Scottish Glassblowers

Occupations and the like.

Moderator: Global Moderators

Robinson1857
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Jan 16, 2016 11:25 pm
Location: Upstate New York, USA
Contact:

Scottish Glassblowers

Post by Robinson1857 » Sun Jan 17, 2016 12:38 am

Are there any ledgers, account books, or other resources to help pinpoint glassworkers in Scotland? I am particularly interested in researching the late 1700's and very early 1800's? Here in the U.S. we have some company records that have survived. Also, since most early U.S. factories provided housing for glassworkers,you can look through census records and estimate who was employed by the glass factory if you know a few key names affiliated with that business.

I have traced my 4th great-grandfather, Daniel Robinson, as far back as the Rensselaer Glass Factory (Sand Lake, Berlin, New York) in 1810. Legend holds that the superintendent of that factory recruited glassblowers from Scotland (Dumbarton Glassworks) in 1806. The pieces fit, but I can't seem to connect Daniel to Scotland. Since the secrets of the glass trade were passed from father to son, I am confident that I can narrow my search down... if I could identify glassworkers that far back in Scotland. Based on my father's Y-DNA results, I am pretty sure our Robinsons originated in the region between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Now I need to learn what resources might be available.

Thank you for any advice!

My Robinson Genealogy Site
https://sites.google.com/site/robinson1857/
Scottish Surnames: ROBINSON, LITTLE, CHRISTIE
My Robinson Genealogy https://sites.google.com/site/robinson1857/

johnniegarve
Posts: 126
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2010 11:57 am

Re: Scottish Glassblowers

Post by johnniegarve » Sun Jan 17, 2016 11:33 pm

Glassworkers were amongst the earliest tradesmen to move around the UK. Robinson sounds English but possibly from Ireland, check...

http://scotlandsglass.co.uk/

Johnnie

Robinson1857
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Jan 16, 2016 11:25 pm
Location: Upstate New York, USA
Contact:

Re: Scottish Glassblowers

Post by Robinson1857 » Mon Jan 18, 2016 3:11 am

Thanks, Johnnie. That helps me narrow down my search and gives me some direction. I'm not sure how far back my Robinson line goes in Scotland. One Robinson relative listed his ethnicity as "Scotch" when crossing the Canadian border years ago. Another ancestor Reported that my 3rd great-grandfather was born in Scotland. Apart from my father's one strong Robinson Y-DNA match, the other matches are Scots with surnames like Wishart, McKellar, McCrain, and Grant. I realize that it's no guarantee, but the connections could predate surnames, and I find it interesting that those matches' most distant ancestors were located within that region around Glasgow and Edinburgh. It could be a coincidence, but it's a hunch I need to follow up on. :D
johnniegarve wrote:Glassworkers were amongst the earliest tradesmen to move around the UK. Robinson sounds English but possibly from Ireland, check...

http://scotlandsglass.co.uk/

Johnnie
Scottish Surnames: ROBINSON, LITTLE, CHRISTIE
My Robinson Genealogy https://sites.google.com/site/robinson1857/

SarahND
Site Admin
Posts: 5631
Joined: Thu Apr 27, 2006 12:47 am
Location: France

Re: Scottish Glassblowers

Post by SarahND » Mon Jan 18, 2016 11:11 am

Hello Robinson1857 and welcome to [talkingscot]

I noticed that you have the surname Little in your signature. We have a member littlealison who has done quite a bit of research on her Little ancestors who were glass makers. Search the forum for her posts and you may find some interesting information.

Best wishes,
Sarah

Robinson1857
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Jan 16, 2016 11:25 pm
Location: Upstate New York, USA
Contact:

Re: Scottish Glassblowers

Post by Robinson1857 » Mon Jan 18, 2016 12:58 pm

Thank you, Sarah! I will take a look at her posts. My most distant Little ancestor, William Little (1754-1797), was not a glassworker here, but there may a connection.

Regards,

Alan
SarahND wrote:Hello Robinson1857 and welcome to [talkingscot]

I noticed that you have the surname Little in your signature. We have a member littlealison who has done quite a bit of research on her Little ancestors who were glass makers. Search the forum for her posts and you may find some interesting information.

Best wishes,
Sarah
Scottish Surnames: ROBINSON, LITTLE, CHRISTIE
My Robinson Genealogy https://sites.google.com/site/robinson1857/

SarahND
Site Admin
Posts: 5631
Joined: Thu Apr 27, 2006 12:47 am
Location: France

Re: Scottish Glassblowers

Post by SarahND » Mon Jan 18, 2016 1:15 pm

And I forgot to mention her informative article in the Talking Scot Library: viewtopic.php?f=39&t=17390

johnniegarve
Posts: 126
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2010 11:57 am

Re: Scottish Glassblowers

Post by johnniegarve » Tue Jan 19, 2016 12:55 am

Robinson, a family of this name were glassmakers/employers in the Dudley/Stourbridge area from the 1770's to the 1850's. The names Ann, Benjamin, George , Frederick. John & Samuel Robinson & a glassworks at Amblecote.


My own glassmaking ancestors moved from Edinburgh to Derby, to Dudley then Glasgow.

Johnny.

Robinson1857
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Jan 16, 2016 11:25 pm
Location: Upstate New York, USA
Contact:

Re: Scottish Glassblowers

Post by Robinson1857 » Tue Jan 19, 2016 11:58 am

That's a promising lead! Thanks, Johnny! :D

-Alan
johnniegarve wrote:Robinson, a family of this name were glassmakers/employers in the Dudley/Stourbridge area from the 1770's to the 1850's. The names Ann, Benjamin, George , Frederick. John & Samuel Robinson & a glassworks at Amblecote.


My own glassmaking ancestors moved from Edinburgh to Derby, to Dudley then Glasgow.

Johnny.
Scottish Surnames: ROBINSON, LITTLE, CHRISTIE
My Robinson Genealogy https://sites.google.com/site/robinson1857/

Currie
Posts: 3924
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 3:20 am
Location: Australia

Re: Scottish Glassblowers

Post by Currie » Tue Jan 19, 2016 12:33 pm

There's a letter to the editor in The Scots Magazine and Edinburgh Literary Miscellany, 1809, page 410, that probably wont help, but may be of interest.
https://books.google.com.au/books?id=wV ... J&pg=PA410

Alan

Robinson1857
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Jan 16, 2016 11:25 pm
Location: Upstate New York, USA
Contact:

Re: Scottish Glassblowers

Post by Robinson1857 » Sun Jan 24, 2016 6:39 am

Interesting! Thanks, Alan!

-Alan
Currie wrote:There's a letter to the editor in The Scots Magazine and Edinburgh Literary Miscellany, 1809, page 410, that probably wont help, but may be of interest.
https://books.google.com.au/books?id=wV ... J&pg=PA410

Alan
Scottish Surnames: ROBINSON, LITTLE, CHRISTIE
My Robinson Genealogy https://sites.google.com/site/robinson1857/

Post Reply