Glass History, Birmingham, England
Years 1922 to 1923
Times were very hard in the 1920s, with post war Britain going through a severe economic crisis, the First World War of 1914- 1918 had virtually brought the British economy to its knees and men who had survived and returned home were struggling to find work. Fortunately for Francis Joseph Boyce (1877 to 1962), he was a highly skilled craftsman with a flare for design in the manufacture of ornamental lead-lights and glass embossing, which were not only in vogue in post war Britain , but in high demand for the era. Having been made redundant at a time when the Welfare State and Social Security did not exist, he established his own business in 1922 and began to work from a shed at his home in 92, Oxford Road, Acocks Green, a small suburb of Birmingham, England. From these very humble beginnings, the seeds of a glass business were born which was to eventually become highly regarded and well renowned as Boyce Glass
Home of Franics Boyce. 92 Oxford Street Acocks Green, Birmingham. Beginings of Boyce Glass in 1922
Years 1925 to 1950
In 1925 it became apparent the business needed to relocate and so it moved to premises at 27 Lionel Street Birmingham.
The business was centered around the manufacture of lead-lights and glass embossing. The years 1925 to 1939 can well be defined as the “Lead-light age” for no home was complete without its quota of lead-light transoms and entrance panels. Some houses were also fitted with either squares or diamond lights to all the main windows.
Lionel Street accommodated a whole team of 8 to 9 men churning out lead- lights and the suburbs of Birmingham have hundreds of examples of the work carried out by the company.
Around 1934, three of the company’s main customers each opened their own lead-light manufacturing departments forcing the glass business to undergo a major change in direction.
The business entered the glass and glazing field, but continued making lead-lights but on a smaller scale. Philip G Boyce made his last lead-light and went out on the road pursuing orders.
It was around this time that vertically produced flat drawn sheet glass came on line in Britain having been developed on the continent. This radically improved manufacture in both quality and quantity and thus it became universally adopted.
In 1938 Boyce Glass was incorporated and took over the trade formally carried on by Frances J. Boyce.
In the autumn of 1939 everything was brought to a grinding halt, when, except for aerodromes and war factories ordinary building work virtually ceased overnight and the Boyce Glass company was in danger of folding up due to lack of work.
However, unknowingly at that time, the Second World War was to unwittingly cause an increase in work for glazing companies with the major activity of all the glass firms in the Midlands being glass replacement following air raid damage. Many thousands of square feet of glass were 'blown out' in the winters of 1940 and 1941 and summer of 1942, and the demand was so great that even Pilkington Glass Manufacturers could not keep up and were reduced to supplementing manufacture with a cheap” R glass” which was semi obscured.
Teams of glaziers were also seconded to London for a time to help boost the morale of Londoners and to assist in replacing glass 'blown out' in air raids. Inevitablably though, glass would often be replaced one day only to be 'blown out' again the next! Those involved with this type of work were glad to see the end of it.
Site of former premises occupied by Boyce Glass 27 Lionel Street Birmingham from 1928 to 1956
Years 1950 to 1970
By the early 1950s life was beginning to return to normal and the Boyce Glass company entered the area of Contract Glazing, securing orders for schools, factories, office buildings and the new “C” Power Station at Hams Hall in 1954.
In 1956 another move became imperative and premises were purchased at 14 to 16 Witton Road, Aston, Birmingham enabling the company to become plate glass stockists, an activity restricted to only a few selected companies in those days. This opened the market to service both shopfitting and insurance companies.
It also coincided with what was to become known as “The Glass Age” with the use of glass extending in a way never before envisaged. Whole buildings were clad in glass of one kind or another and double-glazed insulating units began to take an ever-bigger share of the market bringing with it heat, cold and sound insulation. New glazing and fixing methods were developed to suit the design criteria of modern buildings.
The years 1959 and 1960 saw the third generation of the Boyce family move into the business. The addition of Philip J. Boyce and his brother Gerald Clive Boyce, the two sons of Philip G. Boyce, allowed expansion and diversity within the company with a move into glass merchandising, retailing direct to the public, the supply and fitting of windscreens and glass processing with diamond tools, and new machines providing a revolution in edge working and drilling glass. Renovation of the premises also enabled the opening of a new showroom.
There was also a need to handle glass in greater quantities utilizing less manpower through vacuum glass handling, overhead and mobile cranes. The premises precluded installation of a full gantry crane, so through innovation and engineering expertise a three-way fork lift truck was adapted which enabled the handling of large sheets of float glass, a static gantry and a small ground crane were similarly adapted to handle glass in bulk.
During the 1960’s, whilst all these changes and business growth were taking place, the glass industry itself was going through a major change with increasing takeovers and amalgamations into large groups, placing independent family businesses under pressure. In order to keep pace with these changes a decision was made to further modernise and expand the capacity of the business through a purpose-built factory unit with overhead gantry cranes and new processing and glass cutting machinery.
The existing premises at Witton Road was retained for glass retailing, windscreen replacements and local deliveries and the new premises for trade, glass and glazing and bulk processing and glass distribution.
Sketch of premises of Boyce Glass 14 to 16 Witton Road, Aston, Birmingham
Years 1970 to 1989
During the period of 1970 to 1973 the business expanded into the fields of secondary windows, windscreen replacements and into the retail of hardware and small tools.
The year of 1972 saw in the Jubilee year of Boyce Glass (Birmingham) Pty Ltd with a Dinner and Dance held at the Town Hall Sutton Coldfield on Friday 10th March 1972.
In 1973 the new purpose-built factory premises were occupied situated in Long Acre, Birmingham. At that time the number of employees were around 60.
On 14th February 1976 the Chairman Philip G. Boyce suddenly died. In the ensuing twelve months there were several approaches from large groups in the glass industry to acquire the company.
Eventually there was an offer from Doulton Glass Industries Ltd for acquisition of the business and this was accepted. Mr. Philip J Boyce continued as CEO of Boyce Glass Co (Birmingham) Pty Ltd operating the company as part of the Midlands Division of Doulton.
The company continued to grow and in early 1980s a division of Boyce Glass - Boyce Home Improvements, opened with a showroom at 907 Walsall Road, Great Barr, Birmingham catering for new windows, aluminium, UPVC, double glazed, mirror wardrobes and cut size glass.
In 1980, the fourth generation to enter the glass industry was Philip R. Boyce son of Philip J. Boyce, and great grandson of the Francis J. Boyce. Philip R. Boyce had first gained experience in the glass industry by working at Boyce Glass Co Birmingham Ltd during school holidays in the factory learning how to handle and cut glass, loading trucks with the aid of gantry cranes and glazing as part of a glazing team. He slowly worked his way up to move into the area of sales and administration.
In the ensuing years there was a further takeover of the whole of Doulton Glass Industries by a South African based company called Plate Glass and Shatterproof Industries. The individual company names were later changed to Solaglas and the original identities were swallowed up.
After the sale of Doulton Glass Industries to a South African business Philip R Boyce moved and worked in sales at another Birmingham family glass business which specialised in sealed double-glazed units and glass distribution.
By the end of 1980s the personal desire for independence was running very strongly and Philip .J. Boyce also then left Solaglas Boyce with the prospect of moving to Western Australia and pursuing new business horizons.
Boyce Glass Head Office and Works , Long Acre , Birmingham in 1973