Richard Frank died in 1785, aged about 73, and was buried in the Quaker’s ground at Redcliffe Pit. “Joseph Ring, successor to Richard Frank in the Pottery Business,” in his address stated that he “continues the manufactory of the Bristol Stone Ware, and sells all other sorts of Queen’s and other Ware wholesale and retail.” This last branch of his business he cultivated considerably, and appears to have traded with most of the manufacturers of the day. In 1786 Mr. Ring determined upon manufacturing Queen’s ware, and to that end engaged Anthony Hassel (or Hassells), a potter of Shelton, in Staffordshire, buying from him his stock and moulds, and removing them to Bristol.
Fig. 739.
In 1788 Mr. Ring took two partners, Mr. Taylor and Mr. Carter, he bringing in a capital of £3,000, and Messrs. Taylor and Carter £1,500 jointly. “The Stock and Utensils in Trade at the Pot House in Water Lane, as per Inventory taken this day,” January 9th, 1788, were sold by Mr. Ring to himself and partners, “under the firm of Ring and Taylor,” for £2038 1s. 10d. The manufacture of Delft ware then came to a close.
Another Delft ware potter was Joseph Flower, who, in 1775 lived at No. 2 on the Quay, and in 1777 removed to 3 Corn Street, where he put a sign-board, painted black, with “Flower, Potter,” in gold letters, for the painting of which he paid Michael Edkins 10s. 6d. Flower’s ware, says Mr. Owen, is thinner and neater in make than most British Delft; the glaze good, and the colour clear and brilliant in tone—indeed, in no respect inferior to Dutch. Fig. [739] is a plate belonging to a dinner service made by Joseph Flower, and now in the possession of his descendant Mr. J. Flower Fussel. It is painted with a Chinese pattern, and bears initial and dates varying from 1742 to 1750. The plate here engraved bears the initials (Fig. [740]). In the same hands is a plate dated 1741–2, painted with a view of the river Avon and the old Hotwells House; and two dishes bearing the plan of a battle, and the words “The taking of Chagre in the West Indies by Admiral Vernon.”
Fig 740.
Bristol China.
The first mention of the making of china in Bristol occurs in a letter of Richard Champion, dated February 26, 1766. In July, 1765, a box of “porcelain earth” “from the internal part of the Cherokee nations, 400 miles from hence (Charles Town), on mountains scarcely accessible,” was consigned to him, by his brother-in-law, to be forwarded to the Worcester china works to be used there in experiments. The letter of advice was dated Charles Town, 1765. At the same time another box of this earth was sent to Champion for the Earl of Hyndford, who desired Champion to open it and try experiments, or give it to Thomas Goldney “who is a very curious gentleman.” In the letter of February 28th Champion, writing to Lloyd, by whom it was consigned, says Mr. Goldney has declined the clay. “I therefore,” he adds, “had it tried at a manufactory set up here some time ago on the principle of the Chinese porcelain; but not being successful is given up.” “The proprietors of the work in Bristol imagined they had discovered in Cornwall all the materials similar to the Chinese; but though they burnt the body part tolerably well, yet there were impurities in the glaze or stone, which were insurmountable even in the greatest fire they could give it, and which was equal to a glass-house heat.” These works he had personally, in November, 1765, spoken of as “a new work just established,” and says, “this new work is from a clay and stone discovered in Cornwall, which answers the description of the Chinese; but in burning there is a deficiency, though the body is perfectly white within but not without, which is always smoaky. This clay is very much like, but not quite so fine as the Cherokee; however there can be no chance of introducing the latter as a manufacture when it can be so easily procured from Cornwall.”[91] This “new work” which had been tried and failed was doubtless connected with Cookworthy of Plymouth. In 1764 he is spoken of as “the first inventor of the Bristol china works.” Champion, at all events, it is clear from the letters, had nothing to do with it, and probably his first idea of making china was got from the fact of the box of porcelain earth being consigned to him for the Worcester works. In March, 1768, Cookworthy, the discoverer of the material, the mainspring in all those matters, and the first to try experiments and bring to a successful issue the manufacture of porcelain from the Cornish materials he had found, took out his patent.[92] Soon after this the manufacture of china was again commenced in Bristol by Richard Champion. In 1771 a china manufactory, carried on by “William Cookworthy & Co.,” appears to have been in operation in Castle Green—the “Co.,” there can be no reasonable doubt, being Richard Champion and others. In May, 1774, William Cookworthy assigned his patent right, &c., to Champion, and the Plymouth manufactory, which had probably been previously removed to Bristol, was finally closed; in the rate-books the firm being, from 1773 to 1780, “Richard Champion & Co.,” in 1781 “Richard Champion” only; and in the following year the premises are stated to have been occupied by a pipe-maker named J. Carey.
“Every circumstance investigated,” says Mr. Owen, in his valuable work “Ceramic Art in Bristol,” “proves that Champion first commenced china-making under licence from the patentee (Cookworthy). Mr. Edward Brice advanced £1,000 in aid of the work in February, 1768; the partnership in 1768 consisted of Richard Champion, Joseph Harford, and Thomas Winwood”—Harford contributing £3,000 to the capital. On the 1st February, 1769, the partnership was dissolved. Mr. Joseph Fry, without being a partner, is also stated to have contributed £1,500 to the scheme. In 1771 an advertisement of “Some beautiful dessert services, ornamental figures, candlesticks, and many other valuable articles of the Bristol manufactory,” were advertised to be on sale “on retail at Taylor’s Hall” in that city.