CHAPTER IX.
Salopian Wares—Uriconium—Caughley Works—Thomas Turner—Introduction of “Willow Pattern”—Worcester Works—Close of Caughley Works—Marks—Transfer Printing—Hancock and Holdship—Coalport Works—Jackfield—John Rose—Swansea and Nantgarw—Productions of the Coalport Works—Marks—“Willow Pattern” and “Broseley Blue Dragon,” &c.—Broseley Pipes—Coalbrookdale Iron Works—Terra Cotta—Madeley—Martin Randall’s China—Jackfield Pottery—Maurice Thursfield—“Black Decanters”—China—Craven Dunnill & Co.’s Tile Works—Broseley—Benthall—Maw’s Tile Works—Broseley Tileries—Benthall Potteries—Coalmoor.
In the midst of one of the most historically interesting districts of the kingdom—a district abounding in spots rendered famous in various ages by the events which have occurred within its boundaries, and full of associations as varied as they are interesting—within a few miles of Boscobel, and Tong, and numberless other places possessing a sad interest as connected with the wanderings and the painful vicissitudes of King Charles II.,—within a short distance of those two glorious monastic ruins, Buildwas Abbey and Wenlock Priory—not far from the “English Nineveh,” Uriconium, and within easy distance of Shrewsbury and Ludlow,—is a group of manufactories whose simple history is as interesting as that of many of these places.
Broseley, whose pipe manufactories two hundred and fifty years ago were as famed as they are now, and whose makers then got rid of their goods without advertising the emphatic words, “When you ask for a Broseley pipe, see that you get it!”—Jackfield, famed of old for its earthenware, and where it is still to some little extent made;—Caughley, formerly a successful rival of Worcester in the excellence of its porcelains;—Coalport, a rival of all other works at the present day;—Horsehay, with its discontinued pot works;—Benthall, where “yellow ware” works are in constant operation, and where the magnificent encaustic and enamelled tile and mosaic works of Messrs. Maw are situated;—Ironbridge, with its famous one-arch bridge, the first iron bridge erected in England, from which it takes its name, spanning the Severn:—Madeley, with its extensive iron furnaces;—Benthall Edge, with its limestone works;—Coalbrookdale, whose iron works are known throughout the world, and where terra cotta is manufactured,—and a score of other busy hives of industry, are here gathered together, and demand careful attention. To the history of some of these I therefore devote this chapter.
Like those of Worcester and Derby, the Salopian manufactory of porcelain dates from the middle of last century; and, like them, has continued from its first introduction to the present time without interruption. Indeed, it may be said of the district that an almost—if not an entirely—unbroken historical chain may be traced from the Romano-British period down to the present day; for, as I have already shown, the same beds of clay which, fifteen hundred years ago, produced some of the fictile ware of the Roman occupiers of the soil, have been worked in the intermediate ages, and still produce, more largely than ever, articles of daily use for every class of the people of England. The same beds which supplied the magnificent city of Uriconium with jugs, mortaria, bowls, and colanders of white ware, still supply the neighbourhood with innumerable articles of daily use.