THE important role played by women working in the local glass industry is about to be brought to light.

Their story is set to be told thanks to the help of Heritage Lottery Funding.

Women played an essential part of the industry, often working long hours in what was a skilled, but often dangerous profession.

A project is currently underway which is designed to collect accounts and memories from women workers with help from a series of ladies day events.

The next meeting is scheduled for Bank Holiday Monday, May 25, at the Red House Glass Cone in Wordsley, while another is set to take place at the Broadfield House Glass Museum in Kingswinford on Thursday, June 18.

There are also plans to create a permanent exhibition entitled 'Women and the Glass Industry' at the Red House Glass Cone and project co-ordinator Sophie Colley has already been busy talking to retired workers, collecting history through their stories.

The project wants to hear the stories of people like former glass-cutter Doris Haden, of Wordsley, who worked for Webb-Corbett while she was 14 to 20-years-old.

Doris, who worked a 48 hour week and earned a weekly salary of £1, or just 17/6d after tax, said: “It was really hard work, long hours and no chance to chat.

"You could spend all day working on a piece and then just as you were about to finish, the piece could crack or a cut would go all the way through and you’d have to throw it away and start again.”

Sophie wants to hear from other women who worked in the glass industry and can be contacted at scolley@live.co.uk or on 01384 812745.