History

James Watts and Bill Rhodes grew up together in Southgate, North London.

James explains, "We met at school and have always done things together. We used to go to the park on our skates in our early teens and then to the Pub in our late teens. We went on holidays together in our early twenties and lived together until we both got married; Bill in 1999 to Jane and Myself in 2000 to Josephine. We both have three children; two girls and a boy!"

Throughout this time, Bill and James have been Glassblowers. After leaving school, James got a job as an Assistant Glassblower to The Late Ron Wilkinson (The Head Glassmaker at the famous Whitefriars Glassworks until it closed) in Covent Garden, London.

Bill explains "We both fell in love with the craft. We built a small glass furnace in James's back garden and for the next few years we took our little furnace to local shows and events, in our spare time. It was a really exciting time in our lives."

Glassblowing at these events really helped James and Bill to build up their glassmaking skills and in 1996 they founded their own Glassworks where they produce their work to this day; Barleylands Glassworks in Billericay, Essex. They are now at the very top of their craft and have produced a large number of well known pieces; The 2007 Glass trophy for The Stella Artois Tennis Championships, presented to Andy Roddick (The winner also receives a silver trophy), a lifesize glass football bought for Bolton Wanderers by their sponsors, Reebok and the lights for outside Buckingham Palace and along The Mall. They have also been invited to demonstrate their skills to the public at prestigious events at venues including The Victoria & Albert Museum and Kew Gardens. Since 2006, they have been concentrating on their Ashes into Glass service and choose to do only a small number of other commissions.

Bill explains, "It's great to look back at the work we've done over the years, but we feel that we've really found our vocation with Ashes into Glass; Many people tell us that they find immense comfort in their Ashes into Glass Memorials and it gives us great satisfaction and a real sense of purpose to be able to use our skills in this way."

This is a short 8 minute film of James and Bill at a show in a large greenhouse at Kew gardens and of them producing the lights for outside Buckingham Palace.