Inchicore Pressed Glass Works Private Museum (Cockhedge Glass Works)

Cockhedge Glass Works

Scotland Road Warrington Lancashire

1805-1867

1805-1817 Jackson, Alderson & Co, Cockhedge Glass Works.

In 1805 Peter Jackson (Corn and Flour Merchant Warrington) went in to partnership with William Bryon (Glass Manufacture Liverpool) – John Alderson (Clerk and Bookkeeper) and Samuel Brettle (See Orford Lane Glassworks). In 1811 Samuel Brettle died and the other partners continued on the business. In 1816 Peter Jackson and William Byrom claim to have become dissatisfied with John Alderson’s conduct and the partnership was dissolved on the 1st of January 1817.

1817- 1820 Alderson, John & Co, Cockhedge Glass Works.

Joseph Perrin (2) at the age of 14 was employed as an apprentice by John Alderson Senior. When John Alderson Senior died in 1820; Joseph Perrin (2) became a joint manager of the firm. He was married to Ellen Alderson, daughter of John Alderson Senior. They had a number of children (see notes at bottom of page). Thomas Robinson married Mary Alderson daughter of John Alderson senior on the 27th of August 1818. It is interesting that the witnesses at the marriage ceremony were Joseph Perrin and Jno Alderson.

Note: (See: Bank Quay Glassworks for the other Joseph Perrin)

1820-1832 “Trading as’’

1820-1829 Alderson, Perrin & Robinson, Cockhedge (Flint & watch glass manufacturer) Mersey and Cockhedge

1830-1832 Alderson, Perrin & Robinson, Cockhedge

On the 22nd of January 1825 the company was fines £800 for supplying unjust weights to the officer overseeing the collection of the glass excise duty. The Cockhedge works was well planned and on a fairly large scale for the period. A sketch made by Robert Booth in 1830 shows that the buildings had architectural pretensions.

Thomas Robinson having been gone in to the business partnership at Orford Lane glassworks in 1829 with Thomas Kirkland Glazebrook resigned from the partnership with John Anderson (probably son of John senior) and Joseph Perrin (2) on the 1ST of June 1832 and John Alderson & Joseph Perrin (2) continued on the business.

1844-1860 Alderson, Perrin & Co, Glass manufacturers, Cockhedge Glass Works.

Interesting that a Jno. Alderson from The Ravenhead Flint Glass Company, Sutton County of Lancaster dissolved his Partnership with George Royle on the 25th of January 1848. He was formerly a bookkeeper for Anderson and Perrin.

In 1856 there arrived in the Australian Colonies 58 casks of glassware from the celebrated house of Alderson, Perrin & Co. It consisted of Cut and moulded ½ pint tumblers - Cut wines, thin top - Broad shell flutes - Cut flutes and bottoms - Egg bowls- Broad flute royal wines - Moulded carina and tumblers - Quart pillar water jugs - Soda water goblets and tumblers - Quart and pint, pillar decanters, cut bottoms and stoppers moulded - vials, 2 drachms’ 6 oz - butters and covers - sugars and covers - Cruets and frame, 3 and 6 hole. It is interesting that wooden casks (barrels) were the preferred method of packing glass for export on ships to the Australian colonies.

In 1857 Joseph Perrin (2) died and the business was sold. Entries in local trade’s directories for 1861 indicate, however, that the business was continued under the name of Alderson, Higginbottom & Co. We now know that John Alderson immigrated to the Australian Colonies about 1862; (Reference; The New York Times - 12th of November 1876). His Uncle Henry Alderson along with George Josiah Higginbottom and Henry Tayleur took over the business. Henry Alderson was probably associated with the business from 1832 when Thomas Robinson resigned.

“Side Note,”

At Thatto-heath Alderson and Perrin were involved in a Partnership with John Stretch carrying on business in the style of Messrs. Josephs’ Perrin and Co in the county of Lancaster. This firm made glass bottles and were also Dealers and Chapmen. This Partnership consisting of Jno Stretch, Henry Alderson and Joseph Perrin was dissolved on the 8th November 1847 with Alderson, Perrin & Co paying all debts owing.

