History West Midlands On Air

Lighthouses, Crystal Palace and more Story of Chance Brother glass works For more than a century one Black Country company - Chance Brothers of Smethwick - dominated glassmaking in Britain. The family were consistently at the innovative edge of glassmaking technology and developed products which shaped its use around the world. It was patented glass from Chances which made the dream of crystal palace a reality. Chance Brothers mastered the sophisticated lews technology which revolutionised lighthouses along the sea routes of the world. In this podcast, Toby Chance - author of 'Lighthouses: The Race to Illuminate the World' - tells broadcaster Graham Fisher, how the business rose to prominence and eventually declined. KEYWORDS: Glass, Chances, Chance Brothers, Smethwick, Lighthouses, Crystal Palace, Black Country, Chances Glassworks Heritage Trust, Graham Fisher