Bpt Abraham Osler s/o Thomas Osler & Fanny130 “Following his first BMI lecture [Sir Robert Ball] stayed with Follett Osler at 86 Harborne Road in Birmingham. Osler was the famous glass manufacturer, whose Crystal Fountain was the centrepiece of the Great Exhibition in 1851.”  717
“Monumental fountains are a rare feature of London's landscape. The best known are the Trafalgar Square Fountains (1845) originally designed by Sir Charles Barry and remodelled by Sir Edwin Lutyens between 1938-45. The most popular feature of the Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace in 1851 was Follett Osler's Crystal Fountain, made from 4 tons of pure crystal glass.”718
MESSRS. F. & C. OSLER OF BIRMINGHAM (working from 1807) ...Biography:
Osler's was established in 1807 when Thomas Osler, aged 24, joined Mr. Shakespeare who had a glasshouse at Hockley, near Birmingham. They established themselves at Great Charles Street in the centre of the city. Business at this time was very difficult as the resources of the country were much exhausted by the Napoleonic Wars and so it was not until Mr. Follett Osler took over the business in 1831 that they began to flourish. He moved to Baskerville House, Broad Street where he engaged rooms with engine power which allowed the manufacture of the brass frames for the chandeliers. The business went from strength to strength opening a retail premises in Oxford Street, London, and having great success with international exports. Prince Albert, The Duke of Wellington, Sir Robert Peel, the Marquis of Northampton and Lord Ashburton were amongst the distinguished patrons of art who visited the establishment and were reported in the Morning Post of February 18th 1847 to have expressed their unmingled gratification. 710
With photograph on Digital Ladywood website:
 ”3 October 1892
This portrait was taken on the couple's sixtieth wedding anniversary. The studio was H.Whitlock at number 11 on New Street. Follett Osler was 84 and Mary 86.
Abraham (1808-1903) built up the family glass firm, which in 1851 took prime position in the Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace. Their exhibit, the Glass Fountain, was said to be the most striking and admired by visitors.
Through the Birmingham and Midland Institute, Abraham was linked with notable people such as Edward Elgar, Charles Dickens and influential Birmingham families such as Tangye, Kenrick, Martineau, Nettlefold, Chance and Cadbury.
Abraham had a great enthusiasm for clocks, erecting an astronomical clock in Cannon Street, Birmingham that became the means by which the city set its own clocks. He eventually changed the timepiece to Greenwich Mean Time, within 24 hours every local clock had followed. In 1885 Abraham financed and built The Big Brum clock and bells adjoining the City Art Gallery; today still the standard timekeeper for the city.
Osler Street of course bears his name as did the school which stood for so many years upon it.”719
“...on the afternoon of Saturday, January 11, 1879, ...an employee
of the gas office lit a gas jet to thaw one of the pipes, A shaving was
blown by the wind across this light, it blazed; the flame caught other
shavings, which had been packed round the pipe to keep the frost out,
and in less than a minute the fire was inside, and in one hour the
Birmingham Reference Library was doomed to destruction. It was the
greatest loss the town had ever suffered, but a new building has arisen
on the site, and (with certain exceptions) it is hoped that a more
perfect and valuable Library will be gathered to fill it. In a few days
after the fire it was decided to ask the public at large for at least £10,000 towards a new collection, and within a week £7,000 had been sent
in, the principal donors named in the list being--
The Mayor (Mr. Jesse Collins). .. .. .. 100 0
Alderman Chamberlain, M.P. (as
Trustee of the late Mrs.
Chamberlain, Moor Green) .. .. .. .. 1000 0
Alderman Chamberlain, M.P. .. .. .. .. 500 0
Alderman Avery .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 500 0
Mr. John Jaffray.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 500 0
Mr. A. Follett Osler, F.R.S... .. .. .. 500 0....720
“..Some of the most beautiful works in glass fountains,
candelabra, &c., that the world has ever seen have been made at Messrs.
Oslers, Broad Street, whose show rooms are always open to visitors.”720
“* On Jun. 19, 2003 @ 12:10, Rob Whittaker (ninefreight@aol.com) wrote:
Oslers were a famous Birmingham firm, and have a long history going back to 1807. They were originally glass cutters, making chandeliers, candelabra, table centerpieces etc and became more involved in lighting as the century progressed utilising gas, oil, and candle fittings. At their height they employed over 350 hands. It seems Thomas Osler started the firm, followed by his sons Follet & Clarkson (I believe these were their middle names). They made some spectacular and expensive pieces, some to exhibition standard, and as far as I know always using their traditional glass skills of cutting and polishing. They did also advertise India duplex lamps. They continued at least into the 1920's, making glass items with electric fittings along with lines of China and table glass. They will however, always be remembered for making the giant Crystal Fountain which was the centerpiece of the Great Exhibition in 1851. It was 27 feet high and used 4 tons of pure crystal glass. Rob
721