Greenhouse Gardening - Glass Tax
The glass industry in England – which held the key to the development and spread of greenhouses and conservatories – remained virtually stagnant between 1792 and 1845, due to draconian taxation. It was imposed under an austerity budget by William Pitt the Younger, and often referred to as the “window tax”. Although a few botanical showplaces were constructed before the tax’s abolition, afterwards there was a sudden and rapid expansion of greenhouses and conservatories. The number of glass manufacturers in England then started to rise again after falling to only one hundred and twenty-six. Of these, only four or five made plate glass.
