A short history of glassmaking through the ages and specifically, glassmaking in the UK. George Ravenscroft set up a glasshouse in London, and Henley-on-Thames (c. 1670-75). He employed mostly Italian trained glassmakers and began to search for a substance that could be made independently of foreign materials. After a number of fruitless experiments, he introduced a quantity of lead oxide into his metal making a type of glass paste which was similar to that used in Syria and Egypt for making artificial gems. -- AATA