1861-1862 Alderson, Higginbottom & Co Flint Glass and Bottle Manufactures, Cockhedge Glass Works

On the 1st of January 1862 Henry Tayleur resigned from the partnership and Henry Alderson and George Josiah Higginbottom continued on in the business.

1862-1867 Alderson Higginbottom & Co FlintGlass and Bottle Manufactures, Cockhedge Glass Works

Henry Alderson died on the 28th of March 1863 and John Tayleur joined the company. (We presume he is a brother of Henry Tayleur). On the 13th of March 1867 John Tayleur and George Josiah Higginbottom dissolved their partnership.

The Australian Colonies

Henry Alderson died on the 28th of March 1863 and Thomas Geddes the Solicitor (no 3 Cairo –street Warrington) and the executor of his will Robert Hastre Wilson distributed his estate. Owing to the lack of claimants’ (the heir–at-law John Alderson having immigrated to Australia and presumed dead) the property was sold on under a chance title and in 1876 it was owned by a member of Warrington town council. It is interesting that a John Alderson was one of 19 survivors (Two hundred and twenty lives lost) from the Mail steamer SS London disaster of 11th of January 1866 off the Bay of Biscay. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_London_(1864). The Steamer was heading for the Australian Colonies.

From the Australian Newspapers 31th of January 1867 (one been The Brisbane Courier ) we learn of a Mr Alderson a foreman and metal mixer, a relative of Mr Alderson of the firm of Alderson & Perrin. This has to be John Alderson the heir–at-law of the Henry Alderson estate. He is working for a Mr A. Brown the proprietor of the Colonial Glass Factory Empire, Liverpool street Sydney. It looks like this is going to be the first major glassworks to be established in the Australian Colonies. Mr Alderson is organising workers from the Warrington glass industry to come to Australia to help in the setting up of the glassworks and help in its expansion as the present work force have left to form their own glassworks

It is more than likely that one of the workers who left was Joseph ROSS, (c.1836-1909) Glassmaker, from Sunderland, Durham, England. By 1871 Joseph Ross occupied his own premises in Australia Street, Camperdown Sydney. It later became known as The Perseverance Glass Works. http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/AS10420b.htm

There are great expectations expected for the Colonial Glass Factory Empire that will be able to manufacture soda-water bottles, jam jars, bird troughs and so on. A package of soda water bottles was send to Melbourne to a Mr Henfrey, soda water manufacture who tested the bottles and he indicates that they were of suitable quality for use in his business. The bottle were of equal quality to imported ones and when broken were of equal substance. The raw materials to make glass of all types are inexhaustible near Sydney. The only exception at the moment is that coal has to be transported from Newcastle. With the expertise of Mr Alderson and the accession of competent workers on the way from the mother country (the Warrington glass industry) this glassworks will be increased, and the whole premises expanded to meet the demand as it will be cheaper to make glass in the colonies than import it from England.

The establishment of the Colonial Glass Factory Empire meant that by 1874 the South Australians Jam Company were able to export 40 tons of jam to England due to glass, jam- jars, been made by the Colonial Glass Factory Empire.

John Alderson heard about his inherence in Warrington and in 1876 he returned to Warrington (reference The New York Times, 12th of November 1876). As regards what happened after that, as a friend of mine says “its’ a mystery’’.

Notes

Marriage: 27 Aug 1818 St Elphins, Warrington, Lancashire, England

Thomas Robinson - of Prescott

Mary Alderson - of This Parish

Witness: Joseph Perrin; Jno? Alderson

Married by Licence by: Jonathan Topping Curate

Register: Marriages 1818 - 1824, Page 3, and Entry 9

Source: LDS Film 1562960

There is two Joseph Perrin’s married to women called Ellen. One is a Glass Manufacturer in Warrington.

The other is a Merchant in Liverpool.

Baptisms: 25 Dec 1817 St Elphins, Warrington, Lancashire, England

Josiah Alderson Perrin - Son of Joseph Perrin & Ellen