34 ^- ^- D. Westropp on 



Benjamin Edwards, senior, retired from the firm in 1807, and 

 the business was carried on by Benjamin, junior, and Hugh 

 Edwards, William Ankatell having left apparently some time before- 

 Benjamin, senior, however, re-entered the business in 181 1, but 

 did not remain long, as he died the following year, September 29th 

 aged 72. In December, 181 2, the lease of the glass house with 

 buildings and offices was advertised to be sold, but whether 

 anything was done in the matter is uncertain, as in September, 

 181 3, Benjamin Edwards, junior, states that he intends carrying on 

 the old established glass works at Bridge End, in the same exten- 

 sive manner as heretofore. About 181 5 he appears to have got 

 into difficulties, as it is stated that there was to be a meeting of 

 the creditors of Benjamin Edwards, deceased, Hugh and Benjamin 

 Edwards, junior ; and in 18 16 the foundries at Ballymacarrett, 

 Belfast, and at Newry were advertised for sale. 



Benjamain Edwards, however, appears to have got over his 

 financial troubles, as m 1824 he enlarged his glass-house concerns 

 by taking over the adjoining establishment, formerly occupied by 

 John Smylie & Co., glass makers. He does not appear, however, 

 to have been very successful, for in 1826 the whole of the concerns 

 at the end of the Long Bridge, Belfast, were advertised for Sale, 

 and in the following year were purchased by T. J. Wright & Co. 

 (Thomas Joseph Wright, Robert McCrory, and A. J. McCrory), 

 for the purpose of carrying on the flint glass manufacture. In 

 1829 the partnership was dissolved, and the entire stock of the 

 concern, comprising " every article of cut and plain flint glass 

 together with glass-house pots, sand and a variety of utensils, " was 

 advertised to be sold. Probably the manufacture ceased about 

 this period, though in 1836 A. J. McCrory advertised to be let the 

 fimt glass manufactory in Ballymacarrett, with the warehouses, 

 offices and other buildings, and stated that the chimney was forty 

 feet in diameter and capable of being enlarged. 



In 1784 another glass-house was erected in Belfast at the east 

 end of the Long Bridge, for the manufacture of bottles and 

 window glass, the chimney being 120 feet high and 60 feet in 

 diameter, and was said to be the largest of any in Great Britain or 



