In 1778 Mr. Thomas Bingley became a principal proprietor of the Swinton works, and had for partners, among others, John and William Brameld, and a person named Sharpe. Mr. Bingley was a member of a family of that name which had been resident at Swinton for more than four hundred years, and is now worthily represented in the person of Mr. Thomas Bingley, who still resides there. The firm at this time was carried on under the style of Thomas Bingley & Co., and, being thriving, indeed opulent, people, the works were greatly enlarged, and conducted with much spirit. An extensive trade was at this time carried on, and besides the ordinary brown and yellow wares, blue and white dinner, tea, coffee, and other services were made, as also a white earthenware of remarkably fine and compact body, and other wares of good quality.
A highly interesting example of this period, 1788, is shown on the accompanying engraving (Fig. [867]), which exhibits a two-handled drinking-cup, with the name of one of the proprietors, “William Brameld,” on one side, and the date “1788” on the other. This curious cup, which is five and a quarter inches in height, is of fine white earthenware with a bluish coloured glaze. The upper part, both inside and out, two narrow borders round the centre, the handles, and the base, are ornamented with blue transfer-printing. The rest of the vessel is black, the name, date, and ornaments upon it being gilt. The borders of blue printing are much the same as those around “willow pattern” plates, and from this it may be inferred that the “willow pattern” was at that period produced in Swinton.
From about the year 1787 down to 1800, the firm traded under the style of “Greens, Bingley, & Co.” This was consequent on some of the Greens of the “Leeds Pottery,” (which see)—having become partners, and taken an active part in the Swinton manufactory, with Mr. Bingley, Mr. Brameld, and those who were connected with them in those works. Mr. John Green became acting manager of the Swinton works, and afterwards, as I am informed, founded the “Don Pottery.”
I possess some original letters from John Green, dated “Leeds Pottery,” of April and June, 1788, addressed to “Mr. John Brameld, Swinton, near Rotherham,” giving directions not only concerning the works themselves, but relating to the partnership:—
“Should be glad you and Mr. Bingley will look over the partnership-deeds, and if there be anything that do not meet your ideas, please point it out. When you have done this you may send them in a small box directed for me; they never was in my mind when at Swinton, or should have done the needful then. I have writt Charles with some sponges and ... informing him I expect 4 Cm kills per week exclusive of china, which I hope he will be able to manage without increasing the wages.” ... “Hope your buisket kill turns out well. You have room now if you will but make neat goods and be observing to get money; but it will require a strict attention to keep every weelband in the nick.”
In the same letter he speaks of consignments of flint by Mr. Brearey to Selby and Tadcaster. He also offers Brameld from himself and partners a commission of 5 per cent. on all “wearing apparell sould to your works.”
The partnership with John Green was carried on in the style of “Greens, Bingley, & Co., Swinton Pottery;” and the same price-lists which were printed at Leeds with the Leeds pottery heading, had that heading cut off, and that of “Greens, Bingley, & Co., Swinton Pottery,” written in its place. Later on large fresh price-lists were printed. They were headed “Greens, Hartley, & Co., Swinton Pottery, make, sell, and export wholesale all sorts of Earthenware, Cream Coloured or Queens, Nankeen Blue, Tortoise Shell, Fine Egyptian Black, Brown China, &c., &c. All the above sorts enameled, printed, or ornamented with gold or silver.” On the fly-leaf was a printed circular, dated “Swinton Pottery, 1st February, 1796,” announcing an advance in prices and a revised system of counting.
The patterns used at Leeds were evidently, to some extent, adopted at Swinton; and I possess some original drawings and designs on which the numbers for each of those works are given. For instance, in teapots, Leeds No. 149 was Swinton No. 68; Leeds 133 was Swinton 69; 218 was 70; and 252 was 71, and so on.
Late in the last century, about the time of which I am now writing, a peculiar kind of ware was first made at these works, and took the name of “Brown China,” and afterwards that which it has ever since maintained where attempted to be made, of “Rockingham Ware.” This ware, which is of a fine reddish-brown, or chocolate colour, is one of the smoothest and most beautiful wares that has ever been produced at any place. The body is of fine hard and compact white earthenware, and the brown glaze, by which the peculiar shaded and streaky effect of this class of goods was produced is as fine as it is possible to conceive, and required to be “dipped” and passed through the firing no fewer than three times before it could be considered perfect. In this exquisite ware tea, coffee, and chocolate services, jugs, drinking-cups, &c., were produced, and continued to be made to the close of the works in 1842. Since that time “Rockingham ware”—in every instance falling far short of the original in beauty and in excellence—has been made by almost every manufacturer in the kingdom, and has always, especially for tea and coffee pots, met a ready and extensive sale. One special article produced in this ware was the curious coffee pot, formed on purely scientific principles, which is usually known to collectors as the “Cadogan pot.” This curious piece was formed on the model of an example of green Indian ware, said to have been brought from abroad[115] by the Marquis and Marchioness of Rockingham, or the Hon. Mrs. Cadogan, and preserved fifty or sixty years at Wentworth before it was thought of being copied. It has a small opening in the bottom to admit the coffee, but none at the top and no lid. From the hole in the bottom a tube, slightly spiral, was made to pass up inside the vessel to within half an inch of the top, so that after filling, on the “pot” being turned over into its proper position for table use, the coffee was kept in without chance of spilling or escape.
It is worthy of remark that tea and “Cadogan” coffee pots of genuine Rockingham ware, the first of which was made for the Marchioness of Rockingham, have the reputation of being by far the best of any, and are said, I know not upon what principle, to produce a better and purer flavour than any others.[116] I have been told it as a fact, that George IV., who was as great a connoisseur in tea as he was in many far less harmless matters, invariably, for a long time, used one of the then fashionable Rockingham ware pots. I have it from undeniable authority that the royal penchant for this kind of ware thus arose. When he, while Prince Regent, visited Wentworth House, the seat of Earl Fitzwilliam, these teapots were in use, and were much admired. On the return of the prince and suite to London, inquiries were made for them at John Mortlock’s, in Oxford Street, who supplied the palace. He at once saw that they would come into considerable repute, ordered largely, contracted to have his own name stamped upon them, and enjoyed the questionable reputation of being their inventor. Mr. Mortlock, I believe, ordered as much as £900 worth of this ware in one season alone.