Near this pottery, in 1795, was a manufactory of artificial stone, carried on by a Mr. Triquet.
Bow.
Nothing is known definitely as to the date of the first establishment of this very important china manufactory situated at Stratford-le-Bow. It must, however, have been in existence some little time prior to 1744, for in that year it was carried on by “Edward Heylyn, in the parish of Bow, in the county of Middlesex, merchant,” who, in conjunction with “Thomas Frye, of the parish of West Ham, in the county of Essex, painter,” took out a patent for “a new method of manufacturing a certain material, whereby a ware might be made of the same nature or kind, and equal to, if not exceeding in goodness and beauty, china or porcelain ware imported from abroad.” The patent, which was for fourteen years, bore date the 6th of December, 1744, and the specification was duly enrolled on the 5th of April, 1745. This specification I have printed in full on page 112, and it will be found of the highest interest and totally different from what is put forth by Chaffers as a copy of it. On the 17th of November, 1748, the same “Thomas Frye, of the parish of West Ham, in the county of Essex, painter,” took out another patent, by which he “lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend my new method of making a certain ware, which is not inferior in beauty and fineness, and is rather superior in strength, than the earthenware that is brought from the East Indies, and is commonly known by the name of China, Japan, or Porcelain ware.” The specification was duly enrolled on the 17th of March, 1749, and is highly interesting. This will be found printed entire on page 113.
Fig. 405.—Inkstand in possession of Mr. R. W. Binns.
There is nothing, it will be seen, in these patents or specifications to show that the works at Bow were carried on by Heylin and Frye—the one being simply described as of the “parish of Bow, merchant” (not potter), and the other “of the parish of West Ham, painter;” nor has anything yet been found, to my knowledge, to prove that they were actual proprietors of the manufactory. Indeed, Frye is stated, in more than one work, to have been engaged to superintend the manufactory. He was an artist of considerable skill, who is said to have come to London in 1738, and soon afterwards to have painted a portrait of Frederick, Prince of Wales, for the Saddlers’ Company. He was also a mezzo-tint engraver of considerable note. To his skill as an artist no doubt he was in the main indebted for the position he held at Bow; and here it would appear he remained some fifteen years, to the great injury of his health, and then returned to his previous occupation; he died in 1763. His daughters are stated to have assisted him in the painting of china at Bow.
In 1750 the works appear, from the original account-books in the possession of Lady Charlotte Schrieber, to have come into the hands of Messrs. Weatherby and Crowther, who, I may add, were potters at St. Catherine’s, near the Tower. At this time the manufactory was evidently called “New Canton,” by which name it continued to be known for some years. It was thus named because, as Thomas Craft wrote in 1790, “the model of the building was taken from that at Canton in China.” With reference to this name of “New Canton” a remarkably curious and very interesting example is in existence, and belongs to my friend, Mr. Binns F.S.A. It is an inkstand of flat circular form, and is decorated in blue with flowers, etc. On the top it bears the words, “MADE AT NEW CANTON, 1750.” In the centre of the well for the ink, and around it, are five pen-holes. It is shown on the accompanying engraving (Fig. [405]). The date, 1750, would show that it was made in the year when the works first passed, as is supposed, into the hands of Crowther and Weatherby. Another similar inkstand, deposited in the Museum of Practical Geology by Mr. Brooks, is dated one year later, its inscription being, “MADE AT NEW CANTON, 1751.”
On the 7th of February, 1753, the Bow manufactory opened a wholesale and retail warehouse in Cornhill, London; as shown in the following advertisement which I copy from the Derby Mercury of Friday, March 9th, in that year:—
“BOW CHINA WAREHOUSE
“Was opened on Wednesday, the 7th of February, near the Royal Exchange, in Cornhill, London, with a Back Door facing the Bank, in Threadneedle-street, for the convenience of all Customers, both in Town and Country; where it will continue to be sold in the same manner as formerly, at BOW, with Allowance made to Wholesale dealers.”