Welcome to the June 2003 edition of
the Cloud Glass Newsletter. In this newsletter we have a description of the
Davidson fire of 1881.
A Serious Conflagration at the
Davidson Works
The risk of fire was uppermost
in factory owner's minds in the 19th century. A fire could completely destroy a
business and send many of the employees into destitution as there was no welfare
state for them to fall back on. Without modern fire detection systems,
sprinklers and a rapid and efficient fire fighting force, a fire could very
quickly get out of control and destroy not only the premises where the fire
started, but also surrounding buildings and houses.
In industries such as glassmaking the the risk
was particularly acute. Furnaces in a factory with combustible material is a
recipe for disaster unless precautions are in place. In January 1880 the Neville
Glassworks in Gateshead was completely destroyed by fire and never reopened. In
April 1881 an attempt was made to blow up a plate glass factory in
Gateshead! In August 1881, the roof of E Moore & Co glassmakers fell in. On
Friday the 14th January 1881 it was the turn of the Davidson factory:
fortunately the Davidson company survived the fire and was to trade for another
100 years.
A graphic account of the fire appeared in the
Saturday edition of the Gateshead Observer under the title of "Extensive fire in
Gateshead". A short account of the fire also appeared in the Weekly Newcastle
Courant with the title "Serious Conflagration". The Gateshead Observer wrote:
On Friday night, an alarming fire broke out in
the glass works of Councillor Davison at the Team's Gateshead. The works over
about an acre and a half and are situated between the railway shop and the
teams colliery. About half past nine o'clock some of the men employed on the
premises observed that the fire had broken out in the packing room which is at
the South side of the works. Messages were despatched to the Gateshead and
Newcastle police stations for assistance. Previous to the arrival of the fire
brigade from each town the workman of Messrs Dixon and Corbett - where rope is
at hand - turned out in force to save the premises of their employers which for
a time appeared to be in great danger; and to assist Mr Davison's men in
preventing the fire from extending before the fireman arrived. In a very short
time the packing house was in ablaze, and a gentle wind from the North sent the
flames in alarming proximity to Messrs Dixon and Corbett's works, but through
the preparations that are made nightly at the Ropery the fire was prevented from
taking hold. If, however, the wind had been a little stronger there is no doubt
but the flames would have taken hold of the property. When the brigades arrived
it was found necessary by the commandants, Chief Constable Elliott and Engineer Mallhews to direct their efforts to localise the conflagration in consequence of
the strong hold of the flames. A splendid supply of water was obtained, and by
about half-past eleven o'clock the fire was extinguished, but not before the
packing shops, warehouses, flattening shops and other positions of the
establishment were entirely destroyed. The Gateshead fireman poured water onto
the ruins until half-past eight o'clock this morning, when all danger was
averted. The damage is very great, but has not yet been estimated. The premises
are insured in the Commercial, Union and Royal Fire Offices.
Despite getting Davidson's name wrong, the
report graphically describes the fire and the attempts to stop in spreading to
the neighbouring Rope works. Only quick thinking my the men at the Ropery and
the good fortune of a light wind prevented an even larger disaster.
The report in the weekly newspaper The
Newcastle Courant has a different emphasis. It reported that:
A fire of a serious and destructive nature occurred on Friday night last in the glass works of Mr Davison, situated in Low
Teams, Gateshead. The works which cover about an acre and a half are situated
between the railway and the railway shops at Gateshead to the Teams colliery,
and the Teams Gut and offered employment to about three hundred hands all of
whom will be thrown out of employment until the extensive damage can be repaired,
unless they succeed in obtaining work else where. Fortunately some of the new
buildings have been saved, though there is a large margin of loss on the score
of new buildings as well as considerable destruction of older premises. Mr
Davison was insured in the Royal & Commercial Offices, but not to the full
extent and besides no insurance will recoup him for the loss of business during
the period required for the restoration of the works, The cause of the fire is
unaccounted for.
The human cost of the fire was large; although
no-one appears to have been injured all of Davidson's workers were now
unemployed. The glass industry was going through a down turn in the early 1880s
and it is unlikely that many would have found work elsewhere. The report in the
Courant suggests that Davidson had recently expanded or rebuilt a number of the
buildings on the site, There destruction so soon after being built must have
been a hard blow.
To make matters worse for Davidson, the Sowerby glassworks
were building a new furnace and had introduced new glass presses which greatly
reduced the amount of labour required to make pressed glass. As a result of
these improvements Sowerby had cut their prices by as much as 35% on their
designs, which had been copied by other manufacturers at home or abroad.
Davidson faced rebuilding his glass works in a time of recession and in
competition to Sowerby who had introduced new machinery and were able to cut
prices.
George Davidson was undeterred by this and
started in rebuilding. In April 1881 it was reported that Davidson had bought
the moulds and patterns of the Neville glassworks and by the end of April had
one furnace relit. By August two furnaces were in production. In attempt to save
money Davidson employed non-union labour, but this caused many problems and in
September they had come to an agreement with the Pressed Glassmakers Society.
The non-union labour was sacked and the old hands re-instated. A third furnace
was also now in operation.
In October the market had taken another down
turn. Davidson were forced to close a furnace and lay-off 4 chairs. Despite
their improved production techniques Sowerby were also forced to shut down a
furnace, but unlike Davidson they did not lay-off any hands. In the following
month Davidson shut down another furnace for repair and relit one in
replacement.
This situation continued for sometime, and the normal post Christmas lull would
not have brought any cheer to either George or his workforce. However slowly
economic conditions did improve, and Davidson were able eventually to resume
full production.
It is difficult to say what the long term impact of the fire has been. The
Davidson company prospered and survived for another 100 years. Without the fire
it may have become a stronger company and could still be in existence today.
Had economic conditions been good, the loss of production and customers would
have been very serious. As it was, the reduction in output of pressed glass
resulting from the fire (and the destruction of the Neville Glass Works) may
have enabled other companies to survive better in a period of low orders.
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