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Glassmaker Thomas Young MBE

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THOMAS P. YOUNG MBE (age 78) is a renowned glassmaker known for his innovative designs and range of products. He was made an MBE in the 2016 New Years Honours List and presented with the honour by Prince William at Buckingham Palace in April 2017.

Table of Contents

• Biography • Career • Works • Awards • Exhibitions • Further reading • External links

Biography

Thomas Paterson Young (known as Tom) was born in Glasgow in December 1938. He married Elizabeth - known as Bette - Stevenson (1939 -2017) in 1963. The couple have two children Stephen and Karen.

Career

Tom Young began his career as a glassmaking industry apprentice at the age of 16. He initially worked with R & J Wood in Glasgow, which was a chief supplier of laboratory equipment for the west of Scotland, beginning in 1954. During a seven-year apprenticeship, Mr Young learned the technical skills needed to create scientific glassware. He then moved to work for the Loughborough Glass Company – a small firm which was bought over by Fisons - a multinational pharmaceutical, scientific instruments and horticultural chemicals company based in Ipswich. After working there for two years from 1962-63, he took up a post Loughborough University which was then a Technical College in 1964. Mr Young wanted to break away from a commercial environment and become more involved in the research field. He moved to Loughborough as a Physics Technician - the only job on offer at the time – seeing it as a way of getting into the college where he wanted the chance to do more research and enhance his knowledge. He spent several years there setting up and developing a workshop. He also joined the newly founded British Society of Scientific Glassblowers’ (BSSG) Midland branch in 1964 to learn more about what was happening in his field. (www.bssg.co.uk)

In 1967, Mr Young moved back to his native Scotland to work at the newly opened University of Stirling where he was a Scientific Glassblower from 1967-1979. He was there from the opening of the University and played a pivotal role in setting up and developing the Science Laboratories by making essential scientific apparatus and glassware for staff and students. Mr Young was also involved in the repair and modification of glass columns and, realising the need for lab technicians to gain some knowledge of glassblowing, he set up a basic course in the techniques they required. Once back in Scotland, Mr Young set up the Scottish section of the BSSG, which remains a thriving branch today, and served as its chair for several years. In 1976, Mr Young became one of the first two Scots to be named a Master Craftsman Glassblower by the British Society of Scientific Glassblowers. In 1979, he became a Founding Member and committee member of the Scottish Glass Society - an artist-led, charitable organisation which promotes the development of contemporary Scottish Glass. During his time working at the University, Mr Young set up a home workshop creating innovative glass gifts, such as pigs with a half-penny sealed inside, in his spare time. In 1979, Mr Young decided to leave the University to put his creative talents to the test by founding Village Glass in nearby Bridge of Allan – a business which he continued until 2011. Over the years, he trained several glassblowing apprentices and his small glassmaking studio gained renown as a tourist attraction. Mr Young’s products – which included perfume bottles, vases, candlesticks and dishes - were sold at home and abroad travelling as far afield as Japan and South America. Mr Young specialised in the technique of lampworking – a highly skilled method of reheating preformed glass rod and tubing to a decorative and sculptured form in traditional and modern designs. Some products were made in clear glass and some with the addition of metallic oxides to make coloured glassware. As he became better known in the glassmaking field, Mr Young commissioned to carry out work for large companies such as Johnnie Walker and Diageo. He made bespoke glass pens to accompany every bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label Whisky on its launch in 1990 and was commissioned to supply the glass component for the Johnnie Walker Cup Golf Trophy, played annually at Gleneagles Golf Club. Mr Young officially retired in 2011 before going back to work two years later to help his daughter Karen Somerville launch a new business named Angel’s Share Glass. The firm produces hand-blown glass angels which represent the old distillers’ legend of the Angels’ Share. The innovative angels are sealed with the `Angels’ Share’ of whisky inside in a unique process devised and developed by Mr Young. It was a concept which tested his glassmaking skills - the challenge of sealing 30ml of highly flammable alcohol into molten glass. Mr Young was also involved in the creation of whisky water droppers which have become the firm’s biggest selling product. The Dropper gives whisky drinkers the ability to add water to their whisky one drop at a time. During his years as co-director of Angels’ Share Glass, Mr Young has trained a glassblowing apprentice and overseen the development of a new glassmaking studio. He gives glassblowing demonstrations when the firm visits whisky festivals and other related events. Works Mr Young made bespoke glass pens to accompany every bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label Whisky on its launch in 1990. He also designed and made a glass slipper which was presented to opera stars at a performance attended by Princess Diana during the 1990s. The commission was from British Airways and the gift related to the company’s sponsorship of the production of Cinderella. In the late 1990s, he was commissioned to supply the glass component for the Johnnie Walker Cup Golf Trophy - which involved sealing whisky into a glass golf ball - played annually at Gleneagles Golf Club. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnnie_Walker_Championship_at_Gleneagles) Mr Young was also responsible for the design and supply of almost every spirit safe bowl used in Scottish distilleries after changing the shape of them in 2000. He simplified the design of the heat resistant bowls, which became known as Millennium Bowls, by making a smaller version. They now supersede all previous Caithness glass and Moncrieff glass bowls used in whisky distilling. Another commission saw Mr Young design Commonwealth Games themed Angels – in Gold, Silver and Bronze – for the Glasgow Games in 2014 which were used by Burn Stewart Distillers for corporate gifting and limited editions.

Awards

Mr Young and another glassblower, George Finney, were the first two people named to the BSSG register of Master Glassblowers in Scotland in September 1976. He was awarded the honour after his intricate pieces of work and technical skills were examined and judged by representatives of the BSSG.

In October 2016, Mr Young was presented with the Provost’s Award for Arts and Culture by Stirling Council in recognition of his achievements in glassblowing. He was awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours List announced at the end of 2016 and was presented with his award in April 2017 by Prince William during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

Exhibitions

1979: `Scottish Glass Society Annual Exhibition’. Caithness Glass Ltd in Perth, Scotland. 1989: `Scottish Glass Now: 10th Anniversary of the Scottish Glass Society’. Glasgow Museums and Art Galleries. Glasgow. 2000: `Scottish Glass 2000’. Scottish Glass Society Group Exhibition. Dundee Art Galleries and Museums, McManus Galleries, Dundee and the City Arts Centre, Edinburgh. 2001: `Talent + Class = Scottish Glass’. The Scottish Glass Society Annual Exhibition. The Reiver Gallery, Galashiels. 2002: `42nd Annual & 6th International Symposium on Scientific Glassblowing.’ British Society of Scientific Glassblowers. The Stirling Management Centre, Stirling. 2012: `Scottish Glass.’ Museum Collection Exhibition. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow.

Further reading

Mr Young and examples of his work are mentioned in several journal articles such as the British Society of Scientific Glassblowers Journal and articles on the Scottish Glass Society. He has also featured in numerous press articles over the years and particularly since receiving his MBE. External links Mr Young’s firm Angels Share Glass can be found at www.angelshareglass.com

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