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Lighthouse Production

Image: Chance Brothers Lighthouse Work: Manual Reed Fog Horn. Typical Illustrations of the Lighthouse Work of Chance Brothers and Co. Limited Birmingham (1919).

Image from: Local Studies and History, Birmingham Central Library

James Timmins Chance personally supervised every detail of lighthouse work. Chances produced each piece of precision glass to ensure the light turned, burned and beamed out to sea. They also manufactured the mechanical equipment, illuminants, towers and foghorns; every part of the lighthouse except the masonry towers.  The lights were constructed at the Chance glassworks and inspected by officials from Trinity House.  Each one was dismantled, packed, shipped out and rebuilt on site by Chances’ workers. This was because of Chance Brothers experience when they produced lenses for Whitby Lighthouse. The lenses were perfect upon leaving the factory, however, when refitting took place at Whitby the assemblers did not take sufficient care and the refracted light beam was faulty.  James Timmins Chance personally supervised the correction at Whitby and demanded that any other lights were constructed on site by Chance workers.


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4439-0The Infinite Uses of Glass: Chance Brothers, Glassmakers of Smethwick 3892-0Chance Brothers and Company 3891-0The Arrival of Expert Workers 2078-0The Chemical Works 2370-0Types of Glass 3900-0Crown Glass 2039-0Plate or Sheet Glass 3895-0Flint Glass 2077-0New Technology 4444-0Glazing the Crystal Palace 4445-0Glazing the Crystal Palace 4438-0Lighthouse Production 4442-0Lighthouse Production 4443-0Lighthouse Production 4441-0Lighthouse Production 2079-0Company Philanthropic Activity 2041-0Relations between Workers and the Company 2038-0French and Belgian Workers 2075-0Description of the Glassworks 2034-0Description of the Glassworks