Harry Thompson - Glass Worker From West Virginia

Why Did Harry Thompson leave Blenko, and what was his life like after - this was the most often ask ' Harry question' in my mail box . Today Harry's Son Larry Thompson writes about Harry's life. Larry also sent these photos from his collection of Harry's work. I'll post the other two later - Blogger is having difficulty with photos this day.

DR. Hillary, Many readers have asked why Harry Thompson (my Dad) left Blenko and what he did afterwards. I n the summer of 1966 a man came to our house named Jules Schanga from the head company of Indiana Glass, I watched them talk and saw Harry shake his head in the negative several times in the conversation. the next two times they met I wasn't able to watch them but the end result was that Harry was offered a 50% increase in pay and they would pay to move us to Indiana so that Harry could set up the handcraft shop and run it. Harry was also asked to find workers for the hand shop. Harry told me that he did not wont to personally talk to the Blenko men that he wanted because he did not want to influence their decision to move so he put typed notes on the cars of the workers he would to work with that read (meet me at the dodropin, something important) and Mr Schanga met the men that showed up. These men never new that Harry was involved until there first day of when they were told that they would meet there Forman. When they rounded the corner into the hand shop there stood Harry. They greeted like long lost brothers. The first items the made were from the old Bichoff molds. Harry wanted to make some fancy stemware but they would not make a good cristal fore him. Tom Connely and Harry worked on the GFC line. I was in the Service 1969 to 1971 so I dont know all the details but Harry had to get a halve a dozen people to agree on any thing he suggested, and when Virginia was diagnosed with Cancer he did not wont to argue with them any more so he went th work at Sinclair Glass in Hartford City In. Virginia passed away in 1972. Harry remarried in 1976 , retired, moved to Okachobee Fl. where he became a fishing guide and was an acquaintance of Rolan Martin. Harry passed on the day before fathers day 1999. Here are some of the first items made at Indiana Glass Hand shop.

Thank to all Larry T.

Hearing about and from Blenko Glass workersm learning their stories is one of my favorite activities and we're preserving the history of Glass Making in West Virginia.

Have a story to share about Glass making in West Virginia? Know a retired glass worker whose story should be told email me: theblenkoglassproject@aol.com HJH