In response to the National Policy and a sharp rise in demand, glass-making in Canada enjoyed a surge in the last decades of the century. This comparatively new industry, to the Maritimes at least, produced a wide range of items, including tableware of the type shown here. The Humphries factory was located at Trenton near the coal fields and the emerging industrial centres of Pictou and New Glasgow. Well serviced by the newly constructed railroads of the region, it employed almost a hundred men and boys, from highly skilled glass-blowers and mechanics to unskilled packers and general labourers.
At first, most skilled workers in glass-making were immigrants from the United States or Great Britain, but native Nova Scotians eventually dominated even the highest skill levels. While experienced glass-blowers were in short supply and could occasionally bargain successfully, the limited opportunities to pursue their craft in the Maritimes meant that they could also be manipulated by their employers. In the end, they had no defence against the closures that followed takeover of Maritime plants by Central Canadian firms. Like many workers in other Maritime industries, glass workers were ultimately forced to migrate if they wanted to remain in their trade.
Courtesy: National Museums of Canada (S85-135 and S85-136)
