Among London establishments who, from a long and intimate connection with some of the more eminent of our porcelain works, may almost be considered to be manufacturers, are the following. To these firms the world owes many of the most striking and beautiful of ceramic productions. These have been designed by the firms themselves, and made specially for them; they thus become literally their own productions.
Mortlocks; Oxford Street.—This house was established in 1746, by John Mortlock, and has been uninterruptedly continued since that date through five generations, in direct line, of the same family; its head at the present time being, as it was more than one hundred and fifty years ago, a John Mortlock. In the palmy days of the old Rockingham works, John Mortlock was London agent for the goods made there. One speciality of these works, the “Cadogan” teapot, formed on the model of an example of Indian green ware brought from abroad by the Marquess and Marchioness of Rockingham, or the Hon. Mrs. Cadogan, was the means of adding largely to his connection with these works. The first of these was made for the Marchioness of Rockingham; and when the Prince Regent, afterwards George IV., visited Wentworth House, the seat of Earl Fitzwilliam, these teapots were then in use, and were much admired; the prince, who was a great connoisseur in tea, I believe, bringing one of them away with him. On the return of the prince and his suite to town, inquiries were made for them of John Mortlock, who supplied the palace with china, &c. He at once saw that they would come into great repute, and ordered a large quantity, stipulating that his name, MORTLOCK, should be stamped upon them. This was done in place of the word ROCKINGHAM, and they thus passed as Mortlock’s own make; he ordered at one time as much as £900 worth for one season’s consumption. (See “Rockingham Works.”)
When the Nantgarw works were first started, Mr. Mortlock became a large purchaser as well as agent. He regularly took a large quantity of the ware in the white; this he had painted in London, by Webster, Randall, and various other artists, and fired at the enamel kiln of Messrs. Robins and Randall, in Spa Fields. At this time Mortlock was also agent to the Coalport and Swansea works; and Mr. Nore, of Coalport, feeling a jealousy, and finding that the sale of the Swansea and Nantgarw productions interfered with his own, bought up those two concerns, removed their models, &c., to Coalport, and closed them. The firm still retain an agency for Coalport, and also for Messrs. Minton & Co. Mr. Mortlock has special marks for some of the Coalport productions prepared from his designs.
Hoxton.
In 1693 there was “a famous brick-moulder at Hoxton.” Some very interesting particulars are given by Houghton, in his “Husbandry and Trade Improved,” 1693.
Hammersmith.
Houghton, in 1693, thus alludes to the brick works at this place: “Some can make fourteen or 15,000 in a day, some 18,000; but Nicholas Gooding, of Hammersmith, for a wager of 10l., made in one day 22,000 bricks, upon which Sir Nicholas Crisp assisted him to set up, and he is now living at Hammersmith, and worth several thousand pounds. His master’s name was Gosling, who had three men whom he often encouraged to wagers.”
CHAPTER VIII.
Worcester—Royal Porcelain Works—Dr. Wall—Warmstrey House and its Owners—The Porcelain Company—Early Marks—Transfer Printing—King of Prussia Mug—Josiah Holdship—Poem—Robert Hancock—Richard Holdship—Derby China Works—Caughley—Flight and Barr—Chamberlain—Kerr and Binns—R. W. Binns—Productions of the Works—Royal Services—Tokens—Royal China Works—Grainger and Lee—Productions—St. John’s Encaustic Tiles—Rainbow Hill Tileries—St. George’s Pottery Works—Rustic Terra-Cotta—Stourbridge—The Lye Works—Stourbridge Clay.