Ouseburn.
Ouseburn Bridge Pottery was commenced in 1817, by Mr. Robert Maling (see [North Hylton Pottery]), who manufactured white and printed ware chiefly for the Dutch market. He was succeeded, in 1853, by his son, C. T. Maling, who in 1859 built Ford Pottery, and discontinued his old works. They were re-opened under the name of the Albion Pottery, by Bell Brothers, about 1863; next by Atkinson and Galloway, and lastly by Mr. W. Morris, and were finally closed in 1872.
Ford Pottery.—This pottery was built in 1859 by Mr. Christopher T. Maling, son of Mr. Robert Maling, who, in 1817, had removed the Hylton pottery[1] to Newcastle. The works were erected for the purpose of manufacturing by machinery the various goods produced by Mr. Maling, the main bulk of which are marmalade, jam, and extract-of-beef pots. These are of a very fine and compact white body, with an excellent glaze made from borax without any lead; and it is said that at least 95 per cent. of these pots used by wholesale manufacturers in Great Britain are made at this establishment. The pots being entirely made by machinery are necessarily much more uniform in size and weight and thickness than those produced by any other process, and these, as well as the excellence of body and glaze, are advantages which have been appreciated. The mark used is simply the name or MALING impressed in the clay,
with, sometimes, the initial of the house for whom they are made, as for “Keiller,” and so on.
Ouseburn Pottery was built about the same date as Stepney Bank Pottery, by Mr. Yellowley, who was succeeded by Messrs. T. and J. Thompson, then by Mr. I. Maling; it was finally closed about 1864. White, printed, and brown ware were its productions.
Another “Ouseburn Pottery” was established, at the latter end of last or the early part of the present century, by Mr. Ralph Charlton, who carried on the business on a small scale for the manufacture of brown ware. On his death he was succeeded by his son, John Charlton, who after a few years gave up the business, and was succeeded by Mr. George Gray who, or his predecessor, enlarged the kilns, &c. Mr. Gray was succeeded in the business by Messrs. Morrow and Parker, from whose hands it passed into those of Mr. Rogers, who erected another kiln and otherwise extended the buildings. It was next worked by Mr. William Blakey, who held it until 1860, when it passed into the hands of Messrs. Robert Martin and Co., who still continue the business. The goods made are brown ware, and brown ware lined with white, in all the usual classes of domestic vessels.
Another “Ouseburn Pottery,” established some years ago, passed in 1860 into the hands of Mr. John Hedley Walker. Its productions are plain and ornamented flower-pots, chimney-pots, and horticultural vessels of various kinds, as well as the lead-pots and lead-dishes which are so extensively used in the lead works of the district.
The Low Pottery, identical with the Ouseburn Pottery, now discontinued, was carried on by Messrs. Thompson Brothers, for the manufacture of white and Sunderland wares.
South Shore Pottery.—Now discontinued.
The Phœnix Pottery was built by John Dryden and Co., about 1821, for the manufacture of brown ware. White and printed ware were made afterwards. About 1844, it passed into the hands of Messrs. Isaac Bell and Co. for a short time; it was afterwards purchased and carried on by Messrs. Carr and Patton (who at same time had North Shields Pottery); it was then carried on by Mr. John Patton; next by Messrs. Cook Brothers, who discontinued manufacturing earthenware in 1860, and converted the premises into a Chemical Factory.
Mr. John Charlton had also a small manufactory in the Ouseburn.
St. Peter’s Pottery was established in 1817 by Messrs. Thomas Fell and Thomas Bell under the style of “Thomas Fell & Co.,” by whom it was carried on until 1869, when it became a limited liability company under the same title; the shareholders being the descendants of the original proprietors. The productions are still, as they have always been, the ordinary classes of common earthenware, in white, printed, and sponged varieties. The mark was formerly an anchor with the letter F
(for “Fell”) on one side, and the workman’s mark or number on the other, impressed in the body of the ware. Later on this mark was discontinued, and the name FELL substituted. Under the company only printed ware is marked, and that bears the name FELL & Co.
St. Anthony’s Pottery.—This is one of the oldest potteries for fine ware on the Tyne, being established about 1780, but nothing is known as to its earlier history. In 1803 or 1804 it passed into the hands of a Mr. Sewell, in whose family it has continued to the present day, under the styles of “Sewell & Donkin,” and “Sewell & Co.” The following particulars were furnished to me by the aged manager of the works, Mr. T. T. Stevenson:—
“I cannot go back to say when first begun as a Small White and Common Brown Ware Works, but about 1803 or 1804 it was taken by the Sewells, and gradually extended by them for Home trade until 1814 or 1815, when a considerable addition was made to manufacture entirely for exportation, chiefly C.C. or Cream Coloured, Painted, and Blue Printed, and when I came to the Works in 1819, the description of ware then produced say about five Gloss Ovens and two or three Enamel Kilns per week, say C.C. and best Cream Colour to imitate Wedgwood’s Table Ware then made in considerable quantities for Holland and other Continental markets, all kinds of Biscuit Painted, Printed very dark engraved patterns, also Stamping with Glue, and Printing on the Glaze from Wood Engravings, also with Glue, I believe the first that was done in this way, Gold and Silver lustre, &c. So it has been continued up to the present period by the Sewell family; but latterly not doing so much business, owing to a change of partnership, and is at present in the market for sale since the death of Mr. Henry Sewell, the natural son of the late Joseph Sewell, who was the Potter for nearly sixty years, and was a noble specimen of a good master and the old English gentleman.”
The fact of printing on pottery from wood engravings, being practised at these works, is highly interesting, as I have been enabled to ascertain that engravings by Bewick were thus brought into use; specimens are, however, very rare. In the Museum of Practical Geology are examples of St. Anthony’s ware; they bear the marks—
SEWELL SEWELL & DONKIN SEWELLS & DONKIN SEWELLS & CO.