A History of the Firm of Chance Brothers & Co. Glass and Alkali Manufacturers

This book was published (privately) in 1919 and may be described as commercial rather than technological. The Chance family first had contact with glass making with the Nailsea glass works at Bristol. Robert Lucas Chance bought the British Crown Glass Company's works in Spon Lane, Smethwick in 1824. The company specialised in making crown window glass. The company ran into difficulty and its survival was guaranteed in 1832 by investment from Lucas's brother William, they became partners in the business, which was renamed Chance Brothers and Company. James Timmins Chance became a partner in 1839.Chance Brothers was amongst the earliest glass works to carry out the cylinder process in Europe making the first British cylinder blown sheet glass using French and Belgian workers. In 1848, under the supervision of Georges Bontemps, a new plant was set up to manufacture crown and flint glass for lighthouse optics, telescopes and cameras. The optical glass work led to the supply of 2300 lighthouse lanterns around the world. Chance Brothers provided the glazing for the Crystal Palace to house the Great Exhibition of 1851, Smethwick neighbour Fox, Henderson and Company having won the contract to supply the ironwork and build Joseph Paxton's design.Chance Brothers provided social support for workers and their families, establishing schools, medical care and welfare. Employees were rewarded for initiative and inventiveness with cash bonuses.After the publication of the History, the company continued to work on the many new ways of making glass evolved at Chance Brothers such as the innovative welding of a cathode ray tube John Logie Baird used for television; began producing pressed domestic glassware; in 1947 Chance set up plant in Malvern for the manufacture of syringes and precision tubing.Pilkington Brothers acquired a 50% shareholding in 1945 and by 1952 had assumed full financial control, but were not actively involved in its management until the late-1960s. Production of flat glass ceased in 1976, the remainder of the works closed in 1981 ending more than 150 years of glass production at Smethwick.In 1992, during a period of rationalisation at Pilkington, a management buy-out reverted the Chance plant in Malvern to private ownership and it became an independent company, changing its registered name to Chance Glass Limited and retaining the historical Chance logo.The Spon Lane site is the focus of the Chance Glass Works Heritage Trust's work in rejuvenating the area, conserving the listed buildings, restoring economic activity, promoting cultural and heritage values.