Mexborough and Swinton Times March 16, 1940

Fifty Years in Glass Trade

Presentation to Mr. William Barker

Manager at Wombwell For 38 Years

When Mr. William Barker, of Park House, Stairfoot, was married on December 7th, 1905, employees of the Wombwell works of Messrs. Wood, Bros., Glass Co., Ltd., honoured him as their manager by presenting to him a marble timepiece.

He is still the manager, and on Saturday the workmen again honoured him, this time with a presentation in celebration of his completion of fifty years’ service with the firm.

Moreover. Mr. Barker is to continue as manager. He is still a young man in looks, and not by any means an old man in years.

No Strike in 36 Years.

It cannot be said that during Mr. Barker’s long record as manager the Dearne and Dove Glass Works at Wombwell have been entirely unaffected by industrial agitation, but it can be said that at no time during the last 35 years at this plant has industrial unrest emanated in the bitterness of a strike. The credit for that immunity is due as much to Mr. Barker’s influence and tact as to the good sense of the workers. The trade union leaders know that approaches to Mr. Barker always result in an understanding and sympathetic hearing. This confidence was expressed in many ways at the presentation at Sir George’s Arms Hotel, Wombwell Main.

To mark the presentation a social was arranged, Mr. Stanley Hill, departmental manager at Barnsley, presiding over a company of about 80. The honour of making the presentation was given to Mr. Sam Nicholls (73), the oldest employee in point of age, who has been engaged in the glass trade for 64 years and has served 36 years with Messrs. Wood, Bros. His expressions of appreciation were as touching as they were simple and sincere.

Secretary’s Tribute.

Others who spoke included Mr. H. Ducker who has been employed at the Wombwell works for forty years: Mr. Arthur Clayton. factory secretary; Mr. H. Ramsden and Mr. H. Wilby.

Mr. J. L. Potts (secretary of the firm), said Mr. Barker’s record of long service and loyalty was a fine example. He spoke of Mr. Barker’s gift for earning and retaining the goodwill of the employees, and said that it was largely through his influence that such a good feeling had always existed between the Wombwell and Barnsley works. Mr. Potts said that both Captain Wood and Mr. Hugo Wood regretted that owing to injuries suffered in a motor accident at Newark they were unable to be present. On behalf of the firm Mr. Potts wished Mr. Barker good health and many more years of service with the company.

Accepting the gift with many expressions of gratitude. Mr. Barker said when he heard of their intention to show appreciation of his fifty years’ service it gave him a pleasant surprise and took his mind back to 1889 when only the Barnsley works were in existence. He started in that year as an office boy, and the principals at that time were Mr. Eugene Wood, Mr. Alphonse Wood and Mr. G. Wright, the first and second being uncle and father respectively of the late Mr. Frank Wood and the present Captain A. Wood. The works manager at that time was Mr. T. Gambling: Mr. T. Wright was cashier and had charge of the glasshands. His (Mr. Barker’s) job was to reckon up the men’s work and invoke goods.

Date of the “Tank.”

When he started there were four furnaces working – three cupola and one tank furnace. What was now known as No. 4 Furnace was originally a tank and was still talked of as a tank by some of the older glasshands. The type of glassware made at that time was mainly medical bottles, and all were mouth blown. There were about twenty-four “chairs” making bottles; two press “chairs” making stoppers, and two making hand-made “rounds” and dram bottles. Trade was good and gradually increased year by year for about eleven years when the capacity of the then existing furnaces was found to be inadequate to cope with the orders: so the firm hart to look round for a site for extensions.

In the summer of 1900 the site of a derelict glassworks was bought at Wombwell. The tank was converted into an eight-pot furnace, lighted-off early in November, 1900, and commenced to make bottles the same month. Mr. Frank Wood was there to see the men start and blow the first bottle—an eight ounce toilet.

In the meantime an up-to-date factory was being built at Wombwell comprising an eighteen-pot gas furnace with lehrs, pot room, warehouse, fitting and blacksmith shops and batch-mixing place, the erection being under Mr. Frank Wood’s supervision.

Transferred To Wombwell.

In June. 1901, he (Mr. Barker) was transferred to Wombwell and put in charge of the men working the eightpot furnace, so that Mr. Frank Wood could devote more of his time to the erction of the new factory. He had then been about twelve years at the Barnsley works gaining fair knowledge of the business under the careful training of Mr. T. Gambling, to whom he was greatly indebted for advice in the management of the Wombwell works later on.

The eight-pot furnace lasted only a year and seven months. The new furnace was lighted-off in April, 1903, and the manufacture of bottles commenced a few weeks later. That furnace had worked almost continuously for thirtyseven years, and had been out for repairs eight times in that period.

“I appreciate and thank you very much for your congratulations and good wishes.” said Mr. Barker, “and for the practical way in which you have expressed your sentiments in this presentation. It is a very useful piece of furniture and will represent to me some very happy memories of those who gave it.”

Collects Flowers

Mr. Barker then revealed his interest in botany and said that the cabinet, which was his own choice, would be used In that pursuit. “Botany has been my hobby for a long time,” he said,—”collecting specimens of wild flowers and pressing and preserving them. This cabinet is the ideal thing for the purpose.” Mr. Barker was warmly cheered on concluding his speech.

Mrs. Barker and family will share the pleasure of the gift. They have three daughters and one son. The son, Mr. Dennis William K. Barker, a B.A. of Sheffield University, has been employed for the past ten years as a constructional engineer in France, to which country he originally went on a language scholarship.