“Ly D. Lewin,” “Lydia Dwigh,” “Mrs. Deb Nel,” “Mrs. Deb N,” “Mary,” “Deb Nel,” “Miss Betty Osgood,” “Miss Lucy,” “Miss Betty Osgood,” and “Miss Molly Osgood,” are also scribbled in different parts of the book.
Dwight is stated to have buried, in like manner as he did his money, all his models, tools, moulds, &c., in some still-unknown secret hiding-place of his manufactory that his descendants might not continue that branch of the trade which he had been the first to invent; and very securely he has, evidently, done this; for, whatever may be found in future alterations and excavations, it is certain that these have never yet been brought to light. A few years ago, however, after taking down some of the old buildings, which had become much dilapidated, the workmen, while digging foundations for the new workshops, &c., discovered a vaulted chamber or cellar which had been firmly walled up, and which, on being broken into, was found to contain a number of stoneware grey-beards or bellarmines and ale-pots, &c., undoubtedly of Dwight’s manufacture. These were of the same form, precisely, as the old Cologne ones which they were intended to, and did, supersede in this country—and were those “fine stone gorges never before made in England”—and for which his patent was granted. One of these, presented to me by the present proprietor of the works, Mr. Bailey, I here engrave (Fig. [338]).
Fig. 338.
Nothing, at present, is known as to when the death of John Dwight took place, or who succeeded him. A Dr. Dwight died at Fulham in 1737, who, according to the Gentleman’s Magazine of that year, was “author of several curious treatises on physic. He was the first that found out the secret to colour earthenware like china;” but this was not John Dwight, as supposed by some writers, but Samuel Dwight, who, in 1722, published “De Vomitione, et Purgatione, eorumque excessu curando, necnon de emiticis Medicamentis, de Catharticis, et Variolis, et Morbillis;” in 1725, “De Hydropibus;” and in 1731, “De Febribus, Symptomaticis.” As the death of this Samuel Dwight took place in 1737, or sixty-six years after the date of John Dwight’s patent, the probability is that he was the son of John Dwight, and that his finding out the secret of colouring earthenware like china took place while engaged in his father’s business. About this time it would appear (probably after the death of Samuel Dwight) the business was carried on by a Margaret Dwight, in partnership with Thomas Warland, and these two—Margaret Dwight and Thomas Warland of Fulham, potters—became bankrupt in 1746. This lady is said afterwards to have married a Mr. White, or Wight, who continued the works. In 1762 “William White, of Fulham, in the county of Middlesex, potter,” took out a patent for the manufacture of “white crucibles or melting potts made of British materials, and never before made in England or elsewhere, and which I have lately sett up at Fulham aforesaid,” and which were composed of “Stourbridge clay and Dorsetshire clay, calcined; mix them with Woolwich sand and water, to be trodden with the feet, and then burned.” For these he had, in the previous year, obtained a premium from the Society of Arts. In 1795 the works were, according to Lysons, “carried on by Mr. White, a descendant in the female line of the first proprietor,” and they were so continued until 1862, when, on the death of the then Mr. White, they passed into the hands of Messrs. Makintosh and Clements. Two years later, however, on the death of Mr. Makintosh, the works were sold to the present proprietor, Mr. C. I. C. Bailey, who shortly afterwards considerably enlarged and improved them; he having built a new factory and introduced the newest and most improved machinery.
The articles and the wares made by the Dwights will have been pretty well understood from the foregoing notice; but, in addition, it is essential to speak of some few well-authenticated examples which still exist. About the time of the sale in 1862, Mr. Baylis, of Priors Bank, obtained from the Fulham works a number—about twenty-five—of extremely curious and historically valuable specimens of the ware produced there by the Dwights, and kept in the family. Of these he sent a brief account to the Art-Journal,[48] a part of which I here transcribe:—
“The first is a dish, said, and with more than mere probability, to be one of a dinner set manufactured for the especial service of Charles II. It is of a round form and large size, being 64½ inches in circumference. The groundwork is a rich blue, approaching to the ultramarine; it is surrounded by a broad rim nearly four inches wide, formed by a graceful border of foliage and birds in white, and shaded with pale blue. The whole of the centre is occupied by the royal arms, surmounted by its kingly helmet, crown and lion crest. The arms themselves are encircled with the garter, on which is inscribed the well-known motto, ‘Honi soit qui mal y pense.’ The arms and supporters rest upon a groundwork of foliage, in the middle of which is the motto, ‘Dieu et mon Droit.’ The workmanship of this piece of crockery is of very superior character, and a dinner set of similar ware would make many a modern one look poor. The solitary specimen left of this once-magnificent royal dinner service is believed to be by far the finest extant of this early English manufacture, and includes five classical figures of brown ware, of admirable execution, testifying to the skill and taste of the Italian workmen: they consist of Saturn—at least we presume it is meant for him, as he is represented with a child in his arms, which he seems to be on the point of devouring, according to his agreement with his brother Titan. He has already got the child’s hand in his mouth, and the bite of his teeth is by no means agreeable to his offspring, as is evident by the expression of pain on his countenance. The next figure is Jupiter, the third is Neptune, the fourth Mars, and the fifth either Adonis or Meleager, the emblem of the boar’s head applying to either—the former being killed by a boar; the latter having killed the boar; and as the head is cut off, and lying at his feet, it is most probably Meleager, as he cut off the head of the beast and presented it to Atalanta. The grey ware consists of a bust of Charles II.; a bust of his queen, Catherine of Braganza; another of James II., and a companion one of his queen, Mary d’Este—all four of meritorious execution and excellent likenesses; a statuette of Flora; a likeness of one of the Dwight family, thirteen inches high; another of Adonis, same height; and a likeness of a lady; a portrait of one of the Dwights; a smaller pair of statuettes of a gentleman and lady of the court of Charles II., probably intended as likenesses; a curious figure, or rather bust, of one sleeping, or rather lying on a pillow, for it was a death likeness, and is inscribed ‘Lydia Dwight, dyd March the 3rd, 1762;’ a drinking cup, called Hogarth’s cup—it is lettered ‘Midnight Conversation,’ and and has on it a representation of Hogarth’s picture in raised figures, and also four arms of the City companies. There are also four brown liqueur bottles, with white figures in relief, temp. Charles II., with his initial letter; and one or two specimens, such as a butter-boat and a couple of pickle saucers of fine grey ware; but these appear of a somewhat different kind of manufacture, and may have been brought from Delft.”[49]
Other productions were flip-cans, gorges, grey beards, ale pots, bottles, mugs, single figures and groups, busts, statuettes, flasks, leaf-dishes, &c. In the Jermyn Street Museum are some examples of this ware, and others may be found in various private collections. Among the latter may be named an historically interesting flip-can, belonging to “Robinson Crusoe,” and carefully preserved by his family. It bears the incised inscription—
“Alexander Selkirke. This is my one
When you take me on bord of ship