“To start with, there was one ‘Bisque,’ and one ‘Glost’ oven, with slip house, for preparing the clay, and only such other buildings and appliances as were necessary to make good working commencement. Mr. Minton formed an engagement with the brothers Poulson, who owned the works opposite to the land he had purchased, known as the ‘Stone Works,’[41] and who were potters on a small scale, and, as was then the practice, had houses on the works, now converted into potters’ workshops. They belonged to an ancient family which had been located at Boothen for several centuries. Mr. Joseph Poulson was the practical potter, and his brother Samuel was modeller, mould maker, and useful man of all work. It was not until May, 1796, that Mr. Minton’s works were in operation. Considering the magnitude of the present operations of the firm, which has recently adopted the globe for its trade mark, it may not be uninteresting to quote from an old cash-book, which has been fortunately preserved, an item or two to show from what a very humble beginning great results have arisen. We find the amount paid the first week, which appears to have been a sort of broken week (perhaps there had been some merry-making to celebrate the opening);—

1796.£s.d.
May 21.By paid wages, coals, &c., this week12195½
 „ 28. „    „    „   „2912½
June 4. „    „    „   „3297½
Sept. 17. „ Joseph Poulson 18 weeks’ wages, to this day inclusive18180

“The average weekly amount under the above head of wages, &c., was within a trifle of £50, but still showing real progress.

“The first item on the contrary side is—

1796.£s.d.
May 23 @ June 3.To received for goods sold, ready money331010½

This would be for goods sold to the pot-sellers who hawked their wares about the country; and we find £596 10s. 2d. was received under this head during the remaining months of the first year. The next year’s transactions showed a satisfactory advance in every respect, as did every subsequent year; and amongst the circumstances favouring Mr. Minton’s prosperity may be named—first, that aided by Mr. Poulson’s experience as a potter, and his own good taste as an engraver and designer, he produced a quality and style of ware that commanded a ready market; and in his brother, Mr. Arthur Minton, who had established himself in the trade in the metropolis, a ready and devoted agent to extend the trade; so much so that the business done by him in 1800 amounted to nearly £2,000. He was also fortunate in having the acquaintance of Mr. William Pownall, a merchant of Liverpool, who aided him with capital to extend his operations, and who was, for a few years, a sleeping partner in the business. Mr. Joseph Poulson was in a short time after the opening of the works admitted as a partner, and the firm traded as ‘Minton and Poulson’ for a short time, and then the style was altered to ‘Minton, Poulson, and Pownall.’ Mr. Poulson remained a partner until his death in 1808; and it would seem that up to this period, china or soft porcelain was made at the stone-works, but was abandoned as unprofitable until Mr. Herbert Minton’s experiments in after years were fully successful.”

On the failure of the eminent firm of John and William Turner, of Lane End, the first named entered the service of Thomas Minton, and became, in fact, the practical potter of the firm after the death of Poulson. He effected great improvements in the bodies and glazes, and in the general character of the productions of the works. Soon after Mr. Minton had commenced business, a scheme having been set on foot for monopolising the sale of Cornish clay, he and his partners purchased an estate of eighty-four acres on Hendra Common for a comparatively trifling sum, and also certain rights and a leasehold interest in Treloar Common, where there was abundance of china clay and stone, as also other valuable minerals. Having secured the property, Mr. Minton took steps to associate with him the leading manufacturers to work the mines. In this he appears to have been successful, and the first meeting of “the Hendra Company” was held at the Swan Inn,[42] Hanley, on the 8th of January, 1800, Mr. Thomas Byerley in the chair, who represented the firm of Josiah Wedgwood and Byerley; Hollins, Warburton & Co., by Mr. John Hollins and Mr. John Daniel; Mr. William Adams, in person; and Minton, Poulson, and Pownall, by Mr. Minton and Mr. Poulson. These manufacturers composed the whole of the Company, and they agreed to purchase a part of Minton, Poulson, and Pownall’s property. Mr. John Brindley, of Longport, was appointed agent to the Company. The minutes of the meetings are brief in the extreme, and there is no recital as to the objects of the Company, but there are a few particulars which may interest the present race of manufacturers as contrasting their present improved position, as regards the supply of material, with what it was in those days. July 24, 1800, stone was ordered to be sold at 50s. per ton at Etruria wharf, and 42s. at Runcorn; fifteen tons were a boat-load. A vessel, called the Venus, brought to Runcorn ninety-nine tons, and the freight was £72 7s. 9d. China clay was £6 per ton at Polemear.

Figs. 205 to 210.—Messrs. Minton’s Productions.