Wakefield Museums and Castles

Glass is a form of silica, the most common mineral on earth. Silica is often found as quartz sand. This sand is melted in a furnace. When it is cooled quickly, it becomes glass.

Glass making is hard and hot work. It potentially very dangerous. Furnaces burn at over 1200° C. There was a constant risk of fire at local glass and bottle works.

Knottingley's Bagley and Co. Ltd even had its own fire brigade. This leather and brass fire helmet has the company's initials on the front.