Voices of the Cones is a joint project bween the Ruskin Mill Land Trust, Dudley Museum Service and the White House Cone Museum of Glass. and the story collection will hopefully continue to grow.
The Glasshouse Centre’s Lorraine Kenny told the Bugle:
“So far we have accounts from glass blowers, glass cutters, pot makers, glass technologists and staff in the factory departments such as packing and ordering and other areas associated with the industry.
“Local glass maker and lecturer Malcom Andrews recalls first being introduced to the industry aged three: ‘My first memory was coming with my mum and my younger sister to pick up Dad’s wages on a Friday.
“‘He was working resetting a new pot into the furnace.’ Malcom described the experience as ‘awe-inspiring’, and claimed he was smitten right away.
“Malcom recalls getting his first job in the glass factory aged 15: ‘Christmas 1957 my father came home from work on Christmas Eve and told me I started at the glass factory on Boxing Day’.
Friendships
“Many people have very fond memories of life in the glass factories,” said Lorraine. “To many individuals It was more than just a job, people formed lifelong friendships with their colleagues, and in some cases would marry.”
Pat Haden and his wife Doris both worked in the cutting shop at Webb Corbett glass factory and fell in love. They tied the knot in 1956, and have been happily married ever since. Pat described fond memories of being a member of the Webb Corbett glass factory on his recording.
Marion Butler, former PA to the managing director of Stuart Crystal, recalls helping to develop women’s roles within the glass factory and organising training for the women in roles such as marketing.
Lorraine added: “In the build up to the International Festival of Glass 2019, we successfully applied for funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to make the recordings available to a wider audience in a creative and accessible way.
“We employed a storyteller to create a script of stories inspired by the oral histories which were performed at the Red House Glass Cone during the festival. As part of this staff and volunteers from across the partner organisations came together to develop their storytelling skills under the guidance of Glen Buglass. This will enable us to keep people’s memories live for future generations through the art of storytelling. In addition to this we will be providing access to the recordings via interactive ipads located at the museums.”
Of the upcoming performance, Lorraine said:
“It will illuminate the important historic context of the site as the former Webb Corbett glass factory. Featured artists will be Dan Whitehouse, an award-winning singer/songwriter, and poet and storyteller John Edgar.
“Dan’s sounds have been described as ‘ Black Country Soul’. He has composed a number of songs inspired by the oral histories and the Stourbridge glass industry which were shared at previous events.
Curiosities
“One of the songs performed on the night is all about glass friggers. Friggers is a term for an object made by a glassworker on his own time. Most friggers were made from the molten glass that remained in the pot at the end of the day and were gifted to friends and family or sold at the local pub! It is one of the only times you will witness a performance featuring a glass flip flop!”
If you would like to book tickets to this unique evening event, you can reserve tickets by calling 01384 399408 or booking online at www.rmlt.org.uk/event
The full address for the venue is Glass Arts Centre, Wollaston Road, Amblecote, DY8 4HF. Tickets cost £8/£6
If you have a story to tell about the Stourbridge glass industry, the organisers would love to hear from you. If you are interested contributing to this project please contact Lorraine Kenny or Chloe Winter-Taylor by emailing voices ofthecones@gmail.com or calling 01384 399419.