Fresh raw materials melted in crucible

Working average 16 hours a day Temperature extremes

A chair of five blokes include first gaffer sat in his chair

Second gatherer takes glass gather on his blowing iron out

white heat furnace hole

Gather becomes gob

Glass gob rolled on marver smooth iron or stone slab roll removes air bubbles passed to third a blower either free blows or blows into mould bottle body shape

Fourth bloke attaches pontil an Iron bar onto bottle base uses wetter off a soaked strip of wood applies a drop of water snaps glass off blowing iron

soft glass on pontil Passed to gaffer Gaffer keeps bottle turning on his chairs flat arms stops glass collapse

Gaffer trims, finishes neck adds string rim adds any seal

Fifth assistant boy Inserts iron rod in bottle mouth

Gaffer applies flash of water snaps off pontil that leaves pontil mark on bottle base.

Finished bottle taken to lehr for annealing

Boys dip end blowing irons and pontils in water tank remove moils waste glass

working ends of irons placed in furnace gathering hole heat up for next gather.

Bosses expected team produce 150 bottles an hour.

glass bottles furnace fumes made black glass colour

Heraldic glass blower