St Lawrence Bottle Manufactory

A Joshua Middleton owned a St. Lawrence Bottle House in circa 1697. In 1736 Bourne states that the works were held on lease by Mrs Middleton, and that one of the proprietors was Richard Ridley. This is the first mention of the Ridleys as glass-makers, but they gradually acquired a large interest in the window and bottle glass trade (see HER ref. 5078). Sir Matthew Ridley worked the St. Lawrence Bottle House in 1758 and in 1769. In 1790 Sir Matthew White Ridley and Hewitson are mentioned as one of the principal firms of bottle makers in Newcastle. Mr Middleton Hewitson was principal agent of "the bottle glasshouses near the town" in 1766. In 1795 Ridley and Hewitson were making crown and broad glass on the North Shore. St Lawrence Bottleworks were still in existence in 1907 but by 1908 the roof had been stripped ready for demolition.