History of Seaham - Stories and remarkable and memorable events in the history of Seaham The Bottle Works Seaham Bottle Works is demolished 29 years after it's closure(1950)
The sad closure of the Bottle Works at Seaham in 1921 brought to an end a core industry in the town that brought employment to more than 500 men, women and children. John Candlish began making bottles in 1853. The Seaham factory was the largest producer of bottles in Europe making more than 12 million bottles per year. He was an outstanding employer who practiced excellent labour relations with his workforce. A major restructuring within the industry in 1913 resulted in the amalgamation of the Seaham Works within the United Glass Bottle Manufacturers Ltd. Subsequent over-production of bottles within the UK resulted in the closure of the Seaham Bottle Works in 1921.
The final demolition of the works including the chimneys that had stood as a landmark to sailors along the coast for more than a century began in 1950. It is now more than 100 years since the last bottle was blown at Seaham Bottle Works but many sea glass pickers are still able to find ample specimens of sea glass on the beaches at Seaham.
Fred Cooper
Sunderland Echo 17th August 1950
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