Founding of Waterford Crystal (1783)

Waterford Crystal traces its founding to 1783, when George Penrose and his nephew William Penrose established the Waterford Glassworks in Waterford, Ireland, beginning a glassmaking tradition in the city that continued, with interruptions, into the twenty-first century.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. Waterford is a city in County Waterford in the south-east of Ireland, situated at the head of Waterford Harbour. The city became known for its glassmaking industry, with decorative glass manufactured there from 1783 onward, a legacy later embodied by the Waterford Crystal brand named after the city itself.

Founding of the Waterford Glassworks. The origins of crystal production in Waterford date to 1783, when George Penrose and his nephew William Penrose started their business, the Waterford Glassworks. This established the first Waterford Crystal glassmaking business and began the city's long association with cut glass products.

Later Legacy of the Founding. The 1783 founding anchored a manufacturing tradition that lasted until early 2009, when the factory closed following the receivership of Waterford Wedgwood plc. A visitor centre in the city's Viking quarter opened in 2010 and resumed production under new ownership, returning glassmaking to the city centre.

People involved

Sources

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