Newspaper Extract
Glass Coffin manufactured by James Fryer
A man named James Fryer , a workman employed at the new glasshouse at Mexborough manufactured a glass coffin, which he bequeathed to his cousin, who held a position at Guy’s Hospital, London, for his own body to be enclosed in when he died, so that his cousin could see if he rots away faster than if confined in lead. The coffin was made of clear glass a quarter of an inch thick, six feet two inches long, 21 inches across the bosom and 15 inches deep. It was ornamented with blue glass death heads and cross bones on the sides, and his name was inscribed on the lid.
Source: Doncaster Gazette. 21 December, 1841
