The Story of Edinburgh Crystal

Glass has been made in the Edinburgh area almost as long as it had been made at Stourbridge. A glassworks at Leith, then an important entreport for the Continent, is mentioned in 1628. Italian glassmakers were induced to move to the Scottish capital from London and undoubtedly, the industry benefited from their expert knowledge and skills. Large quantities of bottles were produced, for which, in 1664, the makers were told not to charge more than 2s. 6d a dozen.

A master glassmaker named Robert Pope is mentioned as being at the Citadel works at Leith in 1664, and, early in the 18th century, this works was taken over by the Edinburgh and Leith Glass Co. which extended the business and installed up-to-date plant at nearby premises, producing vast quantities of cut and engraved glass as well as bottles until about 1830. James Rankin established a flint glassworks at Leith in 1773 and over the years other works were opened and closed down.

In 1864 the Leith Walk Glassworks was built by J. Thomas who sold it the following year to the firm of Jenkinson which, in 1876, moved to larger premises at Norton Park, Abbey Hill, which had a 12-pot furnace. Two years later, the products of the company were being admired in Paris, the exhibition catalogue commenting their engraved glass had “been placed by all critics among the best works of the class that have been sent by Great Britain in competition with the hitherto unrivalled fabrications of Germany and France. They are a credit to Scotland”. Jenkinsons continued to specialise in decorated tableware until World War I compelled them to turn to making glassware for war-time use.

Arnold Fleming, historian of the Scottish glass industry, wrote in 1938 of the post-war products of the Edinburgh and Leith Flint Glass Co. (as Jenkinson’s had become)

“The dazzling quality of Norton Park glass, whether decorative or useful, rivals that made in the halcyon days of the trade, and so reproductions of antique style are a speciality of this company. Here we have candlesticks, candelabra and s-shaped girandoles alongside the latest patterns of electric lamps. The limpid nature of the glass is charmingly displayed in cut goblets, vases and flower bowls of the most chaste designs, a bewildering display glitteringand sparkling in a thousand lights . . .

This company has had lately the honour of supplying Holyrood Palace with an exquisite set of cut glass for the Royal banquets”.

Part of Webb’s Crystal Glass Co. since World War I, the Edinburgh and Leith Glassworks retained its title until 1955, when it became the Edinburgh Crystal Glass Co.

In 1964 it came under the umbrella of Crown House Limited who financed a complete modernisation scheme. As further expansion and development in the existing premises was impracticable, a new site had to be found and this was located at Penicuik, 10 miles south of Edinburgh.

The first stage of the building of the new factory, comprising cutting, polishing and warehouse facilities, was completed in 1969 and officially opened by the then Secretary of State for Scotland, Mr. William Ross.

For a time glass was formed in Edinburgh at the old Norton Park Works and transported to Penicuik for decoration. Then, in 1974, an entirely new design of glasshouse was brought into operation at Penicuik and with the completion of the second stage of the scheme, the old glasshouse at Norton Park was demolished after almost a century of use.

The factory at Penicuik occupying almost 100,000 sq. ft. is fully operational and accommodates the traditional skills of the crystal glass industry in the most up-to-date manner, incorporating in the process the ideas of both experienced management and skilled craftsmen. The resulting superior conditions are undoubtedly conducive to production of the finest quality and workmanship.