Bridge Crystal Glass Company
Michael Davies founded the Bridge Crystal Glass Company in March 1966 in Cradley Heath, Stourbridge. The company produced high-quality glassware in full lead crystal, with as much as one-third of the mix being red lead.
The company also rented space to William (Billy) Swingewood Jnr who made lampwork animals; his father had done this in the 1920s and 1930s for Stevens & Williams and Arculus & Co.
Bridge Crystal products were sold through The Cheltenham Tool Company Limited at first, but when the latter was acquired by Old Hall (J & J Wiggin) in 1967 they used their existing stockists to boost the glassware sales. Robert Welch, who had been appointed Consultant Designer for Old Hall in 1955, was commissioned to create new designs such as ‘Serica’ to complement the existing Bridge Crystal designs.
By 1969, Old Hall had acquired Bridge Crystal, and in February 1970 the Wiggin family sold Old Hall and its subsidiaries to the Prestige Group Limited. This relationship lasted until January 1982 when Oneida bought Old Hall, but despite numerous attempts to increase trade, Old Hall was closed on Friday 29th June 1984. Oneida then sold Bridge Crystal to Cumbria Crystal, who were primarily interested in the pattern books.
By 1985 all production at Cradley Heath had ceased, and Michael Davies went on to found Kinver Crystal.
