Plymouth Pottery Company.—Mr. Wm. Alsop (who made coarse ware near the Gas Works) built a manufactory for fine earthenware of the ordinary commoner quality, but afterwards removed to Swansea, his works passing into the hands of Messrs. Bryant, Burnell, and James. Subsequently Mr. Alsop returned from Swansea and formed a Limited Liability Company for the carrying on of this concern, and produced large quantities of the common classes of pottery and printed goods. On the death of Mr. Alsop a Mr. Bishop, from the Staffordshire pottery district, took the management of the works, but the manufacture gradually died out, and about 1863 the plant was sold off and the place disposed of to the Gas Company. The mark used by this company was the Queen’s Arms, with the words “P.P. COY. L. (Plymouth Pottery Company Limited.) Stone China.” The quality of the ware was of the commonest description of white earthenware, blue printed in various patterns. There is at the present time a manufactory of common brown ware, carried on by Mr. Hellyer.
Fig. 725.
Watcombe.
Watcombe Pottery.—The works at Watcombe, St. Mary Church, about two miles from Torquay, in Devonshire, were established in 1869, and have made more rapid progress in the time than any other manufactory on record. Their establishment owes its origin to the discovery a few years ago, by G. T. Allen, Esq., of Watcombe House, of a bed of the finest plastic clay, of considerable extent and depth.
This discovery was made while excavating behind his residence, and Mr. Allen, who is a gentleman of great learning and of refined taste, and who is son of Dr. Allen, Bishop of Ely, and was the last Master of Dulwich College before the late changes made in that institution, took immediate steps to have its qualities for ceramic purposes tested. A company was immediately afterwards formed for the getting and sale of the terra-cotta clay to various potters; but, after experiments had been made, and its unique beauty, when worked, discovered, it was wisely resolved to erect a pottery on the spot, and to convert the clay immediately from the pits into Art-manufactures and architectural enrichments. Shortly afterwards, the company were fortunate enough to secure the services of Mr. Charles Brock, of Hanley, in Staffordshire—a gentleman of the most enlightened taste, and of the most extensive practical knowledge—to become the manager and Art-director of the concern. Mr. Brock at once turned his attention to the development of the resources of the clay thus fortunately discovered; and having brought together a number of skilled workmen and workwomen from the Staffordshire potteries, and procured the best possible models and modellers, soon produced Art-works which are quite unequalled in this country, in works of this character and material. At the present time about one hundred persons are employed at the Watcombe works, and there can be but little doubt that, as they are yet quite in their infancy, that number will be considerably increased as their resources become more developed. The Watcombe clay is remarkably fine, clean, and pure; and, with skilful manipulation, and the requisite degree of heat in firing, has a warmth, delicacy, and pureness of colour, and an evenness of tint, that is very gratifying to the eye; while the surface in the “turned” specimens is fine, smooth, and almost velvety to the touch. It is capable of being modelled into raised flowers and other ornaments, and is eminently adapted for most decorative purposes. Many of the borders and pressed ornaments have almost the sharpness, as they have quite the general effect, of those made of jasper body; indeed, many of the productions bear a very strong and marked general resemblance, in appearance, to those of jasper ware; and they are superior in many respects to the much-vaunted terra cotta of France and Germany.
Fig. 726.
