Old glass works

We had things to do in town today - the bank, Dawson for travel cash, Saks and pick up another 300 naked calendars at the printers and deliver to Katy.

I’m beginning to see why some elderly fellow Blippers are losing interest in overseas travel. #2 daughter messaged to say there’s an issue with our flights to ski. The plane now leaves 6 hours later than originally stated so she plans to take them up on the offer of going from Birmingham instead of Manchester as it leaves at the original time of 6am. The new 12.30pm from Manchester suits us better as B’ham is 5 or 6 hours driving in the dark - in fact leaving home at 10.30pm to get the flight. (There’s no point getting a hotel which is expensive and we’d need to get up at 2.30 am to get the flight). We’ll need to see if we can go from Manchester while the other 4 do Birmingham.

I took this photo when I picked up the calendars. It is the last remaining cone of the Lemington Glass Works, opened in 1787 by the Northumberland Glass Company. The location of the works was ideal for local coal supplies, with the North Wylam to Lemington Point Waggonway running within very close proximity to the works. It was also situated beside the River Tyne (prior to its rerouting in 1876) which made it easy to bring sand, alkali, and suitable clay for the melting pots to the works. It was also conveniently placed to export to Europe. It is now a children’s play centre.