in writing letters. The first of these marks occurs, with the date 1826, on the Rhinoceros Vase at Wentworth House. The others are also in writing letters in purple.
| (Same crest.) | (Same crest.) |
| ROYAL ROCKINGHAM | ROYAL ROCKINGHAM WORKS |
| BRAMELD | BRAMELD |
in capital letters. Sometimes in gold.
(Same crest.)
Rockingham Works.
Brameld
Manufacturer to the King
Queen and Royal Family.
surrounded by a wreath of roses, &c. Printed in purple.
It is only necessary to add to this account of the Swinton Pottery that collectors will find remarkably good examples of Rockingham china, for reference, in the Jermyn Street Museum, including pattern plates of the royal service.
Mexborough.
The “Rock Pottery” or “Mexbro Pottery” is situated at Mexborough, a rising town near Swinton, with stations on the South Yorkshire and Midland lines of railway. The works, at first very small, were, I believe, established for the manufacture of brown and yellow wares, and for common red garden-pots, by a person named Beevers, who, with a partner named Ford—trading as Beevers and Ford—carried on the business for some years. The workrooms at this time were built close up to the rock, which, indeed, formed the back wall of the manufactory; and from this circumstance the place was called the “Rock Pottery,” a name by which it is still occasionally known. The goods at this time, and subsequently, during the proprietorship of Ford, Simpson, and Beevers, were made entirely from native clays, and were confined to “cane” or “yellow ware” dishes, jugs, &c., for household use; garden and root pots of red ware; and pitchers, &c., of a brown ware.
The works next passed into the hands of Messrs. Reed and Taylor, who also owned the works at Ferrybridge (which see), and by them were considerably enlarged. The manufacture of finer kinds of earthenware was also introduced by them, and carried on with great success. In 1839 the pottery passed entirely into the hands of Mr. James Reed, who carried it on until 1849, when he was succeeded by his son, Mr. John Reed, by whom the manufactory was conducted until his decease. It was then carried on by his executors under the management of the late Mr. C. Bullock. During the time of Mr. Reed’s proprietorship, and that of his father, considerable alterations and additions were made to the works, and new kilns erected; the character of the productions was also much improved, and several new varieties of wares were introduced. In 1873, Messrs. Sydney Woolf & Co., the owners of the “Australian Pottery,” at Ferrybridge (which see), became the purchasers of this manufactory, and they now carry it on conjointly with their other works at Ferrybridge, under the management of Mr. Bowman Heald. By Messrs. Woolf & Co. the works have been considerably extended and several new varieties of shapes and patterns introduced. They successfully compete in several classes of goods with any in the locality, and with many of the Staffordshire houses. The principal varieties of goods are,—in ordinary white earthenware,—all the most marketable varieties of painted, printed, enamelled, and gilt services of different kinds, many of which are of good design, manufactured chiefly for the home market. In dinner and toilet services, especially, some remarkably good patterns, well enamelled and gilt, are produced. In Stilton cheese stands and covers some good designs have been introduced. In Rockingham ware all the usual kinds of vessels are made. In “terra-cotta,” which is of a good colour, and of a fine and durable quality, Mr. Reed manufactured large-sized flower-vases for gardens and other decorative purposes; pendant flower-vases for conservatories, entrance-halls, &c.; root-pots of tasteful design, butter coolers, &c., &c.