Hartley Wood Glassworks

Late 19th century - early 20th century building, housing furnaces for making crown and cylinder glass by traditional methods. Melting furnaces, swing pits and annealing furnaces were in use recently. Hartley Wood started in 1892 as the Potobello Glass Works. James Hartley Jnr. Along with Alfred Wood, an expert in coloured glass, formed the company which now bears their names. Mouth blown Hartley Wood glass is in the House of Commons, St. Paul's Cathedral and Durham Cathedral. In 1847, Rolled Plate Glass was invented by James Hartley (British Patent No. 11,8911), produced by ladling metal from the pot directly on to the casting table, resulting in strong, cheap glass suitable for roofing. The original patent can still be seen on the office wall of Hartley Wood and Company of Portobello Lane in Sunderland.