Plot, writing in 1686, says, “the greatest pottery they have in this county is carried on at Burslem, near Newcastle-under-Lyme, where for making their different sorts of pots they have as many different sorts of clay, which they dig round about the towne, all within halfe a mile’s distance, the best being found nearest the coale,” &c.[45] The town has earned for itself the name of “mother of the potteries.” In the early part of the eighteenth century, the potters in Burslem appear to have been as follows:—
- Thos. Wedgwood (2).
- John and Samuel Cartlich.
- Robt. Daniel.
- Thos., Isaac, and Rcd. Malkin.
- Dr. Thos. Wedgwood.
- Wm., Rcd., and Jhn.(3) Simpson.
- Thos. Cartwright.
- John Wedgwood.
- Robt. Bucknall.
- Isaac Wood.
- Richard Wedgwood.
- Thos. Taylor.
- Wm. Harrison.
- John and Robt. Adams.
- Moses Marsh.
- Aaron Shaw.
- Thos. Mitchell.
- J. Warburton.
- J. Bagnall.
- Aaron Wedgwood
- H. (?) Marsh.
- Moses Shaw.
- Isaac Ball.
- Saml. Edge.
- Thos. Lockett.
- J. Tunstall.
- Moses Steel.
- Hugh Mayer.
- J. Stevenson.
- H. Beech.
- Ralph Daniel.
In 1750 the potters—i.e. owners of pot-works—appear to have been—
- Moses Copeland.
- John Marsh.
- Ralph Allen.
- Moses Marsh (two).
- Aaron Shaw.
- John Daniell.
- Richd. Parrott.
- Thos. Cartlich (Olding).
- E. Astbury.
- Saml. Malkin.
- John Adams.
- Ralph Adams.
- Wm. Lockett.
- Robt. Daniell.
- Thos. Steel.
- Samuel Cartlich.
- Maria Locker.
- John Heath.
- Richd. Onions.
- Aaron Clowes.
- Ephraim Booth.
- John Taylor.
- Thos. Taylor.
- Joseph Simpson (two).
- Clark Malkin.
- Thos. Mitchell.
- John Mitchell.
- Josiah Simpson.
- Taylor (two).
- William Burn.
- J. Ball.
- Aaron Cartlich.
- Timothy Lockett.
- &c.
A century later, in 1843, according to Ward, the potters then at work were Enoch Wood and Sons; Samuel Alcock & Co., who occupied their pot-works at the Hill Top; Machin and Potts (formerly Machin and Baggaley), at the Waterloo Works; Mellor, Venables & Co., Hole House; Thomas Godwin, Burslem Wharf; John WedgWood, Hadderidge; Barker, Sutton, and Till, Liverpool Road; Peter Hopkin, Market Place; William Pointon, Green Head; Samuel Mayer & Co., Waterloo Road; Joseph Hawley, Waterloo Road; Maddock & Seddon, Newcastle Street; James Vernon & Co., High Street; James and Thomas Edwards, Kiln Croft; Cork and Condliffe, Queen Street; Nehemiah Massey, Bournes Bank; Ann Holland, Hill Top; Daniel Edge, Waterloo Road; Jones and Bell, Bell Works; and those not then occupied were the Churchyard Works (late J. and J. Jackson), the Big House Works (formerly Thos. Wedgwood), the Hamill Street Works (formerly Cartlidge and Beech), the Knowl Works (formerly Breezes), and the Navigation Works, late John Waltons.
Many of the names in the earliest of these lists will be recognised as those of successful potters even of our own day. Burslem, long the centre of the pot-making district, was the place where the Wedgwoods had their various works, and where Josiah Wedgwood was born. It has, therefore, always been, as it is now, a place of considerable importance in connection with the history of the ceramic art of our country. It is manifestly impossible, nor would it be desirable, to enumerate all the firms from that time forward. The following are some of the more noted houses, exclusive of the Wedgwoods, to whom a separate chapter will be devoted. Shaw, in 1829, mentions that besides the various manufactories held by Enoch Wood and Sons, there were about twenty-six other pot-works, the principal of which were Machin & Co., T. and B. Godwin, T. Heath, J. Cormie, J. Hall & Sons, and John Riley Marsh.
Fig. 345 to 347.
ThomAs:
PAin 1718
W:M
